Sessions: 2023 Government & Public Sector Virtual Conference

GASB Update

Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

This session will discuss GASB pronouncements that have been issued and will be effective this year and in years to come. We will also discuss ongoing GASB projects and their potential impacts on state and local government organizations.

Learning Objectives:

Understand GASB pronouncements yet to be implemented.
Identify challenges when implementing GASB 96 and potential solutions.
Identify ongoing GASB projects.

Scott Anderson - Cherry Bekaert
Jack McKee - Cherry Bekaert

Leading a Government Finance and Accounting Function Following the Great Resignation

Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Studies show that the state and local government workforce has not returned to pre-COVID levels. Combine that with the shrinking pipeline of accountants, especially in the governmental realm, and many state and local governments are having to do more with less than ever before. This course will evaluate the current landscape for governmental finance and accounting functions, identify the potential current and future impacts of this shortage on their government and communities, and share best practices and innovative solutions to manage the increased workload and never-ending deadlines.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the environment of the current industry
Associate open positions with possible internal control gaps
Identify best practices and innovative solutions to manage increased workloads

Danny Martinez - Cherry Bekaert
Lauren Strope - Cherry Bekaert LLP

Finance Function of the Future and the Importance of Cost Allocation

Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 11:50 AM - 12:50 PM

The finance office needs to change to be more predictive and strategic instead of being reactive. Key to delivering effective services to citizens is understanding the full cost of these services. This course will discuss the importance of identifying and allocating indirect costs and developing Cost Allocation Plans to deliver services successfully.

Learning Objectives:

Describe how the finance function can be more strategic
Describe the importance of cost allocation plans
Describe the importance of full cost in delivering citizen services

Nicolie Lettini - Capital Accounting Partners, LLC

Focusing on What Works: Imbedding Data and Evidence into Government Programs

Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

This session will begin by providing government officials with a foundational understanding of the definitions, tools, and frameworks used in evaluations. The session will then highlight for government officials how the federal government has prioritized evidence and evaluation in recent stimulus funds, including specific examples from ARP, IIJA, and IRA. Presenters will then share Results for America's ARP Dashboard and discuss the themes that emerged from studying thousands of ARP Performance Reports and share recommendations for how communities can imbed data and evidence into programs. The session will conclude with an overview of how Results for America supports communities to invest in what works.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the mechanisms included in the federal recovery funding, which support
Learn how governments used federal stimulus fund (particularly the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law)
Understand how data and evidence can best be embedded into programs
Learn how Results for America supports government agencies to shift toward what works

Haley Kadish - Results for America
Quinn Stevenson - Results for America

Federal Policy and its Impact on State and Local Governments

Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Learn about recent federal policies impacting state and local governments, including new investments and funding opportunities and major initiatives of the Biden Administration.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the federal policy landscape, including how Congress and the Executive Branch activities will impact state and local governments.
Learn about recent updates on initiatives spearheaded by the Biden Administration, such as cybersecurity, customer experience, grant management, or evidence-based policymaking.
Understand how the federal budgeting and funding cycle impacts state and local government budgets.

Adam Hughes - GovNavigators

Grants Management Best Practices and Updates for Your 2023 Single Audit

Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Many state and local governments have received more federal funding in the last three years than any other three-year period. This course will cover how to strengthen your grants management processes within your organization to handle this increase in funding to maximize efficiency and bolster internal controls over compliance. We will then discuss specific changes you can expect for your 2023 Single Audits based on new funding sources and changes in the 2023 compliance supplement.

Learning Objectives:

Understand changes in the 2023 Compliance Supplement
Recognize grants management best practices for governmental entities with increased grants funding Understand changes in the 2023 Compliance Supplement
Identify compliance requirements subject to audit for common major programs

Shuo Zhang - Cherry Bekaert
Daniel Gougherty - Cherry Bekaert LLP

Cybersecurity in Education: Regulations, Incidents, and Practical Considerations

Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 11:50 AM - 12:50 PM

Protecting children is top of mind for most families and for the public institutions that support them. However, public education is highly budget-constrained, with the bulk of funding going to teacher salaries. Protecting educational information, though, is one place where Federal privacy and cybersecurity regulations are strong and uniform across the U.S. The current trend of cyberattacks copying and/or locking data in return for ransom hits directly at both compliance and real-world impact for schools. This course will provide an overview of the regulations and challenges for cybersecurity in education.

Learning Objectives:

Learn about some of the cyberattacks going on now.
Understand the base requirements of FERPA, the Federal privacy regulations covering all students.
Understand the broader implications of COPPA, the Federal privacy regulations covering all children online.
Learn about connections between FERPA and HIPAA.

Brook Conner - Cherry Bekaert

Key Takeaways Impacting Your 2023 Audit and Financial Reporting

Wednesday, August 9, 2023, 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

This session will provide an update related to the APA’s oversight of Virginia local governments, including:

• Important reminders on annual audit and reporting requirements, the APA’s Audit Specifications, the APA comparative report transmittal process, and any other key, topical issues affecting local governments;

• Recent and upcoming changes from Virginia’s legislative sessions that impact local governments;

• Overview and recent results of the APA’s annual quality control review process over CPA firms auditing Virginia’s local governments;

• Overview and recent results on the APA’s annual fiscal distress monitoring process over cities, counties, and towns.

Learning Objectives:

Obtain knowledge on annual audit and reporting requirements, APA Audit Specifications, APA comparative report process, recent state legislative changes that impact local governments, and other key, topical issues
Obtain knowledge on APA’s annual quality control review process over CPA firms auditing local governments
Obtain knowledge on APA’s annual local fiscal distress monitoring process

Rachel Reamy - Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts

2023 Government & Public Sector Virtual Conference

Upcoming Sessions