The School of Community Government

Community Government Finance Training

The Community Government Finance Officer training offers certificate level courses on a part-time basis. Upon successful completion participants will be prepared to competently perform the responsibilities of a Community Government Finance Officer/Comptroller or Assistant Housing Manager.

What will I learn?

Participants learn technical skills in bookkeeping, accounting, finance and budgeting. General skills will be transferable in various financial environments.

Program Outline:

This program currently consists of the following 10 courses:

Course Descriptions

1.  The Community Government Accounting Cycle I

Course Goal:

This course introduces basic community government bookkeeping and accounting material to participants. The course introduces the basic accounting equation and demonstrates how to maintain double entry accrual accounting records. The outcome of the course is for participants to be able to data enter community government financial information and compile financial statements. No prior knowledge is required to take this course. This course is a pre-requisite for Accounting Cycle II and Keeping Your Accounting Records and Payroll.

Curriculum Details:

This course includes instruction in:

  • The accounting equation
  • Debits and credits
  • General journal transactions
  • Preparation of community government Financial statements
  • Introduction to accrual accounting
  • Adjusting entries
  • Preparation of worksheets

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

2. The Community Government Accounting Cycle II

Course Goals:

This course provides continuing knowledge and information on the community government Accounting Cycle. This course begins with a review of key concepts from the Accounting Cycle I. Participants will be able to prepare adjusting and closing entries for Bands and Housing Organizations and complete monthly accounting procedures and records. The course concludes with the evaluation of petty cash and the internal controls of the government's assets. The course also includes a conceptual framework of accounting in accordance with GAAP.

Curriculum Details:

This course includes instruction in:

  • Adjusting entries
  • Closing entries
  • Post closing trial balance
  • Financial statement presentation
  • Valuation and reconciliation of Petty cash and cash
  • Review of internal controls of assets
  • Conceptual framework of accounting using GAAP

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

3. Keeping Your Accounting Records and Payroll

Course Goals:

Provides an overview of the conceptual framework of accounting including the rules, basic policies and principles from which general policies rules of accounting are derived.  This information provides participants with a sound basis for decision-making.

Curriculum Details:

This course includes instruction in:

  • Review of the accounting process to closing and preparation of Financial Statements from prior courses
  • Valuation of Accounts Receivable
  • Valuation and Accountability of Accounts Payable
  • Knowledge of how to temporary Investments and their role in the organization
  • Valuation and accountability of capital assets
  • Preparation of payroll function
  • Review of community government employee benefits and retirement plans

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

4.  Budgeting, Reporting and Monitoring for Financial Results

Course Goals:

This course introduces and prepares the government budget by introducing participants to the development of the budgeting process. This involves defining revenues and expenses, preparing a monthly budget, monitoring the budget and preparing variance reports for administrative staff and Council. The course demonstrates how to assess critical factors within the budget and defines who needs what information in the budgetary process. The course ends with monitoring and evaluating the current year's budget against the actual business activities through a case analysis. 

Curriculum Details:

This course includes instruction in:

  • Defining the community government budgetary process
  • Preparation of the monthly budget
  • Preparation of the annual budget
  • Monitoring of the budget
  • Variance analysis
  • Reporting to administration and Council
  • Analyzing and interpreting critical factors within the budgetary process

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

5.  Introductory Computerized Accounting

Course Goals:

This course provides introductory knowledge in business software applications. Participants learn how to set up a fictitious set of typical community government accounting records, enter data and prepare financial statements on a computerized system. This course also facilitates trouble shooting techniques for finding errors in a computerized system. This course is currently offered using 3 software programs. These are: Simply Accounting, ACC PAC (Dos) and ACC PAC (Windows). Although Community Government Accounting Cycle I and II and Keeping Your Accounting Records and Payroll are not pre-requisites, it is strongly recommended that participants have had prior education in bookkeeping or accounting.

Curriculum Details:

This course includes instruction in:

  • Entry of a chart of accounts for community governments
  • Classification of Accounts
  • Journal entries
  • Preparation of financial reports
  • Understanding the ability and functioning of the software
  • Trouble shooting for computerized problems

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

6.  Intermediate Computerized Accounting

Course Goals:

This course provides intermediate computerized accounting information to participants. The course content varies depending on the software used in this course however, general topics that will be covered include: Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and Payroll. Creation and Development of accounting information using the accounting software program combined with spreadsheets is also covered. Customizing reports is also covered. 

Curriculum Details:

This course includes instruction in:

  • Entry of a chart of accounts
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Accounts Payable
  • Preparation of Payroll
  • Importing and exporting information
  • Preparation of accounting information using spreadsheets
  • Customization of Reports and Financial Reporting Design
  • Intermediate trouble shooting topics

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

7.  Communications, Leadership and Public Relations

Course Goals:

This course prepares leaders to communicate effectively in writing and speech. At the end of this course the participant will be prepared for any communications task required in his or her work. Participants will also have developed an appreciation of the value of excellence in personal communication. This course develops the participant's ability to communicate effectively with the community, governments and the media. It will enable participants to develop the communication skills needed to work effectively with those who work both inside and outside the community government.

Curriculum details:

This course offers instruction on:

  • Communication Theory
  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication
  • Non-Verbal Communicatio

Duration:

This is a 60-hour course.

8.  Payroll Administration

9.  Human Resource Administration

10.  Legislation and General Administration

Schedule

For information on a program schedule contact the School of Community Government staff.

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