How-To Videos
How to Login and Navigate GFOA's Member Communities - WATCH
How to Login to GFOA's Member Communities - WATCH
How to Join a GFOA Community and Start a Conversation - WATCH
How to Leave a GFOA Community and Change Email Preferences - WATCH
How to View and Update Your GFOA Community Profile - WATCH
How to Download and Navigate the Communities App - WATCH
What are GFOA Member Communities?
GFOA’s Member Communities is an online forum that allows members to network with other members in a completely new way. Members can use the new communities to ask questions, offer insight, upload documents, or connect with other members.
How do I log in?
To log in, visit community.gfoa.org. Once there, click the log in button on the top right of the screen.
What is my username/password?
Your username and password is the same for logging into GFOA’s E-store to register for events.
What communities can I join?
GFOA currently has two open member communities, General GFOA Forum, and COVID-19 Forum. The General GFOA Forum is for members to discuss a wide-range of public finance related topics. The COVID-19 Forum is for members to dive into COVID-19 related-topics including recent legislation passed in Washington.
What communities do I already belong to?
Go to “Communities” in the main navigation bar. Select “My Communities” to view the communities you currently belong to. Note: If you’re a member of one of GFOA’s five networking groups, you’ve already been placed inside that community.
Will more communities be added?
Yes! As we see trends in topics discussed in the community, more member communities will be created to focus on more specific topics.
How do I join a community?
Click on “Communities” in the main navigation and click on “All Communities” in order to see a list of available communities. Click on the community that you wish to join and simply click "Join," then choose a delivery option for posts (Real Time, Daily Digest or No Email).
Why are some communities "view only?"
If you see a community that says "view only," that means you don't have access to join the community. An example would be GFOA's affinity groups. Each affinity group has a community, but if you aren't a member of that affinity group, you wouldn't have access to participate until you become a member. Groups that aren't open to all members include the affinity groups and CPFO groups. Associate members of GFOA also have limited access to the community.
What is a daily digest email?
In each community, a daily digest email is sent each morning at 10 a.m. (Eastern). This email includes a wrap up of content posted in a community from the day before.
How do I unsubscribe from a community that I’ve joined?
If you’d like to leave a community you’ve joined, simply click on the settings button beside the name in the header of the community. You'll then see a link to titled "Leave Community." Click that link to remove yourself.
How can I change my e-mail notification settings?
Navigate to your profile circle on the top right of the screen and click “Profile.” Once your profile appears, click on the "My Account" tab. Choose "Community Notifications" from the drop-down menu. On that page, there are subscription options: Real Time, Daily Digest, No Email.
How do I change my contact information?
On your profile page, click the pencil on the left side of the screen where your contact information appears. You’ll be directed to a page on gfoa.org to update your contact information. Please allow a few days for the updated information to appear correctly on your profile. Please note that other profile settings you adjust such as education, job history, professional associations, and honors and awards, are only for your profile within the community.
How do I create a new post in a community?
On each community landing page, you’ll see a list of the latest discussions. To start a new post, simply click “Add Post” under the latest discussion headline. Or visit the “Discussion” tab in each community and create a new post.
How do I see a listing of all of the posts to a specific community?
Locate the community you are interested in viewing from the appropriate communities page. Click through the community's landing page, then click on the “Discussion” tab. If you see a post you’re interested in, click the subject line which will take you to the entire thread. “Show Original Message” at the bottom of all of the posts in a thread will display the original message that started that discussion.
How do I respond to other’ posts?
To respond to a discussion post, please navigate to the discussion post and click “Reply to Discussion” to send your message to the entire community. To send a message to the only author of the post, please select “Reply to Sender” (located in the "Reply to Discussion" drop-down). We recommend replying to the sender for simple comments like “me, too” that add little value to the overall discussion; and replying to the entire community when you are sharing knowledge, experience or resources that others could benefit from.
What are community announcements?
Announcements can be posted by GFOA staff, but not members. Each community has an announcement section.
What are community calendars?
Select communities have community calendars. A community calendar is for GFOA staff to post information about upcoming events for members to see.
Can I search posts across all available communities?
Yes, please enter a keyword in the search bar located in the main navigation. Please note that you’ll only see posts from communities that you have access to see.
What is a community library?
Each community has a library for members to upload documents to share with other members.
How do I upload something to the library?
To upload documents, click “Add Document” or “Create New Library Entry” beside the latest discussions feature on the main landing page for each community. Please note that uploading a document is accomplished by completing a few steps, and each step must be completed before you can move on to the next:
- Choose a title for your document, and include a description (optional). Select the library to which you’d like to upload it, and select a folder to which you’d like to upload it (optional). Then, choose an Entry Type (most will be Standard Files, but be cognizant of any copyright licensed material). Once you have completed these steps, please click “Next.”
- Upload your file.
- Select “Next” if you want to further describe your files and/or add tags to your file. Otherwise, please click “Finish” to post your library entry
How do I view all documents uploaded by members?
On the community landing page, click on the “Library” tab. All uploaded documents are available to view.
Is there an app I can download to participate in the community?
Yes! Member can participate in GFOA's Member Communities on their smartphone devices through the "HL Connected Community" app. Click here to download the app from the Apple App Store. Click here to download the app from the Google Play store. Click here for more information on how to login and navigate the app.
I still have more questions. Who should I contact?
For additional help, Email communities@gfoa.org.