Date: Thursday, October 11, 2018
Time: 1:00–2:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Date: Thursday, October 11, 2018
Time: 1:00–2:40 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Oct. 11, 2018 | Chicago, IL
Please join S&P Global Ratings for a discussion based forum focused on current trends and risk in the U.S. higher education sector. These forums will be held in Boston, Chicago and New York.
Oct. 3, 2018 | Boston, MA
Please join S&P Global Ratings for a discussion based forum focused on current trends and risk in the U.S. higher education sector. These forums will be held in Boston, Chicago and New York.
Oct. 4, 2018 | New York, NY
Please join S&P Global Ratings for a discussion based forum focused on current trends and risk in the U.S. higher education sector. These forums will be held in Boston, Chicago and New York.
Sign up for GFOA’s 3rd Annual Better Budgeting web-stream event! This year’s event will take place as a three-part series. Each course is a separate topic (Creating a Budget Aligned with Community Priorities 10/4/18, Budget Monitoring 10/11/18, and Building a Better Budget Office 10/25/18) and stand-alone session.
September 18, 2018 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
The results of TIF have been compelling since its inception as a development finance tool. Lending itself to flexibility and creativity, TIF has perennially supported diverse projects across diverse communities throughout the U.S. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Webcast Series, expert speakers will share the latest updates in TIF, discuss interactions between cities and other taxing bodies when developing a TIF district together, and explore the innovative ways communities are utilizing this tool to meet their ever-changing needs.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Alan Ferguson
Senior Vice President, Community Development
InvestAtlanta
Fran Rood
Senior Vice President
SB Friedman
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
September 27, 2018 | Tempe, AZ
Click here to learn more and to register.
On Thursday, August 16th over 50 fixed income leaders from BDA member firms attended BDA’s Institutional Fixed Income Roundtable at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, IL. Attendees heard from taxable and municipal market experts, engaged in active discussions on fixed income market structure and the SEC’s focus, municipal market trends, and business conditions and opportunities in 2018 and enjoyed a cocktail and networking reception.
A recap of the key issues discussed at each session is below.
Hedging the Muni Market:
Discussion Leader: Ron Valinoti, Triangle Park Capital Markets Data; John Coleman, R.J. O’Brein
Fixed Income Market Structure:
Discussion Leaders: Kevin McPartland, Greenwich Associates; Horace Carter, Raymond James; Matt Andresen, Headland Tech Global Markets
Municipal Market Trends:
Discussion Leader: Tom Kozlik, PNC Capital Markets
Business Conditions, Opportunities, and Expectations:
Discussion Leaders: Brian Brennan, KeyBank Capital Markets; Brad Winges, Piper Jaffray; Don Winton, Crews & Associates
Bond Dealers of America
August 21, 2018
Registration is open for the NFMA’s Advanced Seminar on The Impact of ESG & Resiliency Issues on Credit Analysis, to be held at the Westin Copley Place, Boston, on October 11 & 12.
To view the program, click here.
To register, click here.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 | 1:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
September 5-6, 2018 | Washington, DC
Click here to learn more and to register.
Opportunity Zones: Maximizing Impact in Your Community
September 5-6, 2018 | Washington, DC
Click here to learn more and to register.
Registration is open for GFOA’s 23rd Annual Governmental GAAP Update web-Stream event. Enjoy all the benefits of the highest quality continuing professional education without the times and expense of travel. Sign up with your colleagues and take advantage of special group rates!
Click here to learn more and to register.
Please join senior Fitch analysts in a teleconference discussion on US Toll Roads Thursday, July 19th at 11am EDT.
This follows the publication of our recent report: Toll Roads – 10 Years in Infrastructure
Click here to register.
Jul. 19, 2018 | New York
Please join S&P Global Ratings analysts from the US Public Finance Transportation Infrastructure team for a live interactive webcast on Thursday, July 19th at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Topics of discussion include an update of the Sector Outlook, and an overview of how transportation ratings have fared under updated criteria released in March 2018.
September 18, 2018 | Los Angeles, CA
Join the CDFA California Financing Roundtable for a special one-day conference. This event will feature a number of economic development finance experts from around the state discussing development finance tools, authorities, resources and approaches, and how these can affect the California economy going forward.
Click here to learn more and to register.
September 25, 2018 | Columbus, OH
Join the CDFA Ohio Financing Roundtable for a special one-day conference that will cover bonds, TIF, tax credits and energy, redevelopment and small business finance. This event will feature a number of economic development finance experts from around the state discussing development finance tools, authorities, resources and approaches, and how these can affect the Ohio economy going forward.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 | 1:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
Wed, Jul 11, 2018 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Detroit, Michigan has been using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for 40 years to finance the redevelopment of a variety of properties and spur economic development across the city. Despite the use of this powerful tool and a local economy on the rebound, the redevelopment of many iconic buildings and properties in Detroit has not been economically viable. Learn how the City of Detroit and Bedrock Detroit/Quicken Loans have addressed these barriers by working to “supercharge” TIF and maintain a robust public process to create transformational redevelopment projects for the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan.
Click here to register.
Thursday, June 28, 2018 | 11:00am EDT
Please join Fitch Ratings on a teleconference to discuss the planned changes to the rating criteria for Public Power bonds.
Speaker: Dennis Pidherny – Managing Director, Group Head, Public Power
This Four Twenty Seven webinar on emerging metrics and best practices for physical climate risks and opportunities disclosures covers recent developments in TCFD and Article 173 reporting, challenges to assessing climate risk exposure, strategies for investors to incorporate this information into decision-making and approaches to build corporate resilience.
Speakers
Click here to watch the webinar.
BLX AND ORRICK will be hosting our 6th Annual Post-Issuance Compliance Workshop on October 25 & 26 at the Vdara Hotel & Spa in Las Vegas!
Click here to register and for more information.
National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers
July 18 | 2:00 – 4:00 PM EDT
NASACT is pleased to announce the latest in its series of training events addressing timely issues in government accounting, auditing and financial management.
As fiscal year-end for most state governments quickly approaches and a new year begins, it’s an opportune time for financial statement preparers and auditors to get a refresher on standards that will be effective for June 30, 2018, financial statements, as well as recently released GASB statements that will require attention in fiscal year 2019.
This webinar will provide “must know” guidance on previously-issued GASB statements that are effective for June 30, 2018 and 2019.
CLICK to see full event details.
