Checkoff Colorado Fact Sheet

• Checkoff Colorado is a groundbreaking, collaborative, statewide public awareness campaign initiated 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.
• Most checkoff contributions in Colorado are voluntary donations from a taxpayer's refund, not a redirection of his or her tax liability.
• 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.
• A total of $1,482,969 was contributed to Checkoff Colorado funds in fiscal year 2004.
• A total of $1,464,720 was contributed to Checkoff Colorado funds in fiscal year 2003.
• A total of 178,319 checkoff donations were made by approximately 76,000 individual taxpayers in 2003, representing just 3 percent of the total number of Colorado taxpayers filing returns. The average donation was $8.21.
• In 2003, more than 1.5 million Colorado taxpayers got over $650 million in refunds. The average refund was $427.
• The funds receiving the largest total donations in 2007 were the Colorado Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Fund; the Military Families Relief Fund, Pet Overpopulation, Colorado Domestic Abuse Program Fund; and the Colorado Homeless Prevention Activities Fund.