GET ANSWERS TO YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1. What is the Indiana State Employees’ Community Campaign?

The 2021 Indiana State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC) is a workplace giving program that offers Indiana State employees the opportunity to contribute to causes they care about through the ease of payroll deduction, credit/debit card, or electronic check. 

2. Who administers the SECC?

The Indiana State Personnel Department (INSPD) oversees the campaign with support from America’s Charities (see the answer to question 3), as well as state employees who serve as agency coordinators, tasked with advocating for the SECC and non-coercively inviting all employees to give. 

3. Who processes my donations? When do my charities receive my contributions?

America’s Charities is the fiscal agent and campaign manager for the 2021 SECC campaign. Payroll contributions are distributed to the designated charities on a quarterly basis. One-time contributions are distributed at the end of the campaign.  Undesignated funds are disbursed proportionately to the other designated charities within a current campaign year based on their share of pledge during in the final distribution. 

4. How long does the SECC run?

In 2021, the SECC runs August 26 - November 5, 2021. 

5. What is the 2021 SECC's theme?

"We Make a Difference"

6. What are the 2021 SECC's goals?

Our goal is to inspire 20% of State employees to participate in the SECC and raise $1.5 million total.

We are grateful to those state employees with existing rollover contributions – those who have pledged by payroll deduction in the past and continue that giving year over year. If you have questions pertaining to your rollover pledge, see answers to questions 16-18.

If you are not currently participating, we invite you to support a cause you care about this year. The need has never been greater, and a donation of any amount is incredibly helpful to the charitable community. See answers to questions 27-30 about the reasons to give, and give now, and the benefits of doing so. 

7. Who can participate in the SECC?

Any active state of Indiana employee is eligible to participate in the SECC. More than 1,500 charities are eligible for donations. 

8. Are employees required to participate?

No. While one of Indiana’s core values is to giving back to the community and we encourage everyone to give, no one should feel compelled to do so. It is a personal choice.   

9. How many charities are participating in the 2021 SECC?

More than 1,500 charities, each pre-qualified as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in good standing with the IRS, are participating in the 2021 SECC. Any tax-exempt charitable or nonprofit organization holding this designation, is potentially eligible to receive donations through the SECC. 

10. What payment methods does the SECC support?

You may give using the convenience of payroll deduction, credit/debit card, or electronic check – there are no paper pledges or paper checks this year. If you pledged by payroll deduction in the 2020 SECC, you are able to rollover your pledge this year. See answers to questions 16-18 for additional details. 

11. Does the SECC have a website?

Yes. As of 2021, the SECC has a new website and giving portal, www.charities.org/secc, which is intuitive, secure, and perfect for a remote or hybrid work environment. Anyone with access to the internet and a supported browser can make a secure donation. If you're reading this, you're on the new website! Please see the answer to question 12 regarding supported browsers. 

12. Can I access the giving portal using any web browser?

No, Microsoft Internet Explorer is not supported. We recommend using the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox.

13. How do I give?

Click here or the “Need Assistance?” tab above in the top navigation bar to access step-by-step giving instructions in PDF or as an illustrated slideshow. 

14. How do I login to the SECC’s giving portal?

You may login using the following credentials: 

Username: First Initial + Last 6 digits of PeopleSoft ID.

• Example: The username for a person named John Doe with the PeopleSoft ID of 123456 is: J123456 

Password: first initial + last name.

• Example: The password for a person named John Doe is: jdoe 

NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive and must be all lowercase. Do not include special characters. 

15. Can I give through the SECC if I do not have a PeopleSoft ID?

Yes. All contract employees and those without a PeopleSoft ID may make a one-time donation through the campaign. Employees without a PeopleSoft ID can give using the following site: https://secure.givelively.org/event/america-s-charities/2021-indiana-secc-donation-page/2021-indiana-secc-quasi-department-one-time-giving-site 

16. How do I cancel a payroll donation? How do I cancel a credit/debit card or electronic check donation?

You may cancel or edit your payroll deductions anytime during the Campaign’s open enrollment period (August 26-November 5, 2021) by selecting the “Give” tab and click on the “give now” option. Then click, “cancel and start over.” This will stop your deduction from rolling over into 2022. If you want to cancel your current payroll deduction immediately, please click here or contact Caroline Bailey, Indiana United Ways, at secc@iuw.org or 317-660-8408. To cancel or modify a credit/debit card or electronic check donation, please contact America’s Charities at secchelp@charities.org or (703) 957-7888. 