NASACT
Contact:
Pat Hackney
Email: phackney@nasact.org
Phone: (859) 276-1147
August 6-10, 2018 | Pittsburgh, PA
CDFA Summer School is a week long series of courses presented by the CDFA Training Institute. CDFA Summer School will offer five different training courses at the Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel, in Pittsburgh, PA. Learn from our expert practitioners and experience CDFA’s most interactive educational event of the year live in Pittsburgh.
All courses at CDFA Summer School qualify for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Participants may register for one, two, or three courses during this week-long event. Complete three courses, and you will have fulfilled half of the requirements for the DFCP Program. Join us in Pittsburgh, and start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Strategies for Addressing Non-Performance and Loan Defaults
August 14, 2018 @ 2:00 PM Eastern
Successful RLF programs always make every attempt to craft a good loan. Some businesses, though, will inevitably struggle to repay. How your fund handles loans and borrowers during this difficult period can help minimize losses and maximize recovery. As part of the CDFA EDA RLF Best Practices Program, this webinar will highlight a variety of corrective action strategies and proactive approaches that can successfully reduce defaults.
Speakers will be announced soon.
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and is open to all interested stakeholders.
August 16, 2018 | 2:00 PM Eastern
In this webinar, experts on EPA financing programs will give a thorough overview of the financing options the EPA provides to support brownfields redevelopment and the development of water infrastructure. CDFA will place a specific emphasis on the various EPA Brownfields Grant Programs, including Brownfields Assessment Grants, Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grants, and Brownfields Cleanup Grants, as well as the financing offered through the Water Infrastructure Finance And Innovation Act (WIFIA).
Attend this two-day conference to learn more about building and leading resilient communities and GFOA’s new Financial Sustainability Framework….
Click here to learn more and to register.
When: October 25-26, 2018
Where: Four Seasons Hotel, Washington, DC
Click here to learn more and to register.
May 22, 2018
Jun. 14, 2018 | New York, NY
Please join our leading S&P Global Ratings analysts from the Charter School team for a live interactive webcast on Thursday, June 14th at 2:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time, where they will provide their views on the sector’s fiscal 2017 financial medians and general trends in the sector.
May 23, 2018 | New York, NY
OVERVIEW
SIFMA has partnered with MAGNY and GASB’s Dean Mead to provide an educational seminar on the rules that state and local governments follow when accounting for and reporting their finances.
During this in-depth discussion, participants can expect to hear:
Click here to learn more and to register.
The recent tax law changes generally eliminated the ability to issue tax-exempt bonds to advance refund outstanding bonds. Are there substitute structures that can be used without further IRS or Treasury guidance to achieve some of the same results? What about advance refunding taxable bonds and build America bonds under current law? What are the considerations for structuring new bonds in light of the change in law?
Please join Orrick’s tax and bond lawyers for a discussion about certain of the options that are available to municipal issuers and borrowers, including the tax and securities law issues for new and revitalized financing tools and techniques and important issues for investment bankers and financial advisors.
The Bond Buyer | April.19.2018
The Benzinga Global Fintech Awards are a yearly showcase of the greatest advents in fintech from leaders and visionaries in the worlds of finance and technology. This year, we have executives, developers and innovators from the likes of Facebook, Amazon, IBM, JP Morgan, Zelle, TD Ameritrade, TradeStation, Fidelity, and so many more.
In preparation for its biggest installment yet this May, we’re profiling the companies competing for the BZ Awards. In this feature we focus in on Neighborly.
What does your company do? What unique problem does it solve?
Garrett Brinker, product manager: Neighborly is a mission-driven fintech firm that operates at the intersection of government, technology and municipal finance. We believe that the humble municipal bond is the original impact investment, and we’re committed to reducing the cost and complexity associated with this largely fragmented and often misunderstood market – which has long been dominated by large institutional investors.
Through innovative technology, competitive fee structure and lower denominations, we have created a way to directly connect fiscally responsible issuers with investors who want to generate returns while effecting positive change in the communities where they live, work and play.
Who are your customers?
Brinker: Through our two distinct subsidiaries, we’re working to bring issuers and investors closer together to facilitate easier access to impactful public projects, from schools and public parks to next-generation infrastructure such as microgrids:
How long have you been in business?
Brinker: Neighborly was founded in 2012.
Where are you located?
Brinker: Neighborly is headquartered in San Francisco, with strategically located offices in New York City and Boston. We consider ourselves to be an integral part of their respective tech, finance and investment communities.
Who is your company’s leadership? What kind of experience do they have?
Brinker: Jase Wilson is CEO and founder of Neighborly, combining expertise in technology, urban planning and entrepreneurship. Prior to Neighborly, Jase founded and operated Luminopolis, a civic software firm focused on saving local governments millions of dollars annually by replacing legacy enterprise software with modern open source equivalents. A keen technologist and urbanist, he studied city planning at MIT and the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Kiran Jain is the chief operating officer and general counsel at Neighborly. She is the former Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Oakland, one of the inaugural cities in the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities network. Kiran has served as a senior deputy city attorney focusing on land use, urban redevelopment and municipal governance; she also founded the Civic Design Lab to focus on building community resilience.
Neighborly’s broader team harbors decades of combined expertise across the fields of public finance, civic issues and technology.
Who are your investors, if any?
Brinker: 8 VC, Emerson Collective, Bee Partners, Stanford University, Sound Ventures, Fintech Collective
Is there anything else Benzinga should know about your company?
Brinker: We are a diverse team with backgrounds in technology, capital markets and government — all on a mission to help build stronger and more resilient cities through the municipal bond.
To meet with the minds behind companies like Neighborly and others testing the cutting edge of fintech, grab a ticket to the Benzinga Global Fintech Awards May 15-16 in New York.
Chris Dier-Scalise, Benzinga Staff Writer
April 24, 2018 2:08pm
May 15, 2018 | New York
Please join our leading S&P Global Ratings analysts from the U.S. States’ Group for a live interactive webcast on Tuesday, May 15 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, where they will provide their views on the budget process for the U.S. states as they approach the start of the 2019 fiscal year, which for 46 of the states, begins on July 1.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
1:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
May 23-24, 2018
Daily: 12:00 – 5:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EDT
During this free webinar, staff of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) will demonstrate enhancements to the MSRB’s Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA®) website. As the EMMA® website enters its 10th year of providing municipal market transparency, the MSRB is implementing a series of investor-focused improvements to the design and navigation of the website.
At the end of this webinar, participants will understand how to:
EMMA® is the official source for municipal securities data and documents. The EMMA® website provides free public access to objective municipal market information and interactive tools for investors, municipal entities and others. EMMA® supports municipal market transparency but is not a platform for buying or selling bonds.
