2023 FGFOA School of Governmental Finance

There is something for all finance professionals at the School of Governmental Finance! It is an opportunity to develop practical skills and tools to apply in your organization. Equally important is networking with your peers in a relaxed classroom environment that encourages the exchange of ideas and identifies resources.

NOTE: The room block for the SOGF at the host hotel is now full. CLICK HERE to view a list of local hotels in close proximity. NOTE: We do not have negoatied rates at these hotels.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Join us at the FGFOA School of Governmental Finance on October 16-20, 2023 at the Luminary Hotel & Co. in Fort Myers, FL

What sessions are best for you? The school offers two paths during the week and you can register for one or both of the segments:

Basic/Intermediate: 2-1/2 days beginning Monday morning and ending Wednesday at noon.
The Basic/Intermediate courses are tailored for all financial support staff and for the staff person just beginning a career in governmental finance. In these sessions, participants will be exposed to an in-depth study and analysis of basic governmental finance concepts and principles. These sessions are also informative for anyone wishing to further expand their area of expertise or reacquaint themselves with the fundamentals of governmental finance. In other words, they provide a great refresher course!
Intermediate/Advanced: 2 days beginning Wednesday afternoon and ending Friday at noon.
The Intermediate/Advanced courses are tailored for seasoned finance professionals looking for information on current more-complex issues.

CGFO Review Courses and Testing - Registration for exams is now open. Registration for review courses will open on Wednesday, August 9, 2023:
In conjunction with the school, the FGFOA offers Certified Government Finance Officer (CGFO) review courses and testing. There are five review courses held Monday through Wednesday, and the exams are all day Thursday. There is a separate registration for both the courses and the test, with advanced registration required. The course may be taken by CGFO candidates and non-candidates at $45.00 per course. You must be pre-qualified and be approved as a candidate to take the test. To sit for this round of exams your CGFO application must be submitted by September 1, 2023. For additional information, course schedules and registration form, please contact Karen Pastula, kpastula@flcities.com, 850.701.3618.

Early registration deadline: September 22, 2023 Take advantage of the early registration rate by completing your registration and payment by September 22, 2023. Your paid registration confirmation will include the hotel reservation link/code. The FGFOA School room block will fill up quickly, so reserve your room ASAP. Once the block is full, we cannot guarantee the block rate for additional rooms, if available.

Registration/Payments/Cancelation Information
Registrations are done on an individual basis. The FGFOA does not permit the sharing of a registration between two attendees. Each attendee must have a separate registration and pay the full amount. The registration fee includes admission to all sessions in the block for which you register, plus refreshments. If you need assistance with registration or payment, please contact Heidi Hogarth, Meeting Planner,  hhogarth@flcities.com , 850.701.3605.
      Payment by credit card:  Visa, MasterCard and American Express
Payment by check: Mail the registration form and check (payable to the FGFOA School):FGFOA School of Governmental Finance,  P.O. Box 10270, Tallahassee, FL 32302

Cancelation Policy

FGFOA School registration cancelations must be sent to Heidi Hogarth no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, October 6, 2023, to be eligible for a FGFOA School registration refund (a $50.00 cancelation fee will be applied to all cancelations). Refunds will be processed after October 20, 2023.

Housing Information

The Luminary Hotel & Co.is sold out. See below for alternative hotels in the area. We do not have negotiated room rates with these hotels.

Legacy Harbour Hotel and Suites
https://legacyharbour.com/
Best Western Fort Myers Waterfront
https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotelrooms.10277.html?iata=00171880&ssob=BLBWI0004G&cid=BLBWI0004G:google:gmb:10277
Holiday Inn Fort Myers – Downtown Area
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/fort-myers/fmycl/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-
HI-_-US-_-FMYCL
Courtyard Marriott Fort Myers
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/rswch-courtyard-fort-myers-cape-coral/overview/

**The information below will be used to print your badge for the event. If you need to make changes, please let us know.

From Destin - Fort Walton Beach Airport: Turn RIGHT onto Hwy 85 North/Government Ave (2 miles). Turn LEFT onto Hwy 20 East/John Sims Pkwy (6 miles). Turn RIGHT onto Hwy 293 South; Cross Mid-Bay Bridge ($4.00 Toll) (7 miles).Turn LEFT onto Hwy 98 East (6 miles). Turn RIGHT onto Sandestin Blvd South and proceed through Sandestin guard gate.

From Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport: Turn RIGHT onto Hwy 388 West (4 miles). Turn LEFT onto Hwy 79 South (5 miles). Turn RIGHT onto Hwy 98 West (30 miles). Turn LEFT onto Sandestin Blvd South and proceed through Sandestin guard gate.

From Pensacola Regional Municipal Airport: Turn LEFT onto North 9th Ave/CR-289 (6 miles). Turn LEFT onto Gregory St/Hwy 98 East (40 miles). Turn RIGHT onto Sandestin Blvd South and proceed through Sandestin guard gate.

When

10/16/2023 - 10/20/2023

Where

2200 Edwards Drive Fort Myers, FL 33901

Program options

Select programs by

Monday, 16 October 2023

Description
First Time Attendee Orientation First-Time Attendees - 7:15 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Hear from FGFOA Board members about the benefits of membership in the FGFOA. First-time attendees are encouraged to attend, but other FGFOA members who want to learn more are also welcome. Category Activities Track *Activities Time 7:15 AM - 8:00 PM 7:15 AM
Single Audit Update and Grant Compliance Join this discussion that will include the latest updates in the recently released Compliance Supplement. Additionally, we will cover aspects of complying with grant requirements and how to maintain compliance with the grant requirements. Category AA Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
The Importance of Monitoring and Visualizing the Budget Some municipal organizations might find it difficult to have a structured monitoring process in place throughout the fiscal year. Creating dashboards and charts that help visualize budget vs. actuals in both revenue and expenditures might be a game changing tool, not only to predict over/under variances, implement best practices but also to visualize the trends and adjust budgets as needed. Category TB Track 2.0 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
Best Practices in Debt Management Rates are rising, and I have projects to finance. What are the current bank and bond financing options, and trade-offs? Category AA Track 2.0 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
Preparing Your Budget for the Next Recession With fears of the next recession on the horizon, what should governments be doing now to start preparing to help deal with potential for fiscal distress. By offering several strategies to reduce budget expenses, create flexibility, and assess risk associated with different options with the goal of long-term sustainability, we can all take lessons learned from the past decade and apply them proactively to address challenges of the next recession. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
Governmental Accounting Overview This session will focus on the fundamental components of governmental accounting including the similarities and differences between governmental and commerical accounting, as well as finanical elements unique to governmental accounting. IN addition, this session will rpovide an overview of the three broad categories of governmental funds including the measurement focus and basis of accounting for each fund type. Category AA Track 2.0 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Managing Employee Motivation and Engagement Have you ever wondered what makes some employees come to work and consistently do an amazing job, even in the face of challenging circumstances? Or why an employee who used to exceed expectations, suddenly seems to be struggling to stay connected? Do you know what makes you come to work and drive you to do a great job? Employee engagement is directly linked to an organization’s overall productivity, work quality, as well as their ability to retain top talent. Yet, according to a recent Gallup poll, only 15% of global workers would consider themselves to be engaged in the workplace. This course explores employee engagement theory as a spectrum, while focusing on powerful steps we can all take to keep employee and our own engagement levels high. Category BEH Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Best Practices and Common Audit Findings Category AA Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM
Resiliency, Grit, and Leadership In today’s fast paced, and every changing environment it can feeling like you are multi-tasking, juggling and even barely surviving; What if it wasn’t just about weathering the storm, but to truly thriving. Take an introspective look at your own leadership, and the impact you have on others. And reconnect to priorities, goals, and success. Category BEH Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM
Open House Reception Plan to hang out with old friends or meet new ones while establishing life- long friendships and contacts. Emerging leaders will have the opportunity to learn from veteran FGFOA members. If you plan to join us, be sure to mark the appropriate box on the registration form. Category Activities Track *Activities Time 4:40 PM - 6:00 PM 4:40 PM

Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Description
Performance Budgeting A major responsibility of governmental officials is to develop a budget and manage services, programs, and resources as efficiently as possible and to communicate the results of these efforts to the taxpaying public. Performance measures are used for assessing how efficiently and effectively functions, programs and activities are provided and for determining whether program goals are being met. Learn how performance measures can benefit governements, be linked to budgets and the reasons we measure performance and best practices related to performance budgeting. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
Stepping into the 21st Century: Automation & Change Considering streamlining business processes through the use of technology and concerned about what this change may mean for your employees? Join us to discover the benefits of automation and the key elements in successfully delivering this change. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
12 Steps to Reduce the Potential for Fraud Unfortunately, fraud is a universal language that touches all segments of the business and government worlds. HUD is no exception and often intersects with grant fraud and public corruption. This presentation will cite numerous real world examples of fraud, provide insight into fighting fraud on a limited budget, and focus on practices that are less about money and more about attitude. Category AA Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
ACFR Financial Statements & Their Elements Join us for this session to take a deeper look at the various required financial statements and their respective elements as presented in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (“ACFR”). We will cover the statements at both the government wide and fund level, as well as examining how the note disclosures are an integral part of these statements. We will also explore ACFR statements and elements by fund type, including governmental, proprietary, and fiduciary funds. Category AA Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
Collective Decision Making During Budget Preparation How to involve stakeholders in gathering useful information and providing them the opportunity to be part of the decision-making process. It is also an opportunity for budget officials to learn about the operations of the organization in more detail, connect with the residents and also work together. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Elements of an Investment Program This session offers attendees a comprehensive agenda of the concepts and techniques needed to effectively manage their investment portfolios. The various elements of an investment program, whether the portfolio is managed internally or externally. The session will include: cash flow forecasting, hiring and managing external professionals, types of investments commonly used in the public sector, investment strategies for liquidity and core investment funds, managing risks, benchmarking, and reporting. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Be Prepared When the Opportunity to Promote Arises If you are looking to advance in your organization you have to be on a path of continued growth, and you have to be prepared, prepared for the interview that is. In this interactive session you will have the opportunity to fine-tune your interview skills; learn how to share your knowledge, skills, and ability. You will walk away having identified your real, timely and relevant examples so when the time comes to interview, you will be ready. Category BEH Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM
GASB 101 - Compensated Absences Beginning to End Category AA Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM

Wednesday, 18 October 2023

Description
But Are You Really Prepared? If you’ve lived and worked in Florida, you most likely have experienced one of the many hurricanes that have impacted our state. We prep our homes, our families, put systems in place for our infrastructure in anticipation of the next event. But are we ever really prepared? Join this session to learn about the FEMA process, to hear real life stories of what other agencies have done during previous disasters and learn a little bit about some of the impacts and challenges Lee County has faced and the progress made. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
Exploring Costs of a Muni Bond Underwriting Review Roles of the Underwriting (UW) Team and how each member gets paid; Composition and Roles of US Syndicate Members; Cost Drivers; COI, UW Discount Components and How to do the Math; Liability Assignment; Priority of Orsers; Designation Policies; and the Bond Investor Population. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
Internal Controls Overview Internal Controls Overview covers COSO's 2013 Internal Control - Integrated Framework and illustrates how and why management should build and maintain an effective system of internal control. We will review in depth the 5 components of internal control and will discuss application of controls in a financial statement audit. Category AA Track 2.00 When 10/18/2023 10:00 AM - 10/28/2023 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
Telling the Story Behind the Numbers How do you explain the numbers in the budget to those that do not work with numbers? This session will discuss why it is important to put words with the numbers, how to create a story behind the numbers and helpful tips to make this an effective tool. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
Auditing Updates, Yellow Book Changes & Audit Deficiencies Auditing updates, yellow book changes and common audit defiencies, and things to consider when implementing GASB 96 to avoid audit findings. Category AA Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Strong Adopted Financial Management Policies Adopted financial management policies support a government's mission and help ensure long-term stability and operational reliability. They guide future financial and rate decisions, and facilitate communication with residents or customers. This session provides guidance to government managers who are developing financial management policies for their organization or looking to improve or update their existing policies. Category AA Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Evolution of Payments and the Impact on Your Organization Evolution of Payments and the Impact on your Organization - This session will cover treasury trends to help optimize and protect payables. Card and virtual card payments, check outsourcing and account validation services will be covered as well as an overview of the current fraud landscape. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM
Long-Term Financial Planning & Other Planning Processes This session will focus on the importance and development of a Long-Term Financial Plan. The session will further touch on other complementary planning processes, like Strategic Planning, Capital Planning, Budgeting, and the development of Financial Policies, all communicated together can be a valuable blueprint for the Organization. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM
President's Networking Reception After classes are over on Wednesday, join us for a relaxing hour of enjoyable conversation with your colleagues while enjoying some tasty hors-d’oeuvres. Category Activities Track *Activities Time 4:40 PM - 6:00 PM 4:40 PM

