Non-Conference Education
The mission of the WFOA Education Committee is to provide Washington public entities and their staff with professional training in finance, budgeting, accounting, reporting, and other relevant fields. This professional training provides budget and finance professionals the opportunity to meet face-to-face, exchange ideas with others, and enhance their knowledge which will assist them in promoting the professional management of government financial resources. The professional educational opportunities also enable our members to maintain their status as Professional Finance Officers, CPAs, and/or other similar professional designations. If you would like to join the Education Committee or have questions about educational courses offered, please contact the Education Chair at educationcommittee@wfoa.org.
Upcoming 2025 Educational Opportunities
WFOA – Training Opportunities
Property Tax Essentials for Public Entities
April 22, 2025
9:00am - 11:00pm
$50 Member / $75 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Explore the complexities of property tax for public entities in Washington State with the "Property Tax Essentials for Public Entities" class. Stacey Lewis and Toby Tobler from Pacifica Law Group will provide a comprehensive overview of property tax laws, processes, and strategies tailored to the unique needs of public entities. This session will cover critical topics, clarify common challenges, and equip you with the knowledge to navigate property tax matters confidently. Whether you're new to property tax or looking to deepen your understanding, this class is a must-attend for public sector professionals. Reserve your spot today!
Unlocking Clean Energy Investments for Washington Communities: A Guide to the Inflation Reduction Act's Direct Pay Provisions.
Monday, April 28, 2025
1:00pm - 2:00pm
$0 Member / $0 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Join the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) and Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) for an essential webinar designed for Washington’s local government finance officers and community leaders. This session will provide an introduction to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its transformative impact on clean energy investments in Washington communities.
The Direct Pay provisions of the IRA open the door for a broader range of entities—including local governments and organizations that traditionally do not file tax returns—to access clean energy tax credits. This opportunity can significantly reduce costs and accelerate the transition to sustainable energy solutions.
Leveraging the expertise of GFOA and L4GG, and brought to you through the Washington Clean Energy Tax Credit Assistance Program (WA CETCAP), this webinar will walk participants through the Direct Pay process, including a general overview of the filing process and a review of available resources and programs to ensure participants are empowered to maximize available tax credits.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand how the IRA’s Direct Pay provisions expand access to clean energy tax credits.
- Learn the step-by-step process for pre-filing and tax year filing.
- Leverage the technical assistance available through the Washington Clean Energy Tax Credit Assistance Program.
- Receive guidance on the state of federal tax credits in light of the new federal administration.
Don’t miss this chance to empower your community with financial tools for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Indirect Cost Allocation Plan
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
10:00am - 12:00pm
$50 Member / $75 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. An Indirect Cost Allocation Plan (ICAP) in Washington State is a comprehensive framework used to equitably distribute overhead costs, such as administrative and support services, to benefit departments and programs. Utilizing a workload-based methodology, the plan ensures transparency, accuracy, and compliance with state and federal guidelines. It provides cities with a clear understanding of how indirect costs are allocated, supports financial planning, and aids in recovering eligible costs from grants, contracts, and interdepartmental charges. The ICAP fosters accountability and efficient resource management across municipal operations.
Federal Award Requirements (Includes Grants) Webinar
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
8:00am - 3:00pm
$125 Member / $175 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
This Class covers the essentials of the federal requirements for managing, spending and auditing federal awards. The authoritative set of requirements, found in Part 200 of Title 2 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, is called the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards – or more commonly, the “Uniform Guidance.”
The objectives of this class are for participants to get an overview of the most important and common compliance requirements and learn where to keep reading about the areas most applicable to them. In this way, local governments can better understand the Uniform Guidance, which will help them design effective internal controls to meet these requirements and better manage their federal awards.
Topics covered:
- Introduction to the Uniform Guidance (including high-level information on the 2024 revisions)
- Understanding the Uniform Guidance Cost Principles
- Overview of the common administrative requirements
- Essentials for implementing internal controls
- Preparing the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards
- Details about the federal single audit
- Available resources
Beginning Excel Webinar
June 17, 2025
9:00am - 11:00am
$50 Member / $75 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Steve Rogers, Finance Manager for Kitsap 911 will present an interactive course covering a wide range of topics. It will begin with writing basic formulas, formatting, sorting, filtering, exploring menu options, creating basic lookup formulas and pivot tables. For this course, a computer is highly recommended, and attendees should at a minimum be familiar with how to work in Excel.
Beginning Accounting Webinar
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
9:00am - 12:00pm
$75 Member / $100 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
The beginning accounting class will be conducted via a webinar taught by Bret Brodersen. Bret is the Finance Director for the City of Centralia. He teaches accounting at the local community college. Bret is a current WFOA Board member, chair of the Professional Rules and Operational Standards Committee.
The Beginning Accounting class will cover the basics for practical accounting. Included are:
- T Accounts
- Debits & Credits
- General Ledgers
- Assets & Liabilities
- Revenues and Expenditures (Expenses)
- Fund accounting (types of funds)
BARS - Cash/GAAP Webinar
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
9:00am - 4:00pm
$125 Member / $175 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Specialists from the Office of the Washington State Auditor will present an overview of the BARS Manual and the reporting requirements for the governments that use it. This class is intended for both cash and GAAP basis governments. The State Auditor’s Office presents the course materials for people with varying levels of governmental accounting knowledge and experience, from novice to expert.