CPE Credit
This is a group-internet based event. Participants may receive one regulatory ethics CPE credit upon participation in the full webinar. The program level is “overview” and there are no prerequisites or advanced preparation required. The MSRB is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. For more information regarding MSRB administrative policies such as complaint, please contact our offices at (202) 838-1500.
Click here to register.
Don’t miss an opportunity to network with your peers during GFOA’s upcoming training on accounting and budgeting topics, June 4–7, at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport in Renton, Washington.
Stephen J. Gauthier, former director of GFOA’s Technical Services, and author of the GAAFR (or “Blue Book”) will serve as an instructor for the accounting courses.
Oct. 18, 2018 | New York
We invite you to join our team of credit analysts to discuss this year’s power sector current hot topics and trends, including sector overviews, regulatory and operational developments, disruptive technologies and our assessments of the affects they will have on our credit ratings within the power sector. Additional details for this conference, including a link to register and the complete agenda, will be available closer to the meeting date.
Jun. 5, 2018 | Boston, MA
We are pleased to invite you to our regional 2018 U.S. Public Finance Credit Forum on Tuesday, June 5th in Boston. On hand will be several of our Sector Leads and analysts to review and discuss S&P Global’s research related to credit pressures facing U.S. states and local governments, with a focus on pension issues and emerging risks/trends in public finance.
Community Benefit Agreements – Sparking Development
May 15, 2018 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Development projects are often touted as being economic windfalls for communities where they are situated. However, low- and moderate-income communities are frequently left behind, and many benefits of economic development filter to higher income communities. In an effort to combat inequality and promote more equity in economic development, many developers have reshaped and elevated the role of community benefits agreements (CBAs). In a CBA, public and private sector participants determine how the benefits of the economic development will be shared among communities. But what do these CBAs actually look like in practice? What types of benefits are negotiated and how do they support making economic development more impactful on the communities that need it the most? During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, hear from experts on how public entities can optimize CBAs to generate greater community buy-in for development projects, and more equitably distribute economic gains.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Designing A Revolving Loan Fund Program to Meet Your Community’s Needs
May 22, 2018 @ 2:00 PM Eastern
The EDA Revolving Loan Fund Program helps small businesses access capital, especially when traditional lending institutions are not a good fit. The program allows for innovation, and many communities have designed their programs to meet the unique needs of their local business community. Join us as our expert speakers discuss how to design or modify an EDA Revolving Loan Fund program to address local demand, including specialized programs for minority and women owned businesses as well as micro enterprises and entrepreneurs.
Harry Allen, Moderator
Coordinator, Research & Advisory Services
Council of Development Finance Agencies
Mara O’Neill
Loan Program Manager
Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and is open to all interested stakeholders.
Monday, Jul 16, 2018 1:15 PM – Tuesday Jul 17, 2018 12:45 PM EDT
Brookings Institution
Washington, DC
Click here to learn more and to register.
June 22, 2018
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM ET
As the third of a series of free virtual compliance workshops, MSRB staff will conduct an in-depth discussion about key provisions of MSRB Rule G-17 on Conduct of Municipal Securities and Municipal Advisory Activities related to making disclosures to issuers. This workshop will follow a question-and-answer format based on questions and suggestions from regulated entities and other stakeholders.
May 17, 2018
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM CT
Join the MSRB, in coordination with Municipal Bond Club of Chicago, for a Town Hall meeting in Chicago, IL. The Town Hall meeting will provide municipal market stakeholders the opportunity to discuss municipal market self-regulation, the MSRB’s compliance support initiative and the future of the MSRB. The Town Hall meeting is intended to support the municipal market community by creating a forum to communicate regulatory concerns and capture ideas to inform the MSRB’s future activity. The event will be exclusively in-person.
May 24, 2018
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
During this free webinar, staff from the MSRB and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will discuss considerations for small municipal advisors in tailoring supervisory procedures based on the nature and scope of the firm’s municipal advisory activities, and methods of documenting that supervisory controls were implemented and enforced consistent with the regulatory obligations under MSRB Rule G-44. SEC staff will highlight some of their observations from municipal advisor examinations.
Start Date: 4/12/2018 2:00 PM EST
End Date: 4/12/2018 3:50 PM EST
Organization Name: NASACT
Contact:
Pat Hackney
Email: phackney@nasact.org
Phone: (859) 276-1147
OVERVIEW
While many government leaders are actively involved with blockchain prototypes, live pilots, and active use case development, there is still is a limited view of what it comprises and how it will impact state organizations. Blockchain’s influence in the public sector will evolve over the next several years, but the technology has the potential to bring efficiency and speed to a wide range of services and processes.
By joining this webinar, government finance and audit professionals can gain insights into blockchain dynamics, hear examples of how organizations are using the technology, and understand the potential for ROI around new revenue streams and cost savings.
By reducing dependence on existing intermediary institutions and their accompanying layers and costs, blockchain can potentially eliminate significant resource burdens. And by accelerating transactions and simultaneously lowering their costs, blockchain can help to eliminate layers of redundancy, ease regulatory compliance burdens, introduce recordkeeping efficiency, and generally smooth government operations across a number of areas.
Join us to learn blockchain fundamentals and how this technology may impact your role and organization.
Click HERE for full webinar details.
May 15, 2018 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Development projects are often touted as being economic windfalls for communities where they are situated. However, low- and moderate-income communities are frequently left behind, and many benefits of economic development filter to higher income communities. In an effort to combat inequality and promote more equity in economic development, many developers have reshaped and elevated the role of community benefits agreements (CBAs). In a CBA, public and private sector participants determine how the benefits of the economic development will be shared among communities. But what do these CBAs actually look like in practice? What types of benefits are negotiated and how do they support making economic development more impactful on the communities that need it the most? During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, hear from experts on how public entities can optimize CBAs to generate greater community buy-in for development projects, and more equitably distribute economic gains.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Registration Opens for March 14 GASB Webinar on Invitation to Comment on Revenue and Expense Recognition.
March 21-22, 2018 | Daily: 12:00 – 5:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
February 28, 2018 | 2:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
March 8, 2018 | 2:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
Tuesday, May 13, 2018 | 1:00 PM Eastern
Click here to learn more and to register.
California State Treasurer John Chiang is ramping up his support for green bonds by co-hosting a Green Bonds Symposium in Santa Monica on Feb. 27-28.
