Checkoff Colorado Fact Sheet

• Founded in 2003, Checkoff Colorado is a groundbreaking, collaborative, statewide public awareness campaign by the charitable funds eligible for voluntary contributions on the Colorado state income tax form.


• Checkoff Colorado targets tax preparers and taxpayers.


• Colorado was the first state in the country to allow a taxpayer to "checkoff" a voluntary contribution to a non-profit organization in 1977. The Colorado Non-Game Wildlife Fund was the first organization listed.


• Each organization listed on the Colorado tax checkoff has completed a rigorous review process and been approved by the Colorado State Legislature.


• Each organization is listed as a participant by state statute. After three years, an organization comes before the legislature for renewal.


• In 2003, there were 220 checkoff programs in 41 states and the District of Columbia, a jump from 179 programs in 2000 and 103 programs in 1989. Every state with a broad based income tax program has at least one checkoff program.


• Nationally, taxpayers contributed $32.8 million to tax checkoff programs in 2002, a jump of $5.5 million from 2000.


• Most checkoff contributions in Colorado are voluntary donations from a taxpayer's refund, not a redirection of his or her tax liability.


• In 2006, more than 1.5 million Colorado taxpayers got over $665 million in refunds. The average refund was $439.


• In the 2006 tax year, Colorado taxpayers made a total of 189,036 individual donations for a combined total of $1,834,464.


• The average checkoff donation in the 2006 tax year was $9.70.


• A total of $1,782,757 was contributed to Checkoff Colorado funds in fiscal year 2005.


• A total of $1,450,299 was contributed to Checkoff Colorado funds in fiscal year 2004.


• The funds receiving the largest total donations in 2006 were the Colorado Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund; the Military Family Relief Fund; the Pet Overpopulation Fund; and the Colorado Domestic Abuse Fund.