Financial Training

City, county, state, and school system finance and office personnel can improve their financial management skills or earn certification through a variety of financial training programs offered by the Vinson Institute.
Training > Financial Training > Local Finance Officer Certification Program > Local Finance Officer Certification Program - Curriculum

Local Finance Officer Certification Program - Curriculum

Contact: Michele Jurkiewicz, mjurkiew@uga.edu; 404.463.6804

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Level I Curriculum

Level I Program Overview | Course Schedule

Introductory Budget
(2 days; 12 CPE hours) Also available online
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • Elements of an efficient budget preparation process
  • Various budget types and the advantages and disadvantages of each
  • Importance of legislative body policy guidance in the budget process
  • State of Georgia laws that govern budgeting components of a quality budget presentation
  • Various elements of budgetary control and administration
Capital Improvement Program
(2 days; 12 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • Elements of an efficient capital improvement program process
  • Various models for prioritizing proposed capital improvement program projects
  • Various funding alternatives and ways to address the question of funding source appropriateness
  • Various public relations opportunities that surround a capital improvement program
Debt Administration
(2 days; 12 CPE hours) Also available online
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • Ways to identify the types of debt instruments available to local governments
  • Requirements and limitations of Georgia statutes as they relate to issuance of debt
  • The bond-rating process
  • Components of official statements used in debt offerings
Purchasing
(2 days; 12 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • Components of the purchasing process
  • Critical components of purchasing forms
  • Concepts and practices of life-cycle costing
  • Purchasing rules and regulations and how to develop them
  • Purchasing through the State of Georgia on state contracts
Introductory Governmental Accounting I and II
(8 days; 24 CPE hours per course) Also available online: Part I | Part II
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • The basic accounting equation
  • How certain transactions affect the accounting equation and the relationship of the balance sheet and the operating statement at the fund level
  • How to record financial transactions using the modified accrual basis of accounting at the fund level
Treasury Management
(2 days; 12 CPE hours) Also available online
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • Legal and political considerations and parameters within which a treasury management system functions
  • Concepts and practices of cash flow forecasting and cash budgeting
  • Investment economics and various investment alternatives
  • Banking systems and how they affect local government treasury management
  • Concepts of contracting for banking services
 

Level II Curriculum

Level II Program Overview | Course Schedule

Internal Controls
(2 days; 12 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • The auditor's approach to internal control
  • Management's responsibility for organizational and systems evaluation
  • The five components of an internal control system
  • Strategies for evaluation
  • Fraud in the workplace and control limitations
Intermediate Budget
(2 days; 12 CPE hours)
(prerequisite: Introductory Budget)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • How to make accurate revenue and expenditure projections
  • How to make more effective budget presentations to managers and elected officials
  • How to develop the budget as a policy document, communications device, financial plan, and management tool
  • How to relate goals and objectives to the operating budget
  • Different methods of performance measurement systems
Intermediate Governmental Accounting
(6 days; 36 CPE hours) Also available online
(prerequisite: Introductory Governmental Accounting)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • The components of the financial statements
  • How to record financial transactions using both the accrual and modified accrual basis of accounting
  • Budgetary accounting and how to record encumbrances
  • The components of comprehensive annual financial reports
Revenue Administration
(2 days; 12 CPE hours) Also available online
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • How to develop a revenue policy
  • The Georgia property tax cycle
  • Various types of revenue sources available to Georgia local governments
  • Collection procedures for selected revenue sources
  • When to adopt a user charge
  • Relationships between taxes and economic development
 

Electives

Course Schedule

Federal/State Grant-in-Aid Administration
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand key components of OMB Circulars A-87, A-102, and A-133, including
  • How to determine compliance requirements for a federal grant program
  • How to determine allowable and unallowable costs for a federal grant program
  • The definition of direct and indirect costs
  • When a Single Audit is required for a federal program
Internal Controls - Accounts Payable and Cash Disbursements
(6 CPE hours) Only available online
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Define internal controls
  • Cite the five components of a comprehensive system of internal controls
  • Discuss the importance of and limitations to internal controls in a government environment
  • Identify effective internal controls for accounts payable and cash disbursements
  • Describe how internal control deficiencies are reported and corrected
Internal Controls - Accounts Receivable and Cash Receipts
(6 CPE hours) Only available online
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • Internal controls definition and components
  • The importance of internal controls and the limitations
  • Effective internal controls of cash receipts and accounts receivable
  • Reporting and correcting internal control deficiencies
Internal Controls - Capital Assets
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Define internal controls
  • Cite the five components of a comprehensive system of internal controls
  • Discuss the importance of and limitations to internal controls in a government environment
  • Identify effective internal controls for capital assets
  • Describe how internal control deficiencies are reported and corrected
Internal Controls - Payroll
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Define internal controls
  • Cite the five components of a comprehensive system of internal controls
  • Discuss the importance of and limitations to internal controls in a government environment
  • Identify effective internal controls for payroll
  • Describe how internal control deficiencies are reported and corrected
Nuts & Bolts of SPLOST
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Recall the history of the SPLOST legislation
  • Recite the steps necessary to impose a SPLOST
  • Explain projects eligible for SPLOST
  • Discuss SPLOST administration requirements
Overview of Audited Financial Statements
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Recall the elements of audited financial statements
  • Recite qualifications required for external government auditors
  • Discuss governmental audit requirements
  • Explain financial statement information
Payroll Administration
(2 days; 12 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to understand
  • How to complete required payroll forms
  • How to account for garnishments
  • What the quarterly and annual reporting requirements are and how to reconcile the reports to accounting records
  • How to reconcile Form W-2 to accounting and payroll records
Preparing for the Audit
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Recall required supporting documentation for the audit
  • Understand necessary entries for finalizing accounting records
Preparing Year-End 1099 Forms and W-2 Update
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Understand the Internal Revenue Service requirements for 1099 calendar year reporting, and utilize the accounts payable software system to efficiently and effectively capture the information needed for 1099 reporting
  • Recognize who must file W-2s
  • Recall distribution and records retention requirements
  • Reconcile 941s to W-2 and W-3
  • Recite how to deal with W-2 exceptions
Property Taxes - the Ropes to Skip and the Ropes to Know
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Explain how to present property tax information in public meetings
  • Discuss how to calculate rollbacks, reductions, and other provisions
  • Understand how to make the property tax bill citizen friendly
  • Cite accounting requirements for property taxes
Tax Digest Revealed
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Explain the elements of the tax digest
  • Discuss effects of exemptions on property tax revenue
  • Describe the process for getting the digest approved
Writing Financial Policies
(1 day; 6 CPE hours)
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant should be able to
  • Determine what should and should not be included in financial policies for a local government
  • Learn what impact state law and auditing standards have on financial policies within local governments
  • Draft financial policies for local governments, incorporating best practices learned throughout the course in the areas of budgeting, financial reporting, purchasing, asset management, and cash management

Local Finance Officer Certification Program >>

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Level I Certification >>

Level II Certification >>

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