The event is being put together with the Milken Institute, a Santa Monica-based public policy think tank, and Environmental Finance, a London-based publishing company that reports on green finance.
Chiang, who is running for governor, called the bond market, and more specifically green bonds, an essential tool for raising the $8 trillion needed in the U.S. to replace fossil-fuel power sources with low-carbon alternatives and the hundreds of billions needed in the state to replace and modernize crumbling roads, bridges, and water plants.
“With the U.S. already trailing China and Europe, California can fill the leadership void left by the current federal administration by facilitating the maturation of a domestic green bonds market that will pay for the new, less-polluting infrastructure we so desperately need to counter climate change,” Chiang said in a letter.
Green bonds, or debt issued by corporations or government agencies to finance environmentally-friendly projects, were first introduced in 2008.
The U.S. green municipal bond market grew to $11.05 billion in 2017 up from $7.11 billion the previous year; and it’s expected to reach $20 billion in 2018, according to a Climate Bonds Initiative report. New York edged out California in 2017 in green bond issuance pushing out $4.59 billion compared to California’s $4.3 billion.
The first day of the event will consist of an invitation-only financial innovations lab hosted by the Milken Institute.
Researchers, policy makers, and others will work to generate market-based solutions to overcome challenges for green bonds during the innovations lab, according to the hosts. The focus will be on innovative structures, market function, investor interest, and market standardization issues to conquer the barriers to investment in green bonds in the United States. The same areas that the treasurer’s office covered in its report, Growing the U.S. Green Bond Market, Volume 1, released in January 2017.
The treasurer’s office plans to produce a second report in Spring 2018 on findings from the innovations lab.
The second day will be a general conference, open to everyone, with key note speakers, case studies and panels.
In 2016, Chiang said he conducted a multi-city listening tour meeting with three dozen investors, who control funds holding trillions of dollars, to discuss how to use bonds to encourage environmentally-friendly development.
“The need for a green bonds symposium grew directly out of my listening tour and the lagging performance here in this country,” Chiang said.
By Keeley Webster
BY SOURCEMEDIA | MUNICIPAL | 02/06/18 07:01 PM EST
MSRB Arizona Town Hall: Hosted in coordination with the National Association of Bond Lawyers’ 16th Annual Tax & Securities Law Institute
February 21, 2018
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM MT
Join the MSRB, in coordination with the National Association of Bond Lawyers, for a Town Hall meeting in Phoenix, AZ. The Town Hall meeting will provide municipal market stakeholders the opportunity to discuss municipal market self-regulation, the MSRB’s compliance support initiative and the future of the MSRB. The Town Hall meeting is intended to support the municipal market community by creating a forum to communicate regulatory concerns and capture ideas to inform the MSRB’s future activity. The event will be exclusively in-person.
Registration has commenced for the National Federation of Municipal Analyst’s 35th Annual Conference to be held at the Hotel del Coronado, Coronado, CA, on May 30-June 1, 2018.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Thursday, February 15, 2018 | 1:00 PM Eastern
Overview
Around the country American communities are experiencing highly uneven economic development, resulting in large, regional pockets of disinvestment and unemployment. The recently enacted Investing in Opportunity Act aims to correct the aforementioned economic imbalances by incentivizing groups – through the temporary deferral of a tax on capital gains – to invest in distressed areas. In this CDFA webinar, learn from our expert panelists how the Investing in Opportunity Act works, when the program will begin, and a host of other important details essential to understanding this new federal program.
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Climate change poses substantial risks and challenges to state and local economies and their governments. How do credit rating agencies assess and manage these risks? Do municipal bond markets take them into account if at all? Should they? Do rating agencies and bond markets give credit for building resilience? How should state and local governments gauge the risks posed by climate change? How urgent is this? Who is leading the way and what can we learn from them?
Join us on February 13, 1:00-2:30 pm EST for a webinar on these topics. We’ll begin with presentations by Kurt Forsgren (Managing Director and Sector Leader for Infrastructure in U.S. Public Finance, Standard & Poor’s), Tim Coffin (Senior Vice President and Director of Sustainability, Breckinridge Capital Advisors), Joyce Coffee (LEED AP, Founder and President, Climate Resilience Consulting) and additional speakers to be announced. The presentations will be followed by Q&A with webinar participants.
The Municipal Finance Conference is sponsored by the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at Brookings, the Rosenberg Institute of Global Finance at Brandeis International Business School, the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. The 2018 conference will be held at Brookings on July 16-17, 2018.
The Brookings Institute
Jan. 30, 2018 | New York
Please join S&P Global Ratings U.S. Public Finance on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time for a live Webcast and Q&A discussion on the U.S. Public Power, Transportation and Water and Wastewater sector outlooks.
CDFA Launches Federal Financing Webinar Series
— New Series to Highlight Federal Agency Programming —
The CDFA Federal Financing Webinar Series is an exclusive, five-part online offering that will convene finance experts, federal agencies, and local practitioners to discuss the development finance programs offered by the federal government. The webinar series is designed to offer participants a thorough overview of the development finance tools offered by federal agencies, with an emphasis on valuable programs that are often overlooked.
The CDFA Federal Financing Webinar Series is a 5-part offer available throughout the year. Each webinar will include in-depth examinations of specific financing programs offered by a federal agency along with program details, advice on applying, and examples of successful program implementation. Participants are encouraged to bring their project questions for our expert panelists, as they work to demystify the federal government’s myriad financing options.
Those interested in attending the series can register for each webinar individually or all at once as a package deal. CDFA recommends registering for all of the webinars at once to take advantage of the best available pricing.
The webinar series will focus on the following agencies:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
February 28, 2018
>>>Register for the HUD Webcast
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
April 12, 2018
>>>Register for the DOT Webcast
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
June 14, 2018
>>>Register for the USDA Webcast
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
August 16, 2018
>>>Register for the EPA Webcast
U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)
October 18, 2018
>>>Register for the EDA Webcast
CDFA has provided two options for registering for the CDFA Federal Financing Webinar Series:
Individual Webinars
Participants may register at any time for individual webinars at the following rates:
CDFA Member: $65
Non-Member: $95
Full Webinar Series
Participants may register for the full webinar series and receive access to recordings of past or missed webinars. Participants will receive a $50.00 discount when purchasing all five webinars. Participants may register at any time for the full webinar series at the following rates:
CDFA Member: $275
Non-Member: $425
Webinars will be recorded and placed online for participants to access afterwards. Only attendees who purchase the webinar, either individually or the full series, will have access to the online recordings. Attendees who miss a webinar will have access to the online recordings as well.
