Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university and a minimum of two years' of professional-level experience in U.S. government financial management.
The curriculum of the CGFM certification covers such topics as accounting; auditing; internal controls; budgeting and financial reporting, and applies to federal, state, and local government.
Financial reporting has multiple audiences, with a responsibility to citizens, taxpayers and voters to provide transparent accountability for use of public funds (taxes).
Over the past decades, a number of factors have created a rapidly changing environment for today's government financial managers.
In 1990, the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) act called for reforms that brought the goal of accountability to the forefront.
The 1994 Bankruptcy of Orange County, California, further underscored the need for ongoing excellence and expertise in the field of municipal finance.
A professional certification provides a degree of confidence that practitioners are adequately trained, educated and experienced to be prepared for financial challenges in the real world.