San Francisco relaunches annual fundraising campaign with stricter charity guidelines

San Francisco County is set to revamp its annual fundraising campaign following a recent government meeting that addressed concerns raised by city employees. The campaign, mandated by Administrative Code Section 16.93, requires the city to hold a joint fundraising drive each year, with specific criteria for participating charities.

During the meeting, officials outlined the structure of the program, which includes a campaign chair designated by the mayor and support from the city controller for payroll deductions. Currently, the sheriff's department and the airport are leading the campaign, with various city departments appointing campaign captains to encourage employee participation.

Last year, approximately 10% of city employees contributed, raising over $1.2 million. However, the campaign faced challenges when it was paused shortly after its launch due to employee complaints. This prompted a thorough evaluation of the program, leading to proposed changes aimed at strengthening its geographic focus.

The resolution discussed in the meeting suggests that all participating charities must be based in the Bay Area, ensuring that funds raised are utilized for local services. Additionally, federations will now require charities to sign a nondiscrimination pledge to participate. This change reduces the number of federations from four to three, focusing on local charities while losing the global impact federation that represented international causes.

City employees will still have the option to support any 501(c)(3) nonprofit of their choice through a donor's choice option, maintaining flexibility in their charitable contributions. The campaign is expected to relaunch by the end of the year, with payroll deductions starting slightly later to accommodate necessary adjustments.

As San Francisco County moves forward with these changes, the emphasis remains on enhancing community support and ensuring that fundraising efforts directly benefit local organizations and services.