About the Provincial Employees Community Services Fund

The Provincial Employees Community Services Fund (PECSF), also known as the Community Fund, helps BC Public Service employees support registered charities through payroll deductions, fundraising events and workplace campaigns.

On this page

• History
• Goals
• Giving through PECSF
• Volunteers
• Donations
• Administration

History

The Provincial Employees Community Services Fund (PECSF), also called the Community Fund, was founded in 1965. The program encourages provincial government employees to give to local non-profit organizations through automatic payroll deductions.

Since its inception, PECSF has raised over $60 million.

Goals

• Inspire BC Public Service employees to support local charitable organizations through bi-weekly or one-time payroll deductions and fundraising events
• Support local charities that apply for funding

Giving through PECSF

An awareness campaign runs every year from mid-September to mid-November. During the campaign, employees can set up one-time or bi-weekly payroll deductions to donate to any CRA-registered charity of their choice. 

There are two ways employees can choose to give through PECSF:

• Donor choice
  • Any Canada Revenue Agency registered charity
• Regional Charity Programs
  • A pool of locally screened charities

PECSF is registered federally as a Charitable Employee Trust and governed by a board of directors.

PECSF is the only organization authorized to canvass provincial government employees in the workplace. 

Volunteers

• Hundreds of employees volunteer every year to run PECSF awareness events and generate excitement
• Volunteering is encouraged and supported by executive
• The PECSF central office holds training sessions (in person and online) for new and experienced employee volunteers
• Each ministry, agency, board or commission designates at least one lead representative to coordinate their team’s campaign
• Volunteer canvassers and event helpers report directly to their designated PECSF lead coordinator or workplace PECSF committee
• Volunteers are recognized at award presentations held in January and early February

Donations

• All employee contributions are electronically forwarded to the PECSF central office in Victoria for distribution
• Donated funds are administered according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• 100 percent of donations go to charitable organizations
• Contributions are disbursed annually to charities chosen by donors
• Donations to Regional Charity Programs stay within the local community
• The Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia conducts an annual review which provides additional confidence and assurance to all donors and supporters
• PECSF is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a private foundation/employee trust:
  • BN/Registration Number: 88940 7466 RR0001

Administration

• PECSF is operated by BC Public Service employees in the BC Public Service Agency
• Government absorbs all administrative costs
• A Board of Directors made up of BC Public Service employees clarifies policies and procedures relating to strategic planning and financial decisions
• Regional committee members annually review PECSF-funded charity programs to make sure all donated dollars are still going toward programs and services that were approved
• Every three years, these committees accept new applications for funding and interview eligible charities