Membership is open to anyone in the State of California actively engaged in government finance in any city, county, or special district.

Financial reporting has multiple audiences, with a responsibility to citizens, taxpayers and voters to provide transparent accountability for use of public funds (taxes).

CSMFO encourages professional certification for public finance directors and treasurers who meet standards of education, experience and commitment to a code of ethics.

CSMFO does not offer its own post-nominal professional certificate since GFOA already administers the Certified Professional Finance Officer (CPFO), CMTA offers the Certified California Municipal Treasurer (CCMT) certification program,[5] and the Association of Government Accountants offers the Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) certification, requiring six hours of testing on Federal, State and Local Government Financial material.

Standing Committees Financial Leadership is furthered by engaging in efforts to assist statewide finance officers to develop the skills and capabilities necessary to enable them to become organizational leaders as well as technical experts.

CSMFO's library of resources includes sample RFPs, job descriptions, and a variety of documents and information relevant to local government.