17. I pledged in an earlier SECC and have an active payroll deduction. How do I change it?

All earlier payroll pledges are automatically rolled over for the 2021 SECC. Your options are:

• If you are happy with your current payroll giving, both the dollars pledged and the causes you support, no action your part is required. The pledge will automatically roll over in 2021.
• If you want to check on or modify your pledge, you may do so on the new giving portal using the step-by-step giving instructions available on the giving portal.
• If you check online and discover your rollover pledge is not designated to any specific organization(s), you need to choose one or more new charities to support. If you do not modify your undesignated pledge, it will remain classified as "undesignated" until you modify your gift in a future campaign. 

18. Why aren’t my prior year donations or charities reflected in my giving history?

If any prior year donations are not reflected in your giving history, or your pledges are no longer designated to any specific organization(s), it may be due to one of the following reasons:

• You gave by a payment method other than payroll deduction such as credit/debit card, electronic check, or paper check. Only payroll donations, and no other giving methods, rollover.
• You gave to a charity that is not eligible to participate in the 2021 SECC. Participating charities must be verified to have valid 501(c)(3) ruling from the IRS. If your charity is not eligible this year, your contributions will be classified “undesignated,” i.e., not designated to a verified SECC charity. Undesignated funds will be distributed proportionally among the participating charities based upon the percentage of funds designated to each charity.
• You gave by paper pledge. Only online pledges are retained in the giving portal.
• To obtain pledge history from 2020 or prior years, click here or contact Caroline Bailey, Indiana United Ways: secc@iuw.org or 317-660-8408. 

19. Who should I contact with questions about my donations from the 2020 SECC (or earlier)?

Employees who want to manage donations/obtain pledge history from 2020 SECC or earlier campaigns, please click here or contact Caroline Bailey, Indiana United Ways, at secc@iuw.org or 317-660-8408. 

20. How do charities find out about funds raised from the 2020 SECC (or earlier)?

Charity representatives who want to access/manage their funds from 2020 SECC or earlier campaigns, click here or contact Caroline Bailey, Indiana United Ways, at secc@iuw.org or 317-660-8408. 

21. How secure is the SECC website and giving portal? What security measures are in place?

Protecting personal information is critical, and security is our top priority. The SECC website is built on America’s Charities’ Simply Giving platform, providing state-of-the-art security to prevent any data from being compromised. Donors can give with confidence knowing their information is safe. 

22. Are my contributions tax deductible? What tax information do I need to know?

Yes, your contributions to the SECC are tax deductible within the limits allowable by Federal and Indiana State law. The SECC provided no goods or services in exchange for your contribution.

• If you gave by payroll deduction, keep a copy of your receipt along with your final pay stub, which confirms the amount of contributions withheld.
• If you gave online using the giving portal the pledge confirmation email serves as your receipt. 
• A tax receipt will be emailed by America’s Charities, regardless of the gift amount, upon the end of the calendar year during which payroll deductions took place.
• Inquiries about obtaining a donor’s tax receipt may be directed to America’s Charities at (703) 957-7888.
• Please consult their accountant or tax advisor to answer questions about tax benefits. 

23. Will I get a donation receipt?

Yes. You will receive a pledge confirmation email, which serves as your receipt. 

24. How do I find a list of charities? How do I find a charity to support?

On the giving portal, www.charities.org/secc, you can search among the 1,500 charities participating in the 2021 SECC. Once you’re in the giving process, click the “Find a Charity” button. A pop-up box will appear. Use the charity name, city, state/territory, or Employer Identification Number (EIN) search features to find a specific organization or click through the alphabetical list. You may select as many charities to support as you would like. As you find charities you want to support, click “Add” and they will appear highlighted in blue under “Selected Charities.” Then click the orange “Add to Designations” button. The organization(s) you selected will now display on your list of designations.

NOTE: You will not be able to complete giving process without designating a charity. 

25. What happens if I can’t find my favorite charity?

You may “write-in” a charity that is not already in the giving portal. Just enter “Write-In” in the “Search by Charity Name” box and click on the logo. A pop-up box will appear where you may enter your charity’s information. America’s Charities will verify the charity’s legitimacy and tax-exempt status prior to distributing funds. In the event that the charity is ineligible for donations, you will be contacted to determine if you would like your pledge re-designated to a different charity, reassigned as undesignated, or canceled altogether. If the gift is reassigned as undesignated, it will be distributed proportionately to all of the charities that received contributions in the Campaign. 

26. How does my favorite charity receive my donations and those of my colleagues?

Beginning in January, 2022, donations are distributed to charities quarterly either by check or bank transfer. 

