Vision Goals & Strategies

Mission Statement

We influence the future of the federal government through ethical and effective leadership; serve as a catalyst for constructive change to ensure the 'integrity' of financial information needed for decision making; and measure program and financial performance to achieve desirable results.

Vision Statement

Shaping an environment in which government officials use high quality financial and performance information to make and implement effective policy, management, stewardship, and program decisions.

We envision an environment where:

• Program and financial managers work in partnership, to achieve the full integration of financial (finance, budget, and cost), program, and oversight information and processes.
• Financial management policies and practices enhance effectiveness and efficiency of governmental programs; measuring performance is a critical element in making decisions.
• Financial management emphasizes customer service based on customer needs.
• Integrated financial management systems, with adequate internal review and controls, provide information that is timely, accurate, and analyzed for options in ways that specifically help achieve program objectives. Government-wide systems are shared among agencies, and accountability is assured.
• Financial management leverages technology to achieve optimal results and maximize use of available resources.
• Performance management based on quantitative standards, collecting accurate and timely performance data. and comparing the results against appropriate standards are an integral part of planning decision making and assessment processes used by Agency management, Congress, the Executive Branch and the public.
• Agencies assure Congress and the public that assets are being safeguarded and financial results are reported accurately and timely.
• Financial management processes are streamlined, effective, and allow for the highest operational standards.
• Financial managers are recognized as leaders in their profession, creative in finding solutions to management issues, and valued members of any management team.
• Financial management goals are backed by recruitment, training, performance, and reward structures.
• Program managers embrace their responsibility for managing financial resources with support from the financial management communities.

Goals and Strategies

To provide leadership to promote the efficient management of government resources and assets

• Improve accountability by ensuring that management control is a day-to-day process.
• Create an environment that demands 'quality' financial management at all levels, provides incentives, eliminates impediments, and encourages responsible risk taking.
• Build a partnership to ensure the functioning together of information resource management, program management, and financial management, including budgeting.
• Attract, retain, and develop highly qualified financial individuals who are valued members of the management team.

To provide quality financial services to customers based on their needs

• Change the view of financial management from solely control to service.
• Enhance customer focus through strong partnerships.
• Commit to achieving high standards of customer financial services through continuous improvement.
• Help customers restructure their work processes in order to more efficiently achieve their service objectives.

To provide high quality financial information on federal government operations which fully supports financial and performance reporting

• Establish standards and definitions.
• Create a system for integrating performance measures, cost information, and financial reporting.
• Establish integrated government financial management systems which minimize data entry and human intervention.
• Provide cost effective reporting analysis, and advice which are interactive, timely, reliable, user friendly, and fully satisfy user needs.

To enhance the government-wide framework that provides sound financial policies and services, and facilitates effective communication

• Improve the integration between the budget and management functions within the Government.
• Review and improve the functions and coordination among central agencies and between central agencies and program agencies.
• Improve and expand collaboration, cross servicing, and user-friendly outreach within and among government organizations.
• Strengthen the partnership between the Executive Branch and Congress to improve financial management.

To enhance - continually - financial management use of modern technology and business practices

• Benchmark with ourselves and other high performance organizations.
• Share best practices among agencies and with the public and private sectors.

The Chief Financial Officers Council--the CFOs and Deputy CFOs of the largest Federal agencies and senior officials of the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of the Treasury-- work collaboratively to improve financial management in the U S. Government.