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Community First Cares Foundation Contribution Policy

The vision of the Community First Cares Foundation is to improve the quality of life for people on the First Coast. We place a special emphasis on activities that, improve financial literacy, enhance the quality of our educational system, upgrade the health and welfare of our community and help the underserved citizens improve their quality of life. The Community First Cares Foundation receives many solicitations for donations and volunteer support. The following policy provides guidelines for how requests are handled. These guidelines help assure that the Community First Cares Foundation's financial resources are used in a way that best serves those that reside on the First Coast. These guidelines will not cover every possible request, special need or opportunity; therefore, the Community First Cares Foundation may make exceptions to this policy based on extenuating circumstances.

Contributions/Donations

The Community First Cares Foundation makes contributions to non-profit organizations that serve the communities within the First Coast. In general, support is given to organizations that improve financial literacy; enhance the quality of the educational system; improve the health and well-being of our community and help underserved citizens improve their quality of life.

Guidelines for contributions requests:

• Requests for donations must be made in writing to the Community First Cares Foundation.
• Requests for donations must include a completed "Donation Request Form" and W-9 form (available at www.irs.gov).
• Contributions must be made to non-profit organizations. The organization will be asked to provide a government-issued non-tax identification number. In general, support is given to organizations that meet the guidelines described in the above paragraph.
• Requests from Community First members and Select Employer Groups (SEGs) will be given priority over requests by nonmembers.
• Community contributions may be in the form financial contributions, in-kind donations, staff hours volunteered or some combination thereof.

The following requests will generally not be considered:

• The Community First Cares Foundation will generally not contribute to a religious organization, because of the spiritual diversity of the credit union membership unless it involves an existing or prospective SEG and the funds are used in a manner consistent with the guidelines contained in this policy.
• The Community First Cares Foundation will not make contributions to political candidates.
• The Community First Cares Foundation will not contribute to organizations or causes outside of the First Coast unless there are direct benefits derived that can be linked back to the local community.
• The Community First Cares Foundation will generally not contribute to operational budgets. We seek to fund projects that are tangible (permanent, visible, capital versus operational).
• Community First Cares Foundation will generally not make donations to individuals or groups benefiting a small group of people, such as classroom field trips, beauty pageants, sports programs and persons sustaining losses because of illness or other adverse circumstances. Other avenues will address these special circumstances, including providing employees and members the opportunity to contribute with Community First Credit Union's role limited to being the intermediary for gathering and forwarding amounts raised.
• The Community First Cares Foundation will not contribute to any organization that discriminates according to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, disability or veteran status.
• The Community First Cares Foundation will not permit an organization to solicit contributions on Community First property.

Organizations previously funded

Organizations previously funded may not meet the guidelines; however, if the foundation Board of Directors determines there is a compelling reason to continue support, a contribution may be made if the Donation Request Form is completed.

If the Foundation Board of Directors determines that an organization previously supported no longer meets the guidelines, provisions will be made for phasing out support.