The Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA) is a professional membership organization headquartered in Orlando.
The FICPA provides opportunities for professional development, knowledge sharing, networking,[1] community involvement, leadership and camaraderie while lobbying the Florida Legislature on issues that affect CPAs and promoting the CPA designation.
The FICPA also works closely with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to warn the public on using unlicensed CPAs.
The principal efforts towards securing passage of the accountancy law were expanded by the Society's special legislative committee, composed of T.G.
World War I and economic adjustments that occurred shortly after that conflict claimed most of the accounting profession's attention.
The Florida Boom of the early 1920s left members with little time to advance the public accounting profession through Society activities.
With interests in building a governmental relations program, the Board of Governors voted in 1979 to relocate the FICPA's headquarters to Tallahassee, Florida.
The organization employs 65 association professionals, who focus on programs to enhance members' competency and professionalism; support standards of independence, integrity and objectivity that also are in the public interest; promote community involvement; and monitor and actively participate in the public policy-making process.
In addition to ensuring that standards are met, the FICPA provides information and resources that enable CPAs to enhance the quality of their services.
The FICPA serves Florida CPAs from all areas of practice, including public accounting, industry and government.
Participation in local chapters provides members with the opportunity to develop leadership skills by taking an active role in both the Institute and the profession.
Members of the FICPA may also participate in leadership through the organization's 31 committees to help facilitate networking, community outreach, conference-planning, professional development and information dissemination.
The objective of the Florida CPA/PAC is to help protect the trust, confidence and esteem the CPA certificate holds in the public's eye.
Members are assigned to one of the three regional CPA/PACs based on geographic location: The FICPA helps CPAs meet continuing professional education (CPE) requirements by coordinating hundreds of in-person events across Florida as well as webcasts, webinars and on-demand courses.
[21] The Florida Institute of CPAs is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy as a Quality Assurance Service sponsor of continuing professional education.
Through the donations of FICPA members, the Foundation continues to provide more than $200,000 a year in scholarships to assist Florida's future CPA leaders.