27. Why should I contribute through the SECC?

The SECC provides Indiana employees with the opportunity to support the causes they care about and shape communities across Indiana and beyond. Simply put, it’s the most convenient and cost-effective method to give back. The SECC is also:

• Accountable: All participating charities have been pre-screened by America’s Charities to ensure they are legitimate in the eyes of the law and eligible for tax-deductible donations.
• Life-changing: With just a few clicks, Hoosiers can make a long-term difference in their communities.
• Easy: State employees may securely contribute to charities in just a few clicks.
• Flexible: Employees are in the driver’s seat of their giving—they decide how much they want to donate, what giving method they want to use, and which causes they want to support.
• Tax deductible: All funds given to charities through the SECC are tax deductible. 

28. What's the urgency? Why should I give now?

COVID-19 has crushed the charitable community. When the outbreak began, charities were the first on the ground, providing critical relief to those impacted by the pandemic – especially the most vulnerable among us. Most charities were forced to redirect their resources to cover those costs, all the while foregoing important fundraising and partner events that would normally help sustain their programs. Even now, demand for charities’ programs and services continue to surge. The charities participating in the 2021 SECC are struggling to fulfill ever-increasing demand with ever-dwindling resources. 

But there is hope. The SECC is hope. YOU are hope. By donating to causes you love through the SECC, you not only support charities that matter to you personally – you also strengthen your community and Indiana. 

29. What are the benefits of giving through the SECC versus giving directly to a nonprofit?

• Help charities focus on their mission vs. administrative tasks: The SECC is a single, coordinated campaign, rather than hundreds of individual drives. Because donations are aggregated before they are disbursed to charities, the administrative burden on charities is significantly reduced because they no longer have to process thousands of individual donations. This frees charities up to focus on what matters most: their missions.
• Recurring funds empower causes to do more good: If you give by payroll deduction, your recurring donations support your favorite causes all year long, and charities are able to plan their programs and services based on those steady funds do even more good work.
• You can set it and forget it, but still make a huge impact: Pledge now and pay in 2022. Payroll deductions make it easier to afford a more generous gift without hurting your bank account, since smaller contributions are taken from each paycheck rather than in one larger lump sum. It’s big impact without a big dent in your bank account. 

30. What if I can’t afford to give enough to make a difference?

No gift is too small. Each gift, no matter the amount, is just that: a gift. Every penny helps a charity, and charities, in turn, help the most vulnerable among us. If every one of our 31,000 employees donated just $2 per paycheck, we would exceed our goal of $1.5 million! In fact, did you know:

• Just $1 per pay period, the price of one soda, provides 74 meals to Indiana families in need?
• $3 per pay period, the price of a gallon of milk, provides food for as many as 23 participants for one day of youth development programming?
• $5 per pay period, the price of a frozen pizza, provides 28 meals to homebound seniors in need?
• $10 per pay period, the price of a movie matinee, helps one doctor research a therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease?
• $20 per pay period, the price of one takeout meal, provides 26 kids with brand new winter coats, enabling them to stay warm and increase their confidence?
• $50 per pay period, the price of a concert ticket, provides 25 miles of trails connecting people to the environment and clears 100 acres of invasive species?

Every dollar makes a big difference. 

31. What happens to undesignated contributions?

If the donation is not designated to a specific charity, it will be considered “undesignated” and distributed proportionately to all of the charities that receive contributions through SECC. 

32. If I change jobs within the State government, will my payroll deduction continue?

Yes. If you transfer, please contact America’s Charities at secchelp@charities.org or (703) 957-7888. 

33. How much money has the SECC raised?

Over the past 41 years, State employees have contributed millions of dollars to charities of their choice through the SECC. 

34. Does the SECC set a quota on contributions to larger charities or redirect contributions to smaller charities?

No. No quotas for contributions exist for charities of any size, large or small. All contributions designated to eligible charities go to that charity. Undesignated dollars are distributed proportionately to all the charities that received contributions in the Campaign. 

35. How do charities access pledge reports?

Charity representatives who want to access/manage their funds from 2020 or earlier, please click here or contact Caroline Bailey, Indiana United Ways, at secc@iuw.org or 317-660-8408. 

36. I can’t find an answer to my question. Now what?

Employees and charities who need help with the 2021 SECC (this year’s Campaign), please contact the America’s Charities Help Desk by:

• Email: secchelp@charities.org
• Phone: (703) 957-7888
• Web: charities.org/support 

For help with the 2020 SECC or earlier campaigns:

• Employee donors: please click here
• Charities representatives: click here
• Either audience may contact Caroline Bailey, Indiana United Ways, by:
  • Email: secc@iuw.org
  • Phone: 317-660-8408