Thursday, 19 October 2023

Description
The Intersection Between Cyber and Financial Fraud The gate way to financial fraud is thorugh email phishing, account credential compromise, and Business Email Compromise (BEC). This session will analyze case studies of several financial fraud situations with a root cause in some form of computer hacking and cyber fraud. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
The Mechanics of a Public Bond Offering An overview of the bond financing process and the players involved, including a deep dive into the process of bringing a bond financing to market and a look at the investors who participate in this market. How is a bond prixed and how ca the pricing affect you, as an issuer, long-term? Category TB Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
GASB Update New and Forthcoming Standards and Concept Statements Category AA Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 PM 10:00 AM
Succession Planning and Budgeting Job market has especially changed after remote working was introduced to the workforce during the pandemic. Are public organizations prepared to deal with the most recent workforce trends, such as: “Great resignation,” demands for benefits rise/costs, and more employee freedom? And most importantly, how do they retain knowledge and maintain their standard operating procedures in the mist of this? Category TB Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
AI in Local Government Finance Join us for a discussion on how AI is enabling local governments to become smarter and more responsive to the needs of their citizens. We will explore the game-changing potential of AI for local government finance departments, from automating routine tasks and reducing errors to predicting future trends and informing decision-making. We will examine the impact of AI on the broader organization, including service delivery, citizen engagement, and the future of work. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Economic Update The COVID-19 Pandemic caused a global economic shutdown for months which impacted everything from the 22 million U.S. jobs lost during April and May of 2020, to supply chain diwruptions that lasted for more than two years in some industries, in office versus remote work challenges, population migration and changes in spending habits. During this session we will review economic and interet rate trends and the impact of these trends on the growth following the reopening of the U.S. economy. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 1:00 PM - 2:40 PM 1:00 PM
Budgeting for Project Managers Budget overruns are a litmus test for project success or failure. No government has an unlimited budget, so the first thing project managers look to in determining whether their project was a great success or a colossal failure is the bottom line. This fact fuels the pressure project leaders and their team face with each passing day. As such, effective budget management is a primary area of focus for project managers who value their careers. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM
Investing your Portfolio in a Rising Rate Environment Ever wonder how Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) decide what maturity, call structure, and step coupons they issue? This behind the curtain discussion with a trading desk will provide insight on issuance as well as analysis to see if callable bonds are a fit for your portfolio. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 3:00 PM - 4:40 PM 3:00 PM

Friday, 20 October 2023

Description
Understanding Servant Leadership This session is designed as an introduction to Servant Leadership as originally articulated by Robert Greenleaf in his breakthrough essay “The Servant as Leader”. The principles identified as characterizing servant leadership will be presented and how they can be applied in the participants’ own situations and in the context of today’s challenging local government environment. Category BEH Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
Using Data Standardization Digital Forms In this engaging presentation, Director Kevin Guthrie of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) will explore the critical area of data standardization. Discover how FDEM is harnessing the power of technology through innovative digital forms and revolutionizing Public Assistance through the Florida Recovery Obligation Calculation (F-ROC) program. Join us as we explore real-world examples and practical insights that showcase how data standardization, coupled with digital forms, is reshaping the way FEMA Projects Worksheets (PWs) are executed. Category AA Track 2.00 Time 8:00 AM - 9:40 AM 8:00 AM
Alternative Revenue Sources Alternative Revenue Sources: Exploring new fees to fill the budgetary gap and provide a reliable and sustainable long-term funding source. Diversifying revenues places less reliance on the property tax revenue stream, especially during times of turbulent real estate markets. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM
Looking to the Past to Help Invest for the Long-Term The DeLorean fires up and takes you to a time in history influenced by war, inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, rising rates, and recession concerns. Will wages keep up with inflation, can new homebuyers ever be able to afford a home, will decimated retirement portfolios last through the golden years? Are you in the 1980s or did you never leave the 2020s? Join us for a lively history lesson that offers wisdom for today. Applying that wisdom, we will discuss the potential risks and benefits of longer-term investment strategies using equity and multi-asset investments in the context of time horizon and liquidity needs. We'll cover best practices for managing multi-asset portfolios, relevant Florida statutes, and the main drivers of investment returns. We will also discuss the fundamentals of major asset classes, along with best practices in overseeing a multi-asset class portfolio when a portion of funds may not be expected to be spent down over a period of five years or longer. Category TB Track 2.00 Time 10:00 AM - 11:40 AM 10:00 AM

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