The Value of GFOA Membership

Last August, GFOA transitioned to a simplified, organiza‑tion-based membership structure in which most public-sector organizations pay a single fee for unlimited employee memberships. Since the new membership structure took effect, GFOA has added thousands of new individuals, bringing our mem‑bership to more than 32,000 people. The change was driven by GFOA’s mission of advancing excellence in public finance by providing unlimited access to resources, professional development, and networking opportunities for all of an organization’s employees. The idea is to foster broader participation and engagement, meet the evolving needs of the public finance profession, and develop the next generation of leaders. To evaluate the impact of the restructuring, GFOA sought input from all our members. In an anonymous February 2026 survey about how newer members were experiencing the change, GFOA got to know why they joined, how the unlimited membership structure influenced their decision to join, and what specific benefits the new unlimited membership structure holds for them, as well as what they hope to get out of their membership.