The CFD started in 1984 in response to a steady increase in the number of individual nonprofit organizations soliciting state employees for money and volunteer time. A proclamation by Governor Spellmen helped condense this multiple fund raising campaign into a single effort – The Combined Fund Drive.

This single campaign increased the efficiency of non-profit organizations by reducing fundraising costs and expanding access to annual payroll deductions by state employees.

The CFD has developed a reputation as one of the best public employee workplace fundraising programs in the nation. The first campaign in 1985 raised 1.2 million dollars. In 2008, state employees pledged over $5 million to over 2,600 nonprofit organizations in Washington and around the world. In over two decades, state employees have pledged over $89 million to nonprofit organizations through the CFD!