Hosted by MBFA in Partnership with Court Street Group Research LLC
On Wednesday, January 17th, over 65 industry groups representing issuers, investors, and state and local governments participated in the webinar, “A Brave New World for Munis: A Post-Tax Reform Review,” hosted by the Municipal Bonds for America (MBFA) Coalition in partnership with Court Street Group Research. The webinar focused on the political, economic, and market dynamics of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the overall impact on the municipal industry post-tax reform.
The webinar recording that includes the powerpoint presentation can be viewed here.
Jan. 22, 2018 | New York
Please join S&P Global Ratings U.S. Public Finance on Monday, January 22, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time for a live Webcast and Q&A discussion on the U.S. State and Local Government Credit sector outlooks.
Jan. 17, 2018 | New York
Please join S&P Global Ratings U.S. Public Finance on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time for a live Webcast and Q&A discussion on the U.S. Not-for-Profit Health Care sector outlook.
Training Type: Web-Streaming
Course Status: Repeat Offering
Date and Time: Jan 18 2018 – 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST
Region: Eastern
Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Accounting – Governmental
CPE Credits: 4
Member Price: $180.00
Non-Member Price: $195.00
Prerequisite: Knowledge in state and local governmental accounting and financial reporting.
Speakers:
Who Will Benefit: State and local governmental accounting and financial reporting professionals, State and local government CFO’s, and auditors of state and local governments.
Program Description:
Final authoritative guidance on:
Recent GASB implementation guidance
Proposed guidance on debt disclosures for direct borrowings and direct placements
Proposed implementation guidance for accounting and financial reporting for OPEB
Other ongoing GASB projects
Update on the GASB financial reporting model improvements for governmental funds
Update on the uniform grant guidance, including procurement guidelines
Proposed changes to the Yellow Book
Common financial reporting deficiencies
Topics subject to change
Seminar Objectives:
Participants in this year’s GAAP Update should obtain a practical knowledge of:
Agenda: Download
Other Documents:
Brochure
Technical FAQs
Fitch Ratings will host a series of teleconferences on its 2018 U.S. Public Finance Outlooks, including state & local governments, education & non-profits, transportation, healthcare, public power, and water & sewer. Senior Fitch analysts will share their 2018 Ratings Outlooks and provide an overview of the major trends for each sector followed by Q&A. Click here to access associated reports.
U.S. States and Local Governments 2018 Outlook
January 10, 2018 | 2:00pm ET
U.S. Public Power and Water & Sewer 2018 Outlook
January 11, 2018 | 1:00pm ET
U.S. Health Care 2018 Outlook
January 11, 2018 | 2:00pm ET
U.S. Municipal Transportation 2018 Outlook
January 17, 2018 | 1:00pm ET
U.S. Education & Nonprofit Institutions 2018
January 17, 2018 | 2:00pm ET
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: The Impact on the Municipal Bond Market.
Jan. 10, 2018 | 1 PM ET/10 AM PT
A Bond Buyer / Orrick Webinar
Different versions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) have been approved by the House and Senate, and the two chambers are conferencing to resolve the differences and send the final Act to the President by year end. Even if we do not have a final Act by year end, we expect to have a much better idea of the final product. The Act will make significant changes to tax rules that apply to tax-exempt bonds and related matters, likely including the elimination of tax exempt advance refunding bonds and potentially including changes to the ability to issue private activity bonds.
Topics to be Discussed:
Chas Cardall
Partner
Orrick
(Speaker)
Ed Oswald
Partner
Orrick
(Speaker)
Justin Cooper
Partner
Orrick
(Speaker)
John Stanley
Senior Associate
Orrick
(Speaker)
Trish Eichar
Senior Associate
Orrick
(Speaker)
Danielle Fugazy
Contributing Editor
SourceMedia
(Moderator)
Fitch Ratings will host a series of teleconferences on its 2018 U.S. Public Finance Outlooks, including state & local governments, education & non-profits, transportation, healthcare, public power, and water & sewer. Senior Fitch analysts will share their 2018 Ratings Outlooks and provide an overview of the major trends for each sector followed by Q&A. Click here to access associated reports.
U.S. Municipal Transportation 2018 Outlook
January 10, 2018 – 1:00pm ET
REGISTER
U.S. States and Local Governments 2018 Outlook
January 10, 2018 – 2:00pm ET
REGISTER
U.S. Public Power and Water & Sewer 2018 Outlook
January 11, 2018 – 1:00pm ET
REGISTER
U.S. Health Care 2018 Outlook
January 11, 2018 – 2:00pm ET
REGISTER
U.S. Education & Nonprofit Institutions 2018
January 17, 2018 – 2:00pm ET
REGISTER
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today announced that it will hold a series of “Town Hall” meetings in 2018 intended to enhance engagement with municipal market stakeholders and provide a forum for capturing ideas to inform the MSRB’s current priorities and long-term strategic initiatives. Market stakeholders will have the chance to communicate directly with MSRB Board members and staff about their expectation of the MSRB, and its current and future initiatives.
The MSRB’s Town Hall meetings will be exclusively in-person and open to the public. Registration is available through the links below:
MSRB Arizona Town Hall
Hosted in coordination with the National Association of Bond Lawyers’ 16th Annual Tax & Securities Law Institute
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. MT
JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Stonegrill
5350 E. Marriott Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85054
Register to attend.
MSRB California Town Hall
Hosted in coordination with the National Association of Municipal Advisors
Thursday, February 22, 2018
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. PT
Newport Beach Marriott Hotel
900 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Register to attend.
MSRB Chicago Town Hall
Hosted in coordination with the Municipal Bond Club of Chicago
Thursday, May 17, 2018
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT
JW Marriott Chicago
151 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60603
Register to attend.
The municipal bond market is in a state of flux, and upcoming changes may be significant. If tax reform becomes a reality, resulting in lowered corporate and individual tax rates, there will be direct effects on the market. LIBOR is poised to disappear in 2021, leaving open the question of what happens with loans and swaps that are LIBOR-based. We know from recent events that the SEC is ramping up enforcement efforts (including against lawyers and other professionals) and is becoming more involved in disclosure issues. So what lies ahead? Come and find out by joining us for TSLI 2018 in Phoenix, AZ, for in-depth discussions on current public finance topics!
For more information, download the TSLI brochure or visit the TSLI website. Register today by downloading the registration form or register online here.
