School for New Finance Officers
- Chapel Hill, NCThis course is also available online.September 29, 2025 - August 7, 2026
Course Overview
The School for New Finance Officers is a year-long professional development program designed for North Carolina local government finance officers in their first three years of service. The program offers a strong foundation in financial management and public finance law, with an emphasis on statutory compliance, internal controls, communication, and practical operations. Each session includes hands-on assignments designed to strengthen internal processes and build tools participants can immediately use in their own units.
Program Structure
- Kickoff Session (In Person): September 29–30, 2025 | Chapel Hill
- Monthly Virtual Sessions: October 2025 – July 2026 | Zoom (½ to ¾ day)
- Final Session and Graduation (In Person): August 7, 2026 | Chapel Hill
- Monthly Assignments: Applied exercises to build or refine local tools and policies
- Chapel Hill, NCThis course is also available online.September 29 - August 7, 2026School of Government
400 South Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27514View Additional Information- Kickoff Session (In Person): September 29–30, 2025 | Chapel Hill
- Monthly Virtual Sessions: October 2025 – July 2026 | Zoom (½ to ¾ day)
- Final Session and Graduation (In Person): August 7, 2026 | Chapel Hill
Curriculum Schedule
September 29-30, 2025 – Foundations and Orientation (in person, 2 days, 9-4pm each day) – Kara, Greg, Rebecca
- Local government structures and legal authorities
- Budgeting, accounting, audit, and compliance framework
- Fund accounting and chart of accounts
- Finance calendar of duties
- Role of the finance officer and working relationships with the manager and board
- Overview of the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act (LGBFCA)
- Open government: public records, open meetings, conflicts of interest
- Expenditure authority and major categories of expenditures
- Introduction to NCFinanceConnect and the NC Finance Policy Manual
- Cohort building activity
Assignment:
- Develop or update your unit’s calendar of key finance deadlines
- Review and revise chart of accounts if necessary
October 14, 2025 – Accounting and Financial Reporting (Zoom, 9-2pm) -- Greg
- Basics of governmental accounting and reporting
- Required financial statements and reporting deadlines
- LGC and state oversight reporting requirements
Assignment:
- Create or review your year-end financial reporting checklist
November 13, 2025 – Budget Development and Financial Planning (Zoom, 9-2pm) -– Kara, Bill
- Statutory requirements for budget preparation and adoption
- Revenue forecasting, expenditure planning, and fund structure
- Budget format and ordinance structure
- Processing budget amendments
- Fund balance and reserve policies
Assignment:
- Draft or update your unit’s fund balance policy
- Create templates for annual, capital, and grant project ordinances
December 11, 2025 – Internal Controls and Risk Management – Rebecca, Shannon?
- Principles of internal control systems and risk identification
- Designing and documenting effective internal controls
- Month-end processes: bank reconciliations, close-out, internal reviews
- CPI compliance
Assignment:
- Draft or revise your internal controls policy and month-end checklist
January 8, 2026 – Cash Management and Investments – Kara, Rebecca, Greg, (Lee or John?)
- Daily cash management and internal control practices
- Deposit procedures and reconciliations (some review from Internal Controls session)
- Investment policies and permitted instruments
- Working with banks and ensuring liquidity
- Drafting RFPs
Assignment:
- Draft or update your cash and investment policy
February 9, 2026 – Contracts, Preaudit, and Disbursements (Kara)
- Legal requirements for local government contracting
- Preaudit certification and compliance
- Purchase order thresholds, documentation, and approval workflows
- P-card programs and disbursement controls
Assignment:
- Draft or revise purchasing and p-card policies
- Update contract and purchase approval workflows
March 12, 2026 – The Annual Audit (Greg, Kara)
- Planning and preparing for the audit
- Responding to audit findings and working with external auditors
- LGC’s audit oversight: follow-up, concerns, and policy requirements
Assignment:
- Create an audit readiness checklist for your unit
April 13, 2026 – Revenue and Grants Management (Rebecca)
- Local revenue sources: taxes, fees, and intergovernmental transfers
- Grant lifecycle management: application through audit
- Compliance with state and federal grant requirements
Assignment:
- Review internal controls for grants and revenue
- Audit existing grants for documentation and compliance
May 8, 2026 –Budget to GAAP Reconciliation (Greg, Kara)
- Reconciling statutory and GAAP requirements
Assignment:
June 9, 2026 – Payroll and Managing the Finance Office (Kara, external payroll expert? Dylan)
- Payroll compliance and administration
- Benefits, tax reporting, and audit controls
- Building staff capacity, succession planning, and employee recruitment and retention
Assignment:
- Draft or update payroll policy and procedures
July 8, 2026 – Presenting Financial information Effectively (Kara, data specialist?)
- Framing financial data for decision-makers
- Using AI and technology tools to enhance communication
Assignment:
- Use new tools/methods to create or update a financial presentation
August 7, 2026 – Managing Up and Out: Leadership Development (Willow, Kara, NCGFOA President, others for graduation)
- Communicating effectively with boards and the public
- Building partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
- Strengthening your professional network: NCGFOA, UNC SOG, LGC, and national associations
- Graduation ceremony and celebration picnic
Christa Stansbury
