ELIGIBILITY OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS FOR LOCAL PARTICIPATION

(a) A charitable organization that seeks to participate in the state employee charitable campaign only in a local campaign area must apply to the state policy committee during the annual eligibility determination period specified by the state policy committee. (b) The state policy committee, with assistance of any applicable local employee committee appointed by the state policy committee, shall review each application and may approve a charitable organization for participation only in a local campaign area only if the organization qualifies as a local charitable organization and is: (1) an unaffiliated local organization; or (2) a federation or fund or an affiliate of a federation or fund that is not approved for statewide participation. (c) An affiliated organization of an eligible federation or fund that does not qualify as a statewide charitable organization under Section 659.146 because it does not provide services in two or more noncontiguous standard metropolitan statistical areas may apply to the state policy committee for participation in the state employee charitable campaign only in a local campaign area. (d) An appeal from a decision of the state policy committee regarding the eligibility of an organization to participate in the state employee charitable campaign only in a local campaign area shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by the state policy committee. (e) The state policy committee shall develop guidelines for evaluation of applications based on eligibility criteria under this section and Section 659.150. The state policy committee shall make the guidelines publicly available.