Courses & Conferences

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  Cash Management and Investment of Public Funds

  Next Offering: October 24, 2017 EDT

  This course is one of the core courses for the finance officers' certification program. It is offered once a year in October. Once dates are confirmated, they will be updated in the Offering section of this site. Participants will learn about goals, process and organizations for successful cash management; how to evaluate banking services and...

• Property Tax Listing and Assessing in NC

  Next Offering: October 24, 2017 EDT

  This class focuses on the basic law and practice governing the listing and assessing of property for tax purposes.
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  Working Together: Counties, School Boards, and Local Funding for Public Schools

  Next Offering: October 30, 2017 EDT

   This one-day course provides an overview of the governance and funding structures of public schools in North Carolina. It focuses particularly on the relationship between counties and local school administrative units. Through a series of lectures and interactive exercises, participants will learn about the legal roles and responsibilities of...
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  Budgeting in Local Government

  Next Offering: October 31, 2017 EDT

  Completion of this course fulfills one of the core course requirements for the Local Government Finance Officers Certification Program. City and county managers, finance officers and staff, budget administrators and analysts, and others who have responsibilities for annual budget preparation will benefit from this course.
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  Capital Budgeting & Infrastructure for Elected Officials

  Next Offering: November 17, 2017 EDT

  One of your jobs as an elected leader is to look ahead and plan for the needs of your city and county. Planning for and financing things like schools, parks, green ways, public safety needs and water/sewer is a major responsibility.
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  Intermediate Purchasing Seminar

  Next Offering: November 28, 2017 EDT

  This three-day seminar will sharpen participants' purchasing skills and deepen their understanding of the legal and practical aspects of public purchasing.This course is intended for officials with two or more years of experience in local governmental purchasing, and will cover bidding and property disposal, capital leasing, performance management...
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  Managing the Finance and Tax Offices

  Next Offering: December 4, 2017 EDT

  This course provides an overview of management and communication issues relevant to local government finance and tax offices. Participants will learn the skills and practices necessary to improve both their individual performance as managers and the effectiveness of their offices. Topics will include internal controls, employment law, public...
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  Accounting and Auditing Update

  Next Offering: December 5, 2017 EDT

  This 1-day course will focus on new and emerging governmental accounting and financial reporting requirements – and there are many. Recent pronouncements of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) will be highlighted, specifically GASB Statement Nos. 67 and 68, commonly known as the pension standards. NC governments will be implementing...
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  Facilitation Skills for Successful Meetings

  Next Offering: December 8, 2017 EDT

  Lack of consensus. A few people dominate the discussion. Lots of idea, but no clear decisions made. There has to be a better way.We’ve all left meetings that we don’t feel were the best use of our time. So what separates a good meeting from a bad one? Learning the skills of group facilitation will enable you to offer helpful guidance and improve...
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  Fund Accounting Principles & Practices

  Next Offering: January 23, 2018 EDT

  This 2-day course will build upon the fundamentals of the governmental accounting environment as presented in an Introduction to Local Government Finance. Participants will learn about the basic accounting and financial reporting requirements of each of the fund types. Basic budgetary reporting requirements will also be addressed. Government-wide...
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  Water and Wastewater Finance Strategies Workshop

  Next Offering: February 6, 2018 EDT

  The Environmental Finance Center's annual Water and Wastewater Finance Strategies workshop will provide utility practitioners with new skills and up-to-date information on pricing, infrastructure finance planning strategies, and funding resources. To see the agenda and presentations from last year’s workshop, visit here:  http://www.efc.sog.unc....

• Advanced FLSA Regional Workshops 2018

  Next Offering: February 21, 2018 EDT

  The Advanced FLSA Regional Workshop is an intensive, two-day program taking an in-depth look at FLSA issues of particular concern to local government and community college employers. The course will focus on better understanding the exempt duties test and on compensation issues, such as meal, sleep, travel and training time, telecommuting/working...
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  Fundamentals of Property Tax Collection

  Next Offering: March 6, 2018 EDT

  This course focuses on law and practice governing the collection of county and municipal property taxes.The course is designed to give tax collectors who have taken office in the last two or three years a grounding in the fundamentals of what is expected of them in the office. It is also useful both as a refresher course for more experienced...
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  Governmental Accounting & Financial Reporting

  Next Offering: April 9, 2018 EDT

  This course covers the fundamentals of governmental accounting and financial reporting: concepts, standards, and procedures with a special emphasis on North Carolina laws and regulation. It is one of the core courses for the finance officers' certification program. The class uses lectures, class discussions, and practical exercises to address a...
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  NC Local Government Auditing, Reporting, and Review

  Next Offering: June 14, 2018 EDT

  This one-day course will focus on audit quality for local governments in North Carolina. Program Topics: The auditor / client relationshipRoundtable discussion on timelines of auditsPension and OPEB reportingCompliance audit updateSSAE 18 and Pension AttestsPre-audit processNC State & Local Government Fiscal Division / LGC policy changes The...
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  Basic Principles of Local Government Purchasing

  This course is designed for new local government purchasing officials and covers basic principles and legal requirements for local government purchasing.Topics include the following:Competitive bidding requirements for purchasing and construction contractingPurchasing ethics and conflicts of interestPractical skills such as vendor relations,...
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  Budget for Information Technology

  This course will cover a variety of strategies to get the most out of your IT budget request, as well as how to maximize your investment once that request has been approved. Specific topics will include creating a tailored budget request that demonstrates value, return on investment (ROI), total cost of ownership (TCO), and supplemental staffing...

