Need Help. Not sure of what to do..... here are a few questions that have come up this year that you too may have:

Where do I send my pledge cards?
Send completed cards to your Agency/Dept Key Person or Business Manager, not directly to the Agency of Commerce.  NOTE: Key Persons need to make employees aware of where to send their cards.  Key Persons should share packet information (red folder of info) with their solicitors in the field.

If retiring in 2008, how can I donate?
Payroll deductions can only be taken as of the date of your last paycheck, thus you can contribute by check, or
you can use the payroll deduction option by calculating how much you want to spend, total the weeks you will be paid and dividing the amount by the total # of pay dates you want to spend, as if it was the full 26 weeks, the total expected to be received will then be higher, but the amount given will equal your weeks paid. For .e.g. I will be paid 13 times in 2008 and I want to donate $260 (26 weeks X $10) On my card I would say $20 per week for a total of $520, knowing that it will only be $20 X 13 or $260.

VTSHARES admin costs in 2006 were 2.5% of the total dollars contributed, which is minimal.
The eligible charities on your list are allowed to spend no more than 25% on administrative costs.  No portion of the state’s Coordinating Committee’s time spent is charged to the program.  The admin costs are reflective of printing, promotion, pens, pins, and Kick-Off breakfast, misc, etc.

How do the VtSHARES Campaign admin costs get allocated to the eligible charities?
Charities receive funds donated, net of admin costs, which are deducted as a % of their total donated dollars to total state dollars donated.

How do I get Pins and Pens for employees?
We have a very, very limited # of pins, due to lack of interest in past years.  We added pens as a more attractive/useful option for folks and we have a significant number to distribute.  You can ask for an initial amount of one or both or wait until after your cards are all in to request them. E-mail Cathy Scott 828-1093 cathy.scott@state.vt.us and she will mail them to you.

Where can I get charity information?
Please remind employees to use the www.vtshares.vermont.gov website for a complete listing of eligible charities and other useful information.  There were a limited number of paper listings distributed to agencies/depts. to help keep VT green and costs down.

Can temporary employees donate?
Yes.  A temporary employee may give cash or check (made out to the State of VT). A pledge card would need to be completed making sure the Payroll Govt Unit Code and Employee ID are written on it, as well as how to distribute to the applicable charity.  Extra blank cards can be requested of Cathy Scott, see above contact information.

When do payroll deductions start?
January 17, 2008. 

What happens when I check the box for an acknowledgement?
A listing of employees who checked the box is generated from our VtSHARES Campaign database.  The listing is sent to the Umbrella organization containing the charity, who then passes the information along accordingly.  Each charity is then required to send a letter of acknowledgment.  The State of VT does not dictate what the acknowledgment should look like, say, when it should be sent by, nor do we get copies.

Is VtSHARES audited?
The Dept of Finance & Mgmt is responsible for maintaining the databaseinto which the Coordinating Agency/Dept enters the pledge card data and for reconciling the funds deposited by the Coordinating Agency and tracked in VISION with the account at Bank North.  The funds are distributed to the eligible charities quarterly, once the payroll deductions are received, and verified by the department against the monies owed.  The last quarter of the calendar year’s payment to the charities is adjusted to reflect the actual cash received in the calendar year, as employees leave, retire, etc. These funds and all state funds reported in the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) are audited annually. 

How do charities become eligible for the program?
Refer to www.vtshares.vermont.gov Under Info for Charities.  Nancy Zorn at Green Mountain United Way, 229-9532 is the contact for all charities.  She will direct them as to how they apply and through which one of the state’s umbrella organizations they would fall under.  Their application must meet ALL state criteria for inclusion (the criteria can be found under the above-mentioned area as well). 

If a charity doesn’t apply and meet the criteria, they can’t be added.  There is a formal application process.  Applications are mailed in February to the charities and are due back to the coordinating umbrella org the end of March.  They are mailed by the umbrella to Nancy and then given to the Coordinating Committee for review in April and May.