FAQs

The State Financial Officers Foundation (SFOF) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that brings together state treasurers, auditors, comptrollers, controllers and other financial officers who are committed to responsible financial management, government transparency, and protecting taxpayers. SFOF provides research, policy support, and a platform for state financial leaders to collaborate on issues affecting Americans’ financial well-being.

SFOF supports state financial officers by:

• Sharing best practices in fiscal policy, financial literacy, and responsible financial governance
• Providing education and research on emerging economic and regulatory issues
• Offering strategic support on policy initiatives that protect taxpayers
• Facilitating collaboration between states to advance sound financial stewardship
• Highlighting leaders’ work through publications, events, and digital platforms

A State Financial Officer (SFO) is an elected or appointed official responsible for managing state finances. This can include state treasurers, auditors, comptrollers, revenue directors, and similar roles. Their duties commonly include:

• Overseeing state investments and banking relationships
• Ensuring transparency and accountability in state spending
• Managing unclaimed property programs
• Overseeing debt management and financial reporting
• Safeguarding taxpayer dollars through audits and oversight

SFOF includes financial officers from across the country who share a commitment to responsible financial stewardship. Members include state treasurers, auditors, and financial leaders from more than half the states. The roster evolves as elections and appointments change, see current list here.

ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. ESG investing evaluates companies based on non-financial criteria. While ESG started as a voluntary framework, many state financial officers are concerned about ESG being used in ways that conflict with traditional fiduciary duty, inject political considerations into financial decisions, or reduce investment returns for taxpayers. SFOF advocates for transparency and a return to financially focused investment decisions.

Debanking refers to financial institutions restricting, denying, or closing banking services for individuals or organizations without transparency or due process. SFOF supports efforts to ensure Americans have access to fair, non-discriminatory financial services—free from political or ideological bias. Learn more and share if you’ve been debanked.