When: February 22-23, 2018
Where: JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, 5350 East Marriott Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85054
MSRB Rule G-42: Understanding Advice and Recommendations
Friday, December 8, 2017
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. EST
As the first of a series of free virtual compliance workshops, MSRB staff will conduct an in-depth discussion about key provisions of MSRB Rule G-42 on Duties of Non-Solicitor Municipal Advisors related to advice and recommendations. This workshop will follow a question-and-answer format based on questions and suggestions from regulated entities and other stakeholders.
CPE Credit
This is a group-internet based event. Participants may receive one regulatory ethics continuing professional education (CPE) credit upon participation in the full webinar. The program level is “overview” and there are no prerequisites or advanced preparation required. The MSRB is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org. For more information regarding MSRB administrative policies such as complaint, please contact our offices at (202) 838-1500.
January 24 – 25, 2018
Daily: 12:00 – 5:00 PM Eastern
The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance WebCourse is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course will help you understand the variety of development finance tools available, from bonds, tax credits and TIF, to federal financing programs, RLFs, and access to capital lending resources.
The Fundamentals Course is based on CDFA’s Practitioner’s Guide to Economic Development Finance, the only comprehensive reference guide dedicated to building and utilizing the development finance toolbox. The Practitioner’s Guide provides the insight and practical information needed to critically understand how economic development is financed and the tools, strategies and techniques used to build strong communities.
This course qualify for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Complete three courses and you will fulfill half of the requirement for the DFCP Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Dec. 6, 2017 | New York
We are pleased to invite you to our 2017 State and Local Government Credit Forum on Wednesday, December 6th.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Mintz Levin’s Chuck Samuels, Meghan Burke, Len Weiser-Varon, and John Regier discussed the new tax reform bill in a webinar entitled “Tax Reform: The Threat of Annihilation of Tax Exempt Financing.” The panel, uniquely qualified governmental, bond, and legislative counsel, offered insight on proposed tax changes, the prospects for enactment of the legislation, and how participants in tax-exempt financings can respond to this development.
You can listen to the complete webinar here.
Thursday, December 14, 2017 │ 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern
Registration Fees:
► $195 for members
► $400 for non-members.
Register online here, or download the printed registration form.
Description: This teleconference will include a practical discussion of how bond counsel can be exposed to potential professional liability. The panel will focus on conflicts of interest, the necessity and benefits of utilizing an engagement letter and other Model Rules that bond counsel need to consider in any engagement. Through interactive discussion and case studies, the panel will illustrate conflict scenarios, whether the conflicts can be waived, and the process of waiving a conflict of interest. The panelists will also discuss and employ hypotheticals to explain what should be included in an engagement letter and will review the NABL Model Engagement Letter. The teleconference will also include a malpractice insurance representative from Attorneys’ Liability Insurance Society (ALAS) to give a unique perspective on liability scenarios. The panelists will also discuss the expanding role of bond counsel and how that expanding role can impact professional exposure and loss prevention. Additional topics of client confidentiality and data security and how breaches in a firm’s network can expose you to professional liability will be covered.
Moderator:
Tim Stratton (Gust Rosenfeld P.L.C.)
Panelists:
Deanna Gregory (Pacifica Law Group)
Drew Kintzinger (Hunton & Williams)
Randy Curato (ALAS)
CLE Information: NABL has applied for and anticipates receiving ethics CLE credit for between 1.5 and 1.8 hours in most states that accredit teleconferences. No credit will be available in Pennsylvania. To obtain CLE credit you must pay the CLE fee listed below and fill out the payment form. Be sure to include your CLE states and identifying numbers on the payment form. Certificates of Attendance will be e-mailed to you , and credit hours will be reported to those states that require sponsors to report credit.
Deadline: The registration deadline is Monday, December 11, 2017. All registrants will receive the teleconference materials and dial-in instructions via email on Wednesday, December 13, 2017.
If you have a question(s) that you would like addressed on the teleconference, email them to comments@nabl.org before or during the call. The panelists will try to incorporate the responses throughout the teleconference.
Washington, DC – The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today announced a series of virtual compliance workshops designed to facilitate in-depth discussions about key provisions of MSRB rules for municipal securities dealers and municipal advisors. The free webcast workshops will follow a question-and-answer format.
“The MSRB has heard from both dealers and municipal advisors that they value the opportunity to ask questions and take a deeper dive into the practical realities of complying with specific rule provisions,” said MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly. “Supplementing our existing webinar program with these specialized compliance workshops is a great example of how feedback from our stakeholders informs the MSRB’s approach to advancing our long-term strategic goal of facilitating compliance.”
The MSRB identified topics for the compliance workshops based on questions and suggestions from regulated entities and other stakeholders. The calendar of compliance workshops includes:
To submit questions in advance of any workshop or to suggest topics for future workshops, email MSRBEvents@msrb.org.
Date: November 17, 2017
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
Join us for P3Bootcamp in Los Angeles on Dec. 4. During this popular one-day P3 training course, you’ll join experts in the field for multiple panels, networking opportunities and an in-depth introduction to the P3 landscape. Sessions will focus on everything from identifying a potential P3 project to market trends, making P3Bootcamp an ideal course for public and private sector members who are looking to enter the new era of infrastructure.
For those of you on the East Coast who want to demystify the ins and outs of negotiating P3 agreements with the federal government, join us Dec. 7 in Washington, D.C. for the first Federal P3Bootcamp. This one-day course, also taught by experts with years of experience in the P3 space, will teach you everything you need to know to do a deal with Uncle Sam. To learn more and register, visit the P3Bootcamp website.
Please join S&P Global Ratings on Friday, November 17th at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time for an interactive, live Webcast and Q&A. We will discuss the proposed criteria in detail, the potential impact on outstanding ratings, and specific questions for which we are seeking responses.
December 5-6, 2017
12:00 – 5:00 pm Eastern
Join Fitch November 8th at 2PM ET as we discuss our ‘AAA’ rating on the Sales Tax Securitization Corp, IL Series 2017 A&B bonds. Arlene Bohner will provide the analytical conclusion on the corporation’s strong legal framework and key rating drivers. Amy Laskey will explain why this transaction will not affect the City’s general credit quality and GO rating. Laura Porter, Managing Director & Sector Head will host the call.
If your state requires ethics credits, NABL has just what you need! NABL is hosting a new ethics teleconference titled, “Risk – The Game of Reduction of Professional Exposure, Loss Prevention, and Bond Counsel Liability,” on Thursday, December 14, 2017 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm Eastern.
