How Do I Maintain a CGFM?
To retain the CGFM certification, all CGFMs must adhere to the
AGA’s
Code of Ethics.
In addition, to continue using the CGFM designation after their name,
CGFMs must be in an active status.
Active status:
To maintain the
CGFM certification in an active status, CGFMs are required to:
-
Pay the CGFM renewal fee by the due
date every year.
-
Complete at least 80 hours of
continuing professional education (CPE) every two years in
government financial management topics or related technical
subjects.
-
Maintain and, if requested by AGA,
provide detailed information on CPE hours completed.
By submitting
their annual renewal payment, CGFMs affirm that they have and will
continue to abide by AGA’s Code of Ethics and that they have
fulfilled the minimum CPE Requirements.
Annual Renewal Requirement
All active CGFMs must renew their
certification annually. At the beginning of each year, invoices will be
sent to all active CGFMs. Annual CGFM renewal payments are due by
March 31. AGA reserves the right to periodically adjust the renewal
rates.
CGFMs must promptly notify AGA of any
change of mailing address. It is the responsibility of each CGFM to pay
the annual CGFM renewal fee, even if that individual did not receive an
invoice from AGA. Go to
CGFM renewal page to renew your CGFM.
Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Requirements
All active CGFMs
are required to complete at least 80 hours of continuing professional
education (CPE) every two years in government financial management
topics or related technical subjects. As part of the annual audit of a
random sample of CGFMs, AGA may request CPE documentation for
verification.
CPE requirements
page contains detailed information on CGFM CPE requirements.
Waivers or extensions on
earning CPE hours are granted on an individual case basis. All requests
for waivers must be sent in writing to the AGA’s Office of Professional
Certification no later than April 30 in the year following the end of
the two-year CPE cycle.
Retired
status:
Individuals who
have permanently retired from AND
are not working in the field of financial
management can request an adjustment of their status to
“retired” by contacting AGA’s Office of Professional Certification (by
mail or e-mail at
agacgfm@agacgfm.org).
The election of the
retired status is voluntary – individuals who are retired but want to
maintain their CGFM designation in the active status can do so by
fulfilling the active status requirements
CGFMs in retired status are not required to
remit the CGFM renewal fee or earn the 80 CPE hours.
If retired CGFMs return to work in the government financial management
field, they must contact AGA's
Office of Professional Certification
to change their status back to "active."
Inactive status:
If a CGFM
fails to meet the requirements to maintain the CGFM in an active or
retired status, the CGFM becomes inactive.
Inactive
CGFMs may not present themselves as CGFMs either in writing or orally or
display the CGFM certificate.
Inactive
CGFMs may request a reactivation by complying with current reactivation
requirements, but may not use the “CGFM” after their name until after
they receive a written confirmation from the AGA’s Office of
Professional Certification that their reactivation submission has been
approved.
Current
reactivation requirements:
-
Submitting a completed
CPE
report listing at least 40 CPE hours earned within the last 12
months with required back-up documentation (Note: the report will not be
accepted without required back-up documentation – see
Guidelines document for more details);
-
Paying the current year’s renewal fee and
reactivation fee (see
Payment Form).
Professional
Certification Board reserves the right to revise the reactivation policy
without notice.
A CGFM can remain
in inactive status for up to 5 consecutive years. After that period, the
CGFM is voided. A CGFM can only enter inactive status twice. The third
time the CGFM is automatically voided.
Voided status:
CGFM designation
will be voided if the holder is inactive for longer than 5 consecutive
years or enters inactive status for the third time.
Those who have had
their CGFM certification voided may not present themselves as CGFMs
either in writing or orally. They must also destroy or return their CGFM
certificate to AGA.
Individuals seeking
reinstatement need to contact the Office of Professional Certification
at
agacgfm@agacgfm.org.
Certification Revocation:
A CGFM may be revoked for just cause
stemming from a violation of AGA’s Code of Ethics.
Those who have had
their CGFM certification revoked may not present themselves as CGFMs
either in writing or orally. They must also destroy or return their
CGFM certificate to AGA.