Washington Finance Officers Association Calendar RSS Feed

May 5, 2026: Federal Awards Requirements (Includes Grants) Webinar

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:00 -0400

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 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

May 12, 2026: Webinar: Intermediate/Advanced Excel: Date, Time, and Financial Functions

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:02 -0400

Take control of time-sensitive and financial calculations. Explore functions like DATEDIF, WORKDAY, and EOMONTH for scheduling, plus PMT and FV for loan and investment planning. You’ll then be able to casually mention that you know this at the next family dinner to prove your in-laws wrong.

Office 365 is recommended for this course.

Jun 9, 2026: Webinar: Beginning Excel

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:04 -0400

Identifying fraud is just the tip of the iceberg – often what happens next determines whether an organization resolves the issue efficiently or creates new risks in the process. We’ll take a look at how to develop a clear, complete, and mutual understanding of the actions needed to respond once fraud surfaces, without relying on improvised decision-making or institutional memory. The session will first use a real-world scenario to identify “what not to do” moments and then delve into practical steps an organization can take to determine how and when to respond to fraud events, including hands on experience developing and scoring risks.

Jun 16, 2026: Webinar: You've Found Fraud - Now What?

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:09 -0400

Jun 25, 2026: Webinar: Beginning Accounting

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:13 -0400

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)

Jul 9, 2026: Webinar: Intermediate/Advanced Excel: Logical & Conditional Analysis

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:14 -0400

Turn complex variables and rules into automated decisions. Learn IF, IFS, SWITCH, error-handling functions, conditional formatting, and nested logic to create clean, dynamic outputs and shave HOURS off your workload. This is the kind of flex that will make even teenagers think you’re cool. No cap.

Office 365 is recommended for this course.

Jul 15, 2026: Webinar: Overview of BARS

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:16 -0400

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

Aug 6, 2026: Webinar:2025's Most Pressing Fraud Threats Shaping the 2026 Risk Landscape

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:18 -0400

This course provides an overview of the most significant fraud trends affecting Washingtonians in 2025 and examines how these schemes impact organizations. This session is designed for accounting, auditing, and financial forensics professionals seeking to strengthen their fraud detection and evaluation skills. Presented by Marie Rice, Ph.D., CFE, CIA.

Marie holds a PhD in accounting, with an emphasis in fraud and forensic accounting, from West Virginia University and is an Assistant Professor at Siena University, where she serves as Director of the Center for Anti-fraud Resources and Examination Services (CARES). Before entering academia, Marie was a forensic accountant and a Chief Audit Executive/Chief Risk and Compliance Officer with 20 years of experience. As a practitioner, she managed fraud examination engagements up to and including expert testimony and advised audit committees and executive leadership teams of small to mid-sized U.S. listed companies on risk and compliance matters. A former Ritchie-Jennings award winner and ACFE Research Institute recipient, Marie is the President of the Albany Area Chapter of the ACFE and President of the Justice for Fraud Victims Project (JFVP), a pro-bono fraud examination service for vulnerable victims. She received the Siena University Award of Excellence and was named 2024 ACFE Educator of the Year. She also received the ACFE’s 2010 Outstanding Achievement in Outreach/Community Service Award and the Spokane Police Chief’s Citizen Award because of her work with the JFVP.

Aug 20, 2026: Webinar: Intermediate/Advanced Excel: Summarizing & Analyzing Data

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:17 -0400

Transform raw data into actionable insights using SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, PivotTables, and dynamic ranges for powerful reporting. You’ll be able to build dashboards, slice and dice data on the fly, prepare clean data for reporting, and finally make your ex jealous without using “new year, new me” as the caption on your Instagram.

Office 365 is recommended for this course.

Sep 16, 2026 - Sep 18, 2026: 2026 WFOA Annual Conference

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:03 -0500

Join us for the 2026 WFOA Annual Conference!
September 16-18, 2026 in Kennewick, Washington

Pre-Conference offered on Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Registration available early May

Oct 13, 2026: Overview of BARS IN PERSON CLASS - Vancouver WA

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:20 -0400

Oct 20, 2026: Federal Awards Requirements (Includes Grants) Webinar

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:20 -0400

Nov 18, 2026: Webinar: The Future of Writing

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:21 -0400

You have eight seconds to win the attention of your audience (four seconds if you are using email). In a distracted world bombarded with information, it's more important than ever that we leverage brevity for effective communication. This session includes tips and tricks for making your writing more clear, concise, and compelling.

Dec 10, 2026: Webinar: Intermediate Accounting

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:22 -0400

This class will be presented online 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 Intermediate Accounting class will cover the basics of financial reporting. Included are:

• Basic Financial Statements Overview
• Balance Sheets
• Income Statements
• Statement of Cash Flows