Certification
Certified Government Financial Manager® (CGFM®) is a professional certification awarded by AGA, demonstrating competency in governmental accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal controls and budgeting at the federal, state and local levels.
What are the initial requirements?
To earn the CGFM, individuals must apply for the CGFM program and meet the following requirements:
- Ethics: read and agree to abide by AGA's Code of Ethics
- Examinations: pass three comprehensive CGFM examinations
- Experience: have at least two years of professional-level experience in government financial management
- Education: have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
Interested in becoming a CGFM? Visit the CGFM page for more information.
CGFM Examinations Requirement
The three comprehensive examinations that make up the core requirement of the CGFM program are:
- Examination 1: Governmental Environment (GE)
- Examination 2: Governmental Accounting, Financial Reporting and Budgeting (GAFRB)
- Examination 3: Governmental Financial Management and Control (GFMC)
Learn more information on these examinations.
Maintaining CGFM Certification
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 (within the designated two-year cycle).
- 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.
All graphics and photos courtesy of AGA National