Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting

The Certificate of Achievement is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of a state and local government financial report. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Cumberland County for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (AFR) annually since 1988.  Our most recent award is below. 

   The 2020 AFR Award (pdf)
  
In order to be awarded a Certificate of Achievement, a government unit must publish an easily readable and efficiently organized comprehensive annual financial report, whose contents conform to program standards. The AFR must satisfy both generally accepted accounting principles and applicable legal requirements.

A Certificate of Achievement is valid for a period of one year only. The County-wide annual financial statement prepared by the Cumberland County Controller's Office has received a Certificate of Achievement annually since 1988. We believe our current report continues to conform to the Certificate of Achievement program requirements, and we have submitted it to the GFOA.

The County's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (AFR) prepared by Al Whitcomb, Cumberland County Controller, is available on the internet. We are particularly proud to publish the County's audited financial results on the internet so that citizens have the ability to review their County's fiscal activities at their convenience. Printed copies of the County's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report are also available from the Controller's Office. 
  
 
  

Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has given an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting to Cumberland County for its Popular Annual Financial Report annually since 2003. The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is a prestigious national award recognizing conformance with the highest standards for preparation of state and local government popular reports.  Our most recent award is below.
 The 2020 PAFR Award (pdf)
  
In order to receive an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting, a government must publish a Popular Annual Financial Report, whose contents conform to program standards of creativity, presentation, understandability and reader appeal.

An Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting is valid for a period of one year only. We believe that our current report conforms to the Popular Annual Financial Reporting requirements, and we are submitting it to GFOA.

Audit - Peer Review Certification

In June 2000, the Controller's Office, under the direction of Al Whitcomb, became the only county in Pennsylvania to have successfully passed peer review under professional standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The Controller's Office has successfully maintained its peer review certification in all subsequent reviews since 2000.

This award confirms to the public that Mr. Whitcomb's office has attained the highest level of quality in the performance of audits, as measured by its peers and the profession. In attaining this milestone, Mr. Whitcomb's office is qualified to perform audits in accordance with standards established by the AICPA and the United States General Accounting Office. Mr. Whitcomb's office is realizing substantial savings for the County by performing audits in-house, rather than contracting with outside audit firms.  Our most recent certification is below.
 The 2020 peer review certification (pdf).