State Employee Charitable Campaign 2011

Everyone is encouraged to give but no one should feel pressured to give. You should consider what you feel is appropriate for you and your budget — any gift, no matter how large or small, can make all the difference in the world to the charities in this campaign. If you feel you are being pressured to donate money at any time during this campaign, please contact secc@utdallas.edu or submit a written complaint to:

Susan Combs
Comptroller of Public Accounts
111 E. 17th Street, Austin, Texas 78774
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Each fall, UT Dallas faculty and staff have the opportunity to learn about the charities in the SECC, choose which ones they want to help, and then fill out a pledge form to indicate how much they wish to donate. You can make a one-time gift by cash or check. Or, even better, your gift can be deducted from each paycheck beginning January 2012.

The campaign runs from November 1 through November 30. You can expect to receive a directory of charities and pledge form through campus mail. Additionally, you might be invited to an informational meeting or be approached by a co-worker with information about SECC. (Hide)

Reasons for giving to a charity is a personal choice. Here, however, are some common reasons why people give:

• To support a favorite cause or charity on a regular basis.
• To help those who are less fortunate.
• It's the right thing to do.
• It will make you feel great.
• It's tax deductible.

How much to give is totally up to you. Your philanthropic choices are a personal decision and remain confidential.

That answer depends on how you choose to give. A cash or gift by check can be in any amount. Such one-time gifts are not limited. However, if you give through Payroll Deduction the minimum gift is $2 a month. (Hide)

Leadership gifts are gifts of $1,000 or more. There are several levels of leadership giving, including:

• Lone Star Circle...($10,000 or more)
• Alamo Circle...($5,000 to $9,999)
• Bluebonnet Circle...($2,500 to $4,999)
• Yellow Rose Circle...($1,000 to $2,499)

If you choose to give a Leadership Gift and elect on your pledge form to be acknowledged, your name will be given to the recipient charities and listed in next year's SECC directory. (Hide)

Charitable contributions to the SECC are considered a voluntary, miscellaneous deduction. As such, these deductions reduce net pay, but do not affect gross income. Participation in these types of deductions is at the employee’s written request. Currently, the minimum level of participation is $2.00 per pay per period or $24.00 per year.

Please retain your December check stub and a copy of your Higher-Education Authorization Form as substantiation of your SECC charitable contribution for reporting purposes to the IRS. For the December 31, 2011 tax year, please print your December 1, 2011 check stub to substantiate your SECC gifts through payroll deduction.

On your check stub, listed under the “Employee Deduction” section is your monthly deduction and year-to-date total to “Charity” through payroll deduction. The amount under year-to-date is the figure to use if you itemize deductions on your annual tax return. For payroll deduction authorizations made to the SECC during November 2011, these monthly deductions will begin on January 1, 2012 and will be reported on each check stub.

Neither Community Health Charities - North Texas Region Public Sector (administrator of the SECC) nor UT Dallas provide any charitable information to the IRS on a donor’s behalf.

If you made a one-time gift to the SECC during November 2011, your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction on your 2010 tax return. For tax or financial assistance, please obtain the services of a qualified tax accountant or other professional advisor. (Hide)

One of the great benefits of the SECC is the wide variety of charities and causes represented, ranging from small local organizations to large and well-known national and international groups. Those charities that wish to participate must meet stringent legal requirements, and are scrutinized by teams of state employees to ensure:

1. They are recognized by the IRS as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and registered with the Secretary of State.
   
2. They are audited (or reviewed) annually by an accountant in accordance with generally-accepted auditing standards.
   
3. They provide direct or indirect health and human services.
   
4. They spend no more than 25 percent of funds raised on administration and fund raising unless they qualify for an exception due to special circumstances. (Hide)

The overhead costs for the SECC is extremely low for similar fund-raising activities. Statewide, the overhead is slightly less than 10%. (Hide)

All undesignated contributions submitted without a charity code, will be shared by all charitable groups within the local campaign area. (Hide)

At the state level, a committee of state employees called the State Policy Committee provides governance and oversight. Four members are appointed by the Governor and three each by the Lieutenant Governor and the Comptroller of Public Accounts. They are responsible for a campaign plan, a budget and ensuring the eligibility of statewide organizations. The SPC also hires a State Campaign Manager to administer the campaign.

At the local level, Local Employee Committees (LECs) provide similar oversight. The SPC appoints the LEC chair, which then recruits a local committee of up to 10 members. They hire a local campaign manager to administer the campaign locally.

They ensure the campaign is conducted fairly and equitably under a strict set of guidelines that give donors confidence in both the charities that benefit and the methods used to solicit.

Dr. Frances J. Freeman, assistant vice president for faculty diversity in the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement, serves on the Local Employee Committee for the Dallas Metroplex. (Hide)

Contributions made by state agency employees are distributed by the State Comptroller to the participating federations, who then send the funds along to their members. At the local level, the Local Campaign Managers distribute the funds the same way. Each university distributes funds to federations through its own payroll system.

But because it is almost impossible to account for donations lost through such things as an employee leaving or transferring, a percentage method is used to distribute funds. At the end of each year’s campaign, the percent of funds pledged to each charity is calculated. Each charity then receives that percentage of what is eventually collected. Undesignated pledges are shared with all participating charities using the same percentage. Each charity also pays its share of the cost of running the campaign (printed materials, etc.) based on the same percentage. (Hide)

For more information, please contact Dwight Clasby at (972-883-6511).Thanks for your support of the SECC. (Hide)