More than 13,000 individuals have received the designation so far. Now it's your turn. Experience the benefits of certification first hand - the CGFM is the mark of excellence in your profession. We look forward to adding your name to our distinguished list of Certified Government Financial Managers.

Heritage and Needs
Over the past two decades, a number of factors have created a rapidly changing environment for today's government financial managers. Beginning with the New York City financial crisis in the 1970's and 1980's, state and local governments began overhauling their financial management systems. In 1990, the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) act called for reforms that brought the goal of accountability to the forefront.

The value of financial managers against this turbulent backdrop has shot upwards. Those who believe they are on the high end of the profession, or on the "fast track" toward getting there, need a credential that shows they are qualified and have the skills to lead. The Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) does this like no other credential.

The CGFM is the first certification broad enough to cover the whole field of government financial management - federal, state and local. It deals not with testing a person in a specific area, but with measuring a wide range of knowledge and skills that a professional needs to succeed in the federal government financial environment, or to meet the unique challenges faced by state and local government financial managers.

Expertise and Value
Perhaps the genius of the CGFM had its roots in the fundamental notion that it would be the customers, stakeholders and "users" who would determine the value of the certification.

The foundation of the CGFM is the requirement for Education, Experience and Examination. Building on this foundation is a Code of Ethics and required Continuing Professional Education (CPE).

This designation is already recognized as a professional standard. The U.S. General Accounting Office Report to the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller) on the Department of Defense's financial management work force shows the CGFM as a preferred credential in a government agency with tens of thousands of financial personnel worldwide and more than $1 trillion in assets.

The combination of two elements - what the experts say constitutes government financial management and what the people in the field say is expected of a government financial manager - creates the value and attraction to the CGFM.

Toward the Future
The challenge facing today's government financial managers is to keep up with the changing times. New innovations, new developments, new methods of implementation are creating a new environment in which government financial managers must function.

Increasing knowledge and skills is the key to staying abreast of the latest developments. AGA presents a dynamic program of events and courses every year containing solutions, innovations, and technological breakthroughs that you'll need to retain and enhance your CGFM.

The field of government financial management will be far different tomorrow from what it is today. Having a broad knowledge and a recognized professional designation will be the way to distinguish yourself from the crowd.

There's no time like the present for joining the thousands of other leaders in government financial management who already have discovered the unique value and benefit of the CGFM designation.