• Budgeting and Financial Basics for County Commissioners

  As an elected official, you have a tremendous amount of responsibility for your county’s finances.  While the budget is your primary tool for affecting policy and managing county operations, your responsibility goes beyond simply developing and approving a balanced budget.  It is an ongoing process.   Please join us for this informative and...
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  Budgeting and Financial Basics for Municipal Elected Officials

   The adoption of the annual budget is one of the most important activities undertaken by a municipal council. The budget serves as the council's primary opportunity to establish priorities and as a tool for planning services and programs, and properly managing finances. This half-day course is designed to go beyond the strategic aspects and delve...
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  Capital Financing in Local Government

  This course reviews the authorized debt financing and other capital financing options available to local governments in North Carolina. It reviews the legal authority and procedures for each capital financing option (current revenues, savings, special levies, and borrowing money) and discusses common practical and strategic issues. Note that the...
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  Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

  This course provides detailed guidance in the preparation of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Participants will also discuss the nature and purposes of the Government Finance Officers' Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.The Spring 2017 class is being rescheduled. It will not take place May...
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  Development Finance Toolbox

  A survey of local government financing tools for community and economic developmentWhat tools are available to local governments to help stimulate private investment for development and revitalize Main Street? North Carolina communities can select from a wide array of financing tools in their efforts to attract and grow businesses, improve real...
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  Introduction to Local Government Finance

  This introductory course provides basic instruction in local government and public authority finance and financial management. Areas of instruction include the basic legal authority and requirements governing local government revenues, budgeting processes, cash management, purchasing and contracting, expenditure control, conflicts of interest,...
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  Leading with Emotional Intelligence

  Did you know that emotional intelligence is a better predictor of workplace effectiveness than IQ is? And it's up to 5 times as important when you compare people within the same career? When you think about what behaviors characterized your most effective and least effective bosses, you probably are thinking about emotional intelligence skills...
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  National Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO)

  The CGCIO Certification Program is a 12-month course that lays the foundation for assessing and addressing some of the most critical issues facing IT leadership in the public sector. The purpose of this program is to equip leaders with the requisite tools to manage and improve their organizational technology assets. Participants will address major...
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  NC Local Government CGCIO

  The CIO Certification Program is a 11-month course that lays the foundation for assessing and addressing the most critical issues facing information technology (IT) leadership in local governments. The purpose of the course is to equip leaders with the requisite tools to manage and improve their organizational technology assets. The course will...
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  NC State CGCIO

  The CIO Certification Program is a 10-month course that lays the foundation for assessing and addressing some of the most critical issues facing IT leadership in state government. The purpose of this program is to equip leaders with the requisite tools to manage and improve their organizational technology assets. Participants will address major...
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  Performance Management for Local Government

  This class is full. If you would like to be placed on the waitlist, email Lisa Sheffield.Once your local government has its performance measures, then what? How can measures be used to help improve the quality and efficiency of services? What tactics have proven successful? This one-day workshop, which is designed for city and county managers,...

• Public Employment Law Update

  This course provides an in-depth analysis of current issues in public employment law and an overview of the previous year's developments. The Public Employment Law Update is open to employees of North Carolina state and local governments and affiliated organizations who have responsibilities for human resource functions, and to attorneys in...
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  Putting PCI in Perspective – Security & Compliance Aligned

• Social Media Strategies for Government Professionals

  How can you use social media to better inform and engage your community? Do you need to develop a social media policy for your organization? Now that you’ve established a social media presence, how do you get the most from it? How can you use Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms to inform and engage your community?Do you know how to develop an...
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  State Treasurers Conference

  This one-day conference provides a forum to update local government finance officials and independent auditors on current governmental accounting, auditing, and financial management issues.The dates for 2018 have not been set yet- when they are, we will post them.   
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  Utilities Billing and Collections Administration

  This course provides an overview of the authority and requirements for establishing customer accounts and billing and collecting public enterprise utility fees. The focus will be on water, sewer, and solid waste enterprises. Participants will engage in a series of interactive exercises to apply general concepts to common scenarios that arise in...
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  Working Together: County Funding for Local Schools

  This workshop will help county commissioners better understand the role that counties play in public education. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and interactive exercises, participants will learn about county funding and school oversight responsibilities. Participants will also explore how to manage their relationships with local...