Certified Public Finance Administrator

Questions
CPFA Plaque

Application

CPFA Checklist
CPFA Application
CPFA Maintenance Application

What does it mean?

The letters CPFA stand for Certified Public Finance Administrator. But what is the real meaning? Attaining the designation of Certified Public Finance Administrator means that an individual is committed to education and experience in his/her chosen profession. This designation is awarded by the Association of Public Treasurers of the United States and Canada (APT US & C). In order to be eligible for this prestigious designation, an individual must be the elected or appointed treasurer, deputy or assistant treasurer, employee in/or dealing with the office of treasurer or principal officer in the governmental entity who is charged with the performance or supervision of one or more of the following responsibilities: investments, debt or treasury activities.

The applicant must have been an active member of the APT US & C for at least twenty-four months before applying for the designation. The applicant must also accumulate at least 100 points from a combination of education and experience. A minimum of 40 points must be earned from education or experience with a maximum of 60 points in either category.

Points for work experience must have been earned within the past 15 years and can be earned for experience as a municipal treasurer as defined above and for administrative supervisory/managerial experience prior to treasury work. A maximum of 40 points is allowed for work experience. Experience points can also be earned for attendance at the APT US & C and/or State Association annual conference, serving on a committee for the APT US & C or the State Association, or serving as a director, parliamentarian, or officer of either of these two associations. Maximum points allowed for each of these categories can be found in the CPFA application. The application is available at this web site.

Education points can be earned from a college degree, college or university courses related to treasury management, completion of a State Association Sponsored Treasurers Institute, education programs pre-approved by APT US & C and approved treasury-related education by non-APT US & C statewide organizations. Maximum points allowed in each of these categories can also be found in the CPFA application.

Applications must be submitted by June 1st of each year. Recipients of the CPFA designation are honored at a special luncheon during the annual APT US & C conference. Certification expires after five years but once an individual has attained the designation, maintenance of the certification only requires 50 points in a combination of education and experience over the five-year period.

Achievement of the CPFA designation reinforces the primary purpose of APT US & C - to elevate the level of knowledge of public finance and enrich the performance within the treasury management profession.

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Advanced Certified Public Finance Administrator

Application 

          Advanced CPFA Application

The goal of the Advanced CPFA is to encourage and reward advanced education and participation in the APT US&C and its State and Province Associations.

Applicants must have a current CPFA at the time of application for the Advanced CPFA and, while work experience does not earn any points toward the Advanced CPFA, education points and non-work experience points may be used for maintaining the CPFA as well as earning the Advanced CPFA. The Advanced certification will require 15 experience points and 45 advanced education points.

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Questions

Any questions concerning the CPFA application or the CPFA maintenance application can be addressed to Blinda Baker, Clerk/Treasurer of the City of East Tawas, Michigan who is the current chair of the APT US & C CPFA Certification Committee.

She can be reached by phone at (989) 362-6161 Ext:11, by fax at (989) 362-6736, by mail at P.O. Box 672 East Tawas, MI 48730-0672 or by e-mail at baker.etch@chartermi.net.

CPFA Plaque

During the August 2003 APT Annual Conference, the CMFA Committee recommended that the CMFA credential be changed to CPFA - Certified Public Finance Administrator. The membership agreed with the change, making the new name effectively immediately.

The Committee felt that the new title would more accurately reflect the individuals who are awarded the credential. The certification process and the value of the credential remain the same.

The cost to have your plaque upgraded is $75.00, which includes shipping. All orders must include the original date of certification and all recertification dates if applicable. For more information please call (301) 495-5560 or email membership@aptusc.org. A sample of the new plaque can be viewed above.

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