Moderator, Tim Stratton from Gust Rosenfeld P.L.C. and panelists, Deanna Gregory (Pacifica Law Group), Drew Kintzinger (Hunton & Williams), and Randy Curato (ALAS), will discuss conflicts of interest, the necessity and benefits of utilizing an engagement letter and other Model Rules that bond counsel need to consider in any engagement. Through interactive discussion and case studies, the panel will illustrate conflict scenarios, whether the conflicts can be waived, and the process of waiving a conflict of interest.
The National Federation of Municipal Analysts will hold its Advanced Seminar on High Yield Bonds on January 25 & 26, 2018 at the Royal Palm South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida.
To review the program, click here.
To register, click here.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017 – 9:30am to 11:00am
International Monetary Fund
Presentation by
Sanjeev Gupta, Deputy Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund
Panelists
Vitor Gaspar, Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund
Beth Adair, former Global Tax Director, Airbnb Inc.
Avi Goldfarb, Ellison Professor of Marketing, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Paul Johnson, Director, Institute of Fiscal Studies, United Kingdom
Moderator
Masood Ahmed, President, Center for Global Development
The IMF Fiscal Affairs Department is launching a new book entitled Digital Revolutions in Public Finance. Offering the first detailed assessment of the impact of digital technology on fiscal policy, this publication is a landmark of a collaboration between the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It includes contributions from academics, former government officials and technologists, providing perspectives on how digitalization can revolutionize the design and implementation of fiscal policy—and on the risks and challenges that need to be faced.
The event’s panel discussion will center around fundamental questions raised in the book, which makes the case that by transforming how we collect, process, and act on information, it can expand and reshape the way we operate within the frontiers of policymaking, allowing us to do what we do now, but better—and perhaps before too long, even design fiscal policy in new ways. The book also explores the institutional challenges and capacity constraints faced by countries seeking to benefit from the digital revolution, as well as privacy and cybersecurity concerns, which call for greater international cooperation and regulation as information increasingly travels across borders.
An excerpt of the book is now available online. Electronic copies of the full publication will be available in early November, as well as on USB drives at the book launch.
S&P Global Ratings held a live interactive Webcast and Q&A on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Senior analysts discussed the impact to credit quality following the storms, our expectation for an additional rating action going forward, and how long recovery can take for issuers impacted by storm damage. The discussion also included states, local governments, water and sewer utilities, transportation/public power, school districts, and higher education issuers in the impacted areas. Given the recent fire activity in California, we gave an update to our credit coverage in the region.
Bonds + Financing Sustainability
November 14, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Bonds are considered the bedrock tool for development finance because of their common use funding traditional projects however they also can be adaptable for new types of projects. In the current day and age sustainability has become a key focus in development finance and bonds have more frequently been used to finance this new wave of projects. During this installment of the BNY Mellon // CDFA Webcast Series our expert speakers will look at outside the box ideas for issuing bonds to fund sustainable areas of finance including renewable energy, adaptive reuse for infrastructure, food systems projects and sustainable water solutions.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Vice President & Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Sharon Wojda
Finance Director
City of Bend, Oregon
Stephen Pearlman
Founding Partner
Pearlman & Miranda, LLC
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Compliance Outreach Program for Municipal Advisors
Join the SEC, MSRB and FINRA for the Compliance Outreach Program for Municipal Advisors. Topics of discussion will focus on the duties and standards of conduct for non-solicitor municipal advisors under MSRB Rule G-42 and the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as well as municipal advisor compliance with rules concerning supervision, registration and books and records. View the agenda.
Register to attend via webcast.
Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: SEC’s Atlanta Regional Office
(also available via webcast)
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Join the SEC, MSRB and FINRA for the Compliance Outreach Program for Municipal Advisors. Topics of discussion will focus on the duties and standards of conduct for non-solicitor municipal advisors under MSRB Rule G-42 and the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as well as municipal advisor compliance with rules concerning supervision, registration and books and records.
Announcing the Intro PACE Finance WebCourse
Register By November 17 for Early Bird Rates
Join CDFA for the two-day Intro Property Assessed Clean Energy Finance WebCourse on December 5-6. This course will explore the process of creating, operating and maintaining a community based PACE program. The two day course will feature a comprehensive overview of PACE including program design, capital markets analysis, investor attraction, legal and regulatory considerations, market potential, operations and much more.
The Intro Property Assessed Clean Energy Finance WebCourse is an ideal opportunity to enhance your knowledge and maximize your community’s ability to catalyze energy efficiency improvements on industrial, commercial and residential structures. Topics covered include:
View the Intro Property Assessed Clean Energy Finance WebCourse agenda for a full outline of the timing and topics to be covered.
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today!
November 02, 2017
1:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET
Attend the Mark-up Disclosure Implementation Forum in Washington, DC, hosted by the MSRB to further support understanding of and compliance with mark-up disclosure requirements under amendments to MSRB Rule G-15. The forum will provide municipal securities dealers the opportunity for an in-depth discussion of the mark-up disclosure requirements and methods of calculating prevailing market price.
November 02, 2017
1:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET
Attend the Mark-up Disclosure Implementation Forum in Washington, DC, hosted by the MSRB to further support understanding of and compliance with mark-up disclosure requirements under amendments to MSRB Rule G-15. The forum will provide municipal securities dealers the opportunity for an in-depth discussion of the mark-up disclosure requirements and methods of calculating prevailing market price.
KBRA invites you to join us for our Inaugural Quarterly Public Finance Market Update Conference Call!
This quarter’s discussion will provide a market update on airports. Topics discussed will include KBRA’s methodology for rating airports and an outlook on the sector.
The conference call details are as follows:
Thursday, October 5th
3:00 PM EDT
The discussion will be held by the following members of the KBRA Public Finance team:
Karen Daly, Senior Managing Director
Harvey Zachem, Managing Director
William Cox, Managing Director
Please click on the following link to register for the conference call: KBRA’s Quarterly Public Finance Market Update: Airports
KBRA comments will be follow by a Q&A session. Please email questionss prior to the conference call to info@kbra.com.
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The best way to get greater liquidity, handle price transparency requirements and realize cost savings
Oct. 11, 2107 | 2 PM ET/11 AM PT
Are you getting competitive liquidity? Is cost savings a concern? Do you need help with best execution requirements? This web-seminar will cover the challenges that municipal bond traders are facing and how they are leveraging electronic trading to access unique liquidity and increase their trading efficiency to support best execution requirements.
