Highlights

The GAR Report is a monthly summary of membership numbers by chapter. In the Chapter Recognition Program, up to 3,000 credits are available in the Membership Section in the areas of Base Growth, New Member Acquisition and Retention.

The GAR lists chapters by size (Group A = 300 or more members; Group B = 150-299 members, etc.). We also publish a GAR by region. It may be useful to see how individual regions compare. Don’t remember what the columns and numbers mean? Read a detailed explanation of the GAR Report.

Mark Your Calendar

Jan. 25—NLC early registration deadline.

Feb. 1—RVP third quarter report due

Feb. 6—Using Internal Controls to Improve Operations audio conference

Feb. 12—Chapter Recognition Program third quarter credits due

Feb. 21–22—AGA’s Sixth Annual National Leadership Conference

Declare March CGFM Month in Your State!
Is your state going to declare March CGFM Month? Contact your CGFM Regional Coordinator to volunteer or to find out if someone is already working on this project in your state. Then contact your Governor and ask him/her to declare March 2008 (or better yet—March of EVERY YEAR) CGFM Month. Contact your local government as well.

View a sample proclamation or a sample request letter. For more information on this initiative, contact Katya Silver.

2008 National Leadership Conference
Make plans to attend the Sixth Annual National Leadership Conference (NLC) Feb. 21 – 22, 2008 in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme, “Dynamic Leadership for Changing Times,” will explore the ever-changing field of government financial management. Staying up to date on new regulations, while maintaining a clear vision of government transformation, can be accomplished through the best training. Read more about the NLC, including registration, hotel and travel information.

Download the registration brochure.

Regional Coordinators to Be Honored at PDC
Beginning this year, AGA Regional Coordinators will receive an award recognizing their efforts in assisting chapters to improve services to members and the accountability community. One award will be presented in each of the four Regional Coordinator positions: certification, chapter development and assistance, education and membership. AGA chapters, Regional Vice Presidents (RVPs) and Senior Vice Presidents for Regional Services (SVPRS) can make the nominations. which are due by April 4, 2008 to the National Office. Check out the award details and help AGA recognize the best of the best!

AGA invites you to Attend a Special Open Enrollment Session of our New Single Audit Course (A-133)
In June 2007, the Audit Committee of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) and the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency (ECIE) issued a report to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the results of its National Single Audit Sampling Project. After reviewing a statistical sample of 208 Single Audits, they found that more than half of the reports in the sample were either unacceptable or “of limited reliability.” The report made the following recommendations:

• Revise and improve single audit criteria, standards and guidance.
• Establish minimum standards for comprehensive training on performing single audits.
• Review and enhance the processes to address unacceptable audits.

AGA has developed a course that addresses the inadequacies found in the report and is offering you an opportunity to sign-up today! We are hosting two special open enrollment sessions on March 18–19 and 20–21, 2008. We invite individuals and groups to attend these sessions. Tuition is $500 for members and $625 for nonmembers; group discounts are available. You will earn 16 hours of CPE. To learn more about this opportunity, contact Julie Sanders at 800.AGA.7211, ext. 309.

January 2008, Volume 3, Issue 1

National Emerging Leaders Focus Group Established—Volunteers Needed!
Based on a recommendation by the Early Career Task Force, a National Emerging Leaders Focus Group has been established to assist AGA in appealing to future leaders. The task force noted that as America ages, AGA has the opportunity to transform its culture and reform its approach to recruiting, developing and maintaining members and leaders, which is paramount to our continued health and growth. AGA needs to consider the workplace habits, attitudes and values of various generations to make the Association attractive to current and future leaders. AGA is looking for members from Generation X (currently aged 27 to 42) and the Millennial generation (currently aged 27 or younger) to develop suggestions to help AGA evolve. If you are interested in joining the focus group, send an e-mail to Jessica Jones by Jan. 28.

Members of the National Emerging Leaders Focus Group will serve for renewable one-year terms, meet periodically through conference calls and be invited to their closest Sectional Leadership Meeting, if the necessary funds are available. Read the full text of the Early Careers Task Force report.

AGA PDC Hotel Scholarships
Due to the overwhelming success at past conferences, AGA is once again pleased to offer the chapter hotel scholarship for the 2008 Professional Development Conference & Exposition (PDC), to be held July 27–30 in Atlanta, GA. The scholarship will cover room and tax for two individuals from each AGA chapter for up to five nights at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

The scholarship’s objective is to ensure that every AGA chapter is represented at the PDC. The program does not dictate who receives the benefit from each chapter. When determining which members will receive the scholarship, think of it as a way to reward the top sponsor in the chapter, or a way to show appreciation for chapter committee service or as an incentive to serve on the committee in the future. Raffling the scholarships at chapter meetings is a sure way to increase attendance!

Please note: The hotel reservation process is different this year. Members chosen by their chapter to receive the hotel scholarship are responsible for making their own reservations, by calling the hotel at 888.829.1396. Be sure to mention you’re attending the “AGA PDC” to ensure you receive the discounted rate ($129 per night).

Approximately one month before the conference, individuals participating in the hotel scholarship program will be asked to provide their confirmation numbers and arrival/departure dates to AGA, so that we may move their room and tax charges to our master account. But don’t wait, the hotel sells out quickly. Please book your room as soon as possible. Questions? Please contact Jessica Jones.

This is a wonderful chapter benefit. We hope see you in July!

Member-Get-A-Member Campaign—17 Members Win FREE Dues!
As part of the membership recruitment campaign, We Have a Dream, 17 members will receive complimentary national membership dues for the 2008–2009 year for sponsoring six or more new members before the incentive’s deadline of Dec. 31.

Congratulations to these outstanding recruiters:

Lori Hendon, Idaho Centennial Chapter, 46 recruits, Stephanie Paschel, Cleveland Chapter, 32 recruits, Colette Cormier, Aroostook County Chapter, 27 recruits, Justin Sponseller, Greater Columbus Chapter, 20 recruits, Emelda Lowi-Teng, Sacramento Chapter, 18 recruits, Gail Artis, Virginia Peninsula Chapter, 17 recruits, Jeanne Erwin, CGFM, CPA, North Carolina Triangle Chapter, 16 recruits, Thalia Melendez, New York Capital Chapter, 15 recruits, Jason Arrington, Dallas Chapter, 15 recruits, James Kennedy, CGFM, Central Ohio Chapter, 13 recruits, Ken Sifontes, New York Chapter, 9 recruits, Michael Hansen, Dallas Chapter, 9 recruits, Ken George, Greater Columbus Chapter, 6 recruits, Mary Hudson, Central Kentucky Chapter, 6 recruits, Aubrey Martin, CGFM, Greater Columbus Chapter, 6 recruits, Yulonte Merrell, Greater Columbus Chapter, 6 recruits, Janice Wieberg, CGFM, Mid-Missouri Chapter, 6 recruits

Will one of these members be this year’s Recruiter of the Year? Only time will tell! And there is still plenty of time to recruit new members before the end of the membership campaign, April 30, 2008.

But wait! There are still plenty of other incentives to earn in the We Have a Dream recruitment campaign. Find out all the details. Download a membership application and start recruiting today.

Call for AGA National Awards Nominations
AGA’s National Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for 13 national awards that recognize the leaders advancing our profession and setting the standards of excellence. These awards will be presented during AGA's Professional Development Conference & Exposition in Atlanta, GA, July 27-30, 2008. In many cases, individuals do not have to be members of AGA to be eligible. All nominations are due no later than Friday, April 4, 2008. View the list of awards here

Updating Your Chapter Tax Exemption Status
Yes, it is that time of the year again! To keep your chapter tax exemption status current, you must furnish the National Office the following information:

• Chapter Name
• Address
• Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• Form 990 filing requirement code: 1 (required to file due to gross receipts over $25,000) or 2 (not required to file due to earnings below threshold).
• Primary contact person (President or Treasurer).

This information is used to comply with IRS requirements to maintain our group income tax-exempt status in which all AGA chapters are included. Our Group Exemption Number (GEN) is 3409. Please submit your information and all inquiries to Director of Finance, Cristina Barbudo, CPA. The deadline for submission is Jan. 18.

Now Accepting 2008 Academic Scholarship Applications
Are you or a family member pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in disciplines such as accounting, auditing, budgeting, economics, finance, information technology or public administration? If so, consider applying for an AGA national academic scholarship today!

Each year, AGA National awards:

• Up to four $3,000 full-time merit scholarships to AGA members and their family members,
• One $1,000 part-time merit scholarships to AGA members and their family members, and
• One $3,000 community service scholarship.

The deadline for receipt of applications is March 31, 2008. Learn more.

Annual Renewal Time
It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. With the New Year comes annual renewal time. We have been busy getting the renewal packages and data in order and anticipate mailing the 2008–2009 renewals the first week in February. This includes both membership and CGFM renewals.

Back by popular demand! The renewal forms will include membership and CGFM ID cards that will display renewal dates, chapter affiliation and ID numbers. The renewal packages will also include a member information sheet that asks for updated demographic and contact information. Please encourage all members to complete this information when renewing.

During the last week in January, members will be able to start renewing online for the 2008–2009 year. This is by far the quickest way to renew. How to Renew Online: Access the 'Members Only' section of the AGA website and login using your membership ID number and password (your first initial followed by your last name—no spaces), click on the gray ‘billing’ button above your name. All you have to do is input your credit card information and hit ‘submit.’ The transaction will automatically process via our secure server and the renewal information will be automatically updated in AGA’s in-house membership system. While you are logged into the Members Only section, be sure to take a look at your contact information and make any updates as necessary (especially your e-mail address).

Chapter Recruitment Scholarships
Fifty-eight chapters are participating in the chapter recruitment scholarship program and have received funds to carry out recruitment initiatives by Feb. 1, 2008. Once the activity is completed, chapters must report back on what the funds were used for. We’ll compile the information and share it with all chapters. We hope to end up with a large list of recruitment best practices.

Here are some ideas for recruitment:

• Go after the AGA audio conference nonmember participants. We have captured 2,300 prospect names from the participant lists that were submitted to the National Office. The list includes nonmembers in almost every state. E-mail Kim Ferguson for a list of professionals in your area and reach out to them. 
• Hold a pizza party at a local agency’s office. Invite staff and discuss what the chapter has to offer them. Offer a free gift (AGA merchandise) or free lunch at an upcoming chapter event to those that join that day.
• Hold a ‘bring a guest for free’ lunch. Every member that brings a nonmember can get two meals for the price of one. Show the AGA membership video.

Those are just a few ideas, but your membership team at AGA National has plenty more! Need recruiting help? Contact us at 800.AGA.7211. We’re here to help!

Membership Application

CGFM Application

Audio Conferences

View the AGA Video

Training Opportunities

Contact AGA Staff

Order Recruitment Materials

Members Only Site Tutorial

Other AGA links

CGFM Certification—Take the AGA CGFM Exams today!

Register now for AGA’s Sixth Annual National Leadership Conference

Register now for AGA’s 57th Annual Professional Development Conference & Exposition