After taking this class, attendees will be able to:
- Explain the purpose of the BARS Manual and why it is required
- Navigate and search the BARS Manual
- Employ fund accounting, including identifying and evaluating fund types
- Identify the four types of interfund activities
- Use the BARS Chart of Accounts and generate BARS codes as prescribed
- Understand the annual online filing reporting requirement
Intermediate Excel (Complex Functions) Webinar
TBD July, 2025
9:00am - 11:00am
$50 Member / $75 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Steve Rogers, Finance Manager for Kitsap 911 will present an interactive course covering a wide range of topics progressing to more advanced topics like pivot tables, charts, conditional formatting, advanced formulas, and macros. Before registering in the intermediate course, please be sure you are accomplished at the tasks outlined in Beginning Excel.
Intermediate Excel Webinar
Specific Topic - Conditional formatting, advanced tables and graphs
The focus in this class will be in data presentation and analysis
TBD August, 2025
9:00am - 11:00am
$50 Member / $75 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Steve Rogers, Finance Manager for Kitsap 911 will present an interactive course covering a wide range of topics progressing to more advanced topics like pivot tables, charts, conditional formatting, advanced formulas, and macros. Before registering in the intermediate course, please be sure you are accomplished at the tasks outlined in Beginning Excel.
Intermediate Excel Webinar
Specific Topic - Lookups, references, and conditional functions
The focus in this class will be in data retrieval, manipulation, and interpretation
TBD August, 2025
9:00am - 11:00am
$50 Member / $75 Non-Member
This class will be presented online. Steve Rogers, Finance Manager for Kitsap 911 will present an interactive course covering a wide range of topics progressing to more advanced topics like pivot tables, charts, conditional formatting, advanced formulas, and macros. Before registering in the intermediate course, please be sure you are accomplished at the tasks outlined in Beginning Excel.
Federal Award Requirements (Includes Grants)
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
8:00am - 3:00pm
$125 Member / $175 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
This Class covers the essentials of the federal requirements for managing, spending and auditing federal awards. The authoritative set of requirements, found in Part 200 of Title 2 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, is called the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards – or more commonly, the “Uniform Guidance.”
The objectives of this class are for participants to get an overview of the most important and common compliance requirements and learn where to keep reading about the areas most applicable to them. In this way, local governments can better understand the Uniform Guidance, which will help them design effective internal controls to meet these requirements and better manage their federal awards.
Topics covered:
- Introduction to the Uniform Guidance (including high-level information on the 2024 revisions)
- Understanding the Uniform Guidance Cost Principles
- Overview of the common administrative requirements
- Essentials for implementing internal controls
- Preparing the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards
- Details about the federal single audit
- Available resources
BARS - GAAP/Cash - In person class
October 28, 2025
8:30am - 5:00pm
Rose Hill Community Center
304 Lincoln Ave Mukilteo, WA 98275
$175 Member / $225 Non-Member
This class will be presented in person. Specialists from the Office of the Washington State Auditor will present an overview of the BARS Manual and the reporting requirements for the governments that use it. This class is intended for both cash and GAAP basis governments. The State Auditor’s Office presents the course materials for people with varying levels of governmental accounting knowledge and experience, from novice to expert.
After taking this class, attendees will be able to:
- Explain the purpose of the BARS Manual and why it is required
- Navigate and search the BARS Manual
- Employ fund accounting, including identifying and evaluating fund types
- Identify the four types of interfund activities
- Use the BARS Chart of Accounts and generate BARS codes as prescribed
- Understand the annual online filing reporting requirements
Please bring a laptop or other device to participate in the class exercise.
Thwarting ACH Fraud - Why even your best efforts may not be Enough
TBD, November 2025
9:00am - 12:00pm
$75 Member / $100 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
Schedule 06
Thursday, November 13, 2025
10:00am - 11:00am
$25 Member / $50 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
Public Funds Investing for Beginners Webinar
TBD December, 2025
9:00am - 12:00pm
$75 Member / $100 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
Intermediate Accounting Webinar
TBD December, 2025
9:00am - 12:00pm
$75 Member / $100 Non-Member
This class will be presented online.
- Each attendee must register with their email
- Must be logged into the ZOOM webinar with their registered email
- Have the Zoom meeting on their active screen in order to answer the polling questions.
- Three polling questions will be administered for every 50 minutes in order to be eligible for 1 CPE. (Example – 4 hour session will have 12 polling questions).
Registration Cancelation Policy
Cancelation/substitution requests must be received in writing by Admin@wfoa.org. In-person events, a refund is available until 14 business days less a $20 administrative fee. Webinar events, a refund is available until 3 business days less a $20 or 25% of registration fee, whichever is less. No refund will be issued after the business days listed but can be appealed in writing. The appeal can take up to 45 days for determination. Substitutions after the business days listed may be allowed for a $10 fee.