Agenda:
John Gallagher
Head of Municipal Bonds and U.S. High Grade Product Management
MarketAxess
(Speaker)
Hardy Manges
Head of Municipal Dealer Sales
MarketAxess
(Speaker)
Barnet Sherman
Municipal Bond Market Veteran
(Moderator)
OCTOBER 23-24 | JW MARRIOTT | WASHINGTON, DC
The Capital Markets Conference convenes in Washington, D.C. next month for candid one-on-one conversations and in-depth breakout sessions with more than 50 expert speakers.
We’re excited to announce this year’s program, featuring conversations with Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee; SEC Chairman Jay Clayton; CFTC Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo; Abigail Johnson of Fidelity Investments; David Solomon of Goldman Sachs; and Warren Stephens of Stephens Inc.; plus eight panels and in-depth breakout sessions on today’s most salient issues including tax reform, cybersecurity, financial regulation and more.
700+ financial industry leaders, policymakers and regulators will be there.
Will you?
Click here to learn more and to register.
Washington DC – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) today announced the opening of registration for the Compliance Outreach Program for Municipal Advisors.
There is no cost to attend the program, which provides an open forum for municipal advisory industry professionals to discuss compliance practices with regulators and promote a more effective compliance structure for regulatory obligations of municipal advisors. The event will be held at the SEC’s Atlanta Regional Office on November 8, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, and webcast live on the SEC’s website. Additional information, including the agenda, is available on the SEC, MSRB and FINRA websites.
The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) and Office of Municipal Securities are partnering with the MSRB and FINRA to sponsor the program. Topics of discussion include the duties and standards of conduct for non-solicitor municipal advisors under MSRB Rule G-42 and the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, and municipal advisor compliance with supervision, registration, and books and records rules. The program also will include a roundtable discussion among the regulators and a question and answer session with participants.
“This program is designed to promote compliance with municipal advisor regulations and affords the industry the opportunity to hear from all three regulators on the regulatory obligations of municipal advisors,” said Rebecca Olsen, Deputy Director of the SEC’s Office of Municipal Securities. Suzanne McGovern, Assistant Director of the SEC’s broker-dealer and municipal advisor examination programs, added, “This municipal advisor outreach will take a deeper dive into regulatory requirements and their practical implementation, helping municipal advisor professionals ensure proper regulatory compliance.”
MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly said, “This program is consistent with the MSRB’s goal of assisting municipal advisors in understanding and complying with their regulatory obligations, and municipal advisors will benefit from getting first-hand feedback from our staff.”
Mike Rufino, FINRA’s Head of Member Regulation-Sales Practice, said, “Any firm that wants to enhance its understanding of the regulatory expectations in the important areas of fiduciary duty and supervision will benefit from participating in the outreach program.”
Registration is being administered by the MSRB and is open to all municipal advisor industry professionals, with a maximum of two in-person attendees per firm. In-person attendance is limited to a first-come, first-served basis. For those who cannot attend in person, the program will be webcast live on the SEC’s website.
Register to attend the program here. Information on accessing the webcast and the links to program materials will be posted on the SEC, MSRB, and the FINRA websites on the day of the program.
Date: September 11, 2017
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
Washington, DC – In support of its long-term effort to expand access to tools and information that help municipal market participants analyze industry trends, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today unveiled market-wide trading statistics on its Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA®) website that have not previously been publicly available. The new data include a daily state-by-state view of municipal bond trading activity and the most actively traded municipal securities and bond issuers. The data are dynamic so that users can customize results based on date range, geographic location, tax status of bonds and type of transaction.
“We are very focused on transforming EMMA to meet the needs of our diverse marketplace,” said MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly. “The website was conceived as a platform for investors to find information about a particular security and make a more informed decision when buying or selling that bond. Now, investors and other market participants are seeking a broader view of market activity to inform their decision-making. The MSRB is in a unique position to provide free public access to interactive tools for understanding market trends.”
The new statistics, which are updated daily, are available on EMMA’s “Tools and Resources” tab, which also features third-party yield curves and indices, a calendar displaying upcoming bond offerings and an economic calendar showing economic events and market data releases. “Having these resources on EMMA helps all market participants look beyond individual securities to get a market-wide view,” Kelly said.
To support user understanding of the new statistics, the MSRB will host a webinar on September 21, 2017 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET to demonstrate the functionality of the enhanced statistics. Register for the webinar.
The MSRB’s EMMA website is the official source of data and disclosure documents on more than one million outstanding municipal securities. The MSRB operates the EMMA website in support of its mission to protect investors, state and local governments, and the public interest by promoting a fair and efficient municipal market.
Date: September 7, 2017
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
Thursday, October 12, 2017
3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. EDT
During this free webinar, MSRB staff will review amended MSRB Rule G-3, which requires municipal advisors to develop a continuing education program for covered persons, and for every covered person of a municipal advisor to participate in continuing education training. Amended MSRB Rule G-3 has an implementation date of January 1, 2018.
At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Sep. 25, 2017 | New York, NY
Please join S&P Global Ratings on Monday, September 25 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time for an interactive, live Webcast and Q&A. We will discuss the proposed criteria in detail, the potential impact on outstanding ratings, and specific questions for which we are seeking responses.
What:
A webinar presentation on the political and economic dynamics of tax reform and infrastructure and how prospective changes could impact municipal bond markets
When:
Thursday, September 21st, 2017
2:00pm ET
As tax reform discussions persist in Washington with little to no detail, Congress and the Trump Administration push for one major victory by the end of the calendar year in the form of a tax cut or comprehensive tax reform.
On Thursday, September 21st, Municipal Bonds For America will hold a webinar featuring experts who will discuss the prospects for tax reform, the potential changes to the municipal bond market, and how these changes could impact K Street, Wall Street and Main Street.
Featured Speakers and Topics:
Robert Kyle, Hogan Lovells
Will discuss four important signs to look for in the political outlook for tax reform and infrastructure spending.
George Friedlander, Court Street Group
Will walk us through his latest research (attached) focusing on the economic impact of tax reform and the potential impact on municipal demand.
Alan Polsky, Dougherty & Co., LLC
Will deliver the “Main St.” perspective on the impact that municipal bond financed projects have on state and local governments and the potential effects that tax reform will have on retail investors.
Matt Posner, Neighborly
Will moderate our panel and engage panelists and participants through a Q&A.
Housing Finance 101
October 17, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Financing housing development has shown to not only create