The Community Bankers Association of Oklahoma is a member-driven trade association. It is funded by the membership dues of community banks owned or chartered in the State of Oklahoma. Voting membership is not open to large, out-of-state mega-banks, even if they operate branches in Oklahoma.

CBAO allows bankers to collectively accomplish many goals that would normally be unattainable with only the efforts of an individual banker or individual bank. The majority of legislation that affects the community banking industry is now decided in Washington, DC. CBAO, along with 33 other state community banking associations, works hand in hand with the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA). Together, they fight proactively for legislation that would level the playing field for community banking, while at the same time maintaining a strong defense against costly and burdensome regulations. Since both CBAO and ICBA only allow community banks in their membership, 100% of their priority issues are on behalf of the community banking industry.

CBAO is governed by a board of directors consisting of up to 18 Oklahoma bankers: nine representing geographic areas around the state, an executive committee of four bankers along with the President and CEO of CBAO, and up to five at-large directors representing Oklahoma member banks regardless of geographic region.