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Certificate of Conformance Program for Small Government Annual Financial Reports

Just announced

Sign up to participate in GFOA’s complimentary one-hour Internet training seminar,  The GFOA’s New Program for Small Governments that Prepare Modified Cash Basis Financial Reports. This course is designed for the accounting or auditor professional interested in modified cash basis financial reporting and the new award program recently announced by the GFOA.  The interactive training will offer guidance on the practical application of the modified cash basis for financial reporting as well as the format and contents of a small government annual financial report (SGAFR). Click on individual dates to register: May 7, 2013; June 18, 2013; July 11, 2013; September 18, 2013; or download the Registration form. Earn 1 CPE credit with your participation.

 

Details on how to become a Participant or Reviewer New

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The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has announced that it has established a professional recognition program for small governments that prepare their financial reports on a modified cash basis. Letter from GFOA’s Executive Director/CEO


Purpose. The new Certificate of Conformance Program for Small Government Annual Financial Reports (Certificate of Conformance Program) aims to improve the quality and consistency of financial reporting for small governments by:

 

  1. Providing guidelines to help standardize the format and content of financial reports prepared on a modified cash basis;
  2. Encouraging governments to follow those guidelines by offering public recognition to those that successfully do so; and
  3. Assisting governments to implement the guidelines by providing technical materials and training.


The new Certificate of Conformance Program is designed for the thousands of small governments for which financial reporting in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) is not a viable option. For some participants, the program may be a first step toward GAAP financial reporting.

Eligibility. If the answer is yes to the following questions, the government is eligible to submit a report to the Certificate of Conformance Program:

  1. Does the government report $25 million or less in revenues for the primary government from the government-wide financial statements (either for the current year or the average of the five most recent fiscal years)?
  2. Has the government prepared financial statements using a basis of accounting other than GAAP in the most recent five years?  The program prescribes the use of the modified cash basis of accounting as defined in the FAQ document listed below.
  3. Is the report that will be submitted prepared using the general guidelines of the Certificate of Conformance Program?  See program checklists listed below.


Applications. The GFOA will accept applications for the Certificate of Conformance Program starting with reports for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2012. Submissions for that fiscal year must be received by no later than May 31, 2013.  The Program is offering a five month deadline allowance to all submissions during its first year.  Please refer to the list of deadlines. Download the application to submit a report.


Checklists. All program checklists are now available.

Judging. Reports submitted to the program will be judged by a combination of volunteer reviewers and GFOA professional staff.

 

To apply to serve as  a volunteer reviewer in the program, please fill out the application.


Download a FAQ Sheet on the New Program

 

Questions? E-mail sgafr

 
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