The National Center for Public Performance has partnered with The Graduate School, USDA to design a Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program for Federal and state employees to effectively manage in a results-oriented government. The Graduate School is a government educational institution since 1921. It has earned a reputation as an innovative institution for continuing education.  With classroom facilities located nationwide, the Graduate School enrolls nearly 150,000 students for instruction each year.  The school offers more than 1,000 courses to help individuals improve job performance and further their careers.

The CPM Program has two primary goals.  The first goal is to support the maintenance and improvement of professionalism of Federal government managers.  The second goal is to strengthen the capacity of Federal agencies to carry out their responsibilities.  While the main emphasis of the program is on federal employees, the program does admit state and local government employees in states that do not have their own approved CPM program.

The curriculum is comprised of in-person and online classes taught by faculty and instructors who are experts in their fields.  Learning activities work to hone and develop the administrative, quantitative, analytical, and human skills of registrants.  The program can be delivered to a cohort within an agency or it can be completed by individual participants on an open enrollment basis. Graduates of the program must successfully a total of 300 hours.