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Fiscal Essentials

Live • Online • 10 PD Hours

Whether you are budgeting for annual wages and benefits, overseeing renovations to a facility, or responsible for a single site’s overall budget, knowing and complying with all of the fiscal requirements associated with Head Start services is essential. This course goes beyond the basics and covers the fiscal responsibilities of staff who oversee funds and property.

Due to technical upgrades taking place this spring, Fiscal Essentials is currently unavailable. Please sign up on the interest form to be notified of any changes to the status of this course.

This course is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of fiscal responsibility for all staff and governing entities with financial roles. Participants can use course materials to assess, plan, and improve their financial management system, develop and execute operating and capital budgets, and maintain safe, effective learning environments. This course also helps grantees prepare for Focus Area (FA) 2 fiscal monitoring and annual audits.

  • Course Level: Intermediate
  • Requirements/Prerequisites: None, however, Fiscal Basics is highly encouraged for staff with less than three years of experience in fiscal management
  • Target Audience: Leadership and Management, Support Services
  • Completion Timeline/Duration: One month
  • Head Start Alignment: Head Start Program Performance Standards, Part 1303 – Financial and Administrative Requirements, Subpart A: Financial Requirements

Course Outline

Module Topics: 

  1. Financial Foundations, Part I
  2. Financial Foundations, Part II
  3. Budget Development and Implementation
  4. Real and Personal Property

Learning Objective: Provides learners with a greater understanding of Head Start financial management systems, budgeting, and property management.

Join the Interest List

You will be notified when registration opens for this course.

Registration Rates

Member Rate:
$295

Regular Rate:
$425

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Includes:

10 Hours of Course Material

Online, Self-Paced Content

Months of Access to Course

Video Content
Discussion Forums
Digital Badge
Certificate of Completion with PD Hours
24/7 Access to Transcript

Course Author

Belinda Rinker, JD

Belinda Rinker, JD

Belinda Rinker, JD, an attorney and managing member of SRCS, has over 30 years of experience working with grant-funded and nonprofit organizations. She recently retired from her position as a senior policy analyst at the national Office of Head Start in Washington, D.C., where she led fiscal, facilities, and disaster recovery initiatives. During her Head Start career, she gained hands-on experience in program operations and fiscal management. Belinda has extensive knowledge of the many governance and fiscal requirements that apply to federal awards and has provided training and compliance assistance at the grantee, state, and national level.

What learners are saying...

"This course gives you a very good understanding of what it takes to make good fiscal decisions and provides a basis for a solid fiscal structure within your organization." - KaTina Magmore, Fiscal Coordinator, Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, Inc.

"Completely essential for someone new to Head Start finance." - Adriana Griffin, Chief Fiscal Officer, Northern California Child Development, Inc.

"The instructors use real-life situations when working on budgets. It was easier for me to visualize myself in a meeting talking about the same issues." - Paola Reyes, Fiscal & Grants Manager, Davis School District Head Start