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CGFM Professional Experience Requirement

CGFM candidates must have at least two years of professional-level experience in government financial management prior to being awarded their designation as a CGFM. The experience requirement is not a prerequisite to sit for the examinations; however, it is a requirement to become a CGFM, and a CGFM Work Verification Form must be submitted before the designation can be granted. This experience requirement must be met and the form submitted to AGA within four years of date of enrollment (acceptance) in the CGFM Program (note: if you were a candidate prior to 1/1/20, the period to complete the work verification form is five years instead of four). If the work experience requirement is not completed within this period, the CGFM application will be closed; the individual will need to reapply as a new CGFM candidate and meet all of the certification requirements in place at the time of re-application.

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A candidate's experience must involve U. S. government financial management at a professional level. The experience may be acquired through employment at a federal, state, local or tribal government entity or through other employment providing the candidate with involvement in government financial management. Government financial management experience must encompass one or more of the following areas:

  • Audit or evaluation of government contract compliance or costs
  • Audit or evaluation of government financial statements, financial operations, internal controls, or compliance with laws and regulations
  • Audit or evaluation of government grant agreement compliance or costs
  • Audit or evaluation of government program performance or operations
  • Governmental accounting, accounting policy and procedure development, implementation or interpretation
  • Governmental accounting or auditing standards-setting or implementation
  • Governmental auditing policy and procedure development, implementation or interpretation
  • Government budget formulation, execution or analysis
  • Government cost or program accounting systems or asset management systems development or operation
  • Government financial information resources management or electronic data processing
  • Government financial management training course design or instruction
  • Government financial planning, analysis or research
  • Government financial report design or preparation
  • Government financial statement preparation
  • Government financial systems design, implementation, or operation
  • Investigation of financially related fraud or criminal activities in government
  • Oversight or management of government contract compliance or costs
  • Oversight or management of government financial operations, internal controls or compliance with laws and regulations;
  • Oversight or management of government grant agreements compliance or costs
  • Oversight or management of government financial performance
  • Other experience in government financial management that the Professional Certification Board deems acceptable.

Private Sector/Not-for-Profit Experience:

  • While the candidate does not have to be employed by a government entity, only experience in government financial management counts towards the CGFM experience requirement. Therefore, if a candidate works for a private sector company, a not-for-profit organization or a nonpublic academic institution, he/she needs to specify how his/her experience relates to government financial management (such as working directly with or for the government, being accountable/reporting to the government, or focusing on government financial management in his/her work).
  • SOME EXAMPLES of applicable private/not-for-profit experience that could count:
    • providing advisory services to support a government agency’s internal financial or performance management efforts;
    • performing audits or attestation engagements of a government agency in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards;
    • accounting for and reporting on the use of public funds provided through government grants or cooperative agreements; and
    • researching or teaching governmental financial management topics.
  • SOME EXAMPLES of experience that would NOT count:
    • financial management responsibilities (accounting, budgeting, analysis, etc.) related to internal operations of a private sector entity or a not-for-profit organization (unless the applicant’s work directly involves compliance with government grants or contract requirements);
    • business development functions (i.e., working on a proposal for a government contract);
    • tax preparation for a private or not-for-profit organization; and
    • auditing private or not-for-profit organizations (unless the audit is performed in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards).
  • PLEASE NOTE: individuals working for nongovernmental entities performing government financial management duties need to specify their connection to the government in their description of duties on the CGFM work verification form.

If you have any questions about the work experience requirement or are not sure whether your experience counts towards CGFM, please contact AGA’s Office of Professional Certification (800.AGA.7211) prior to submitting your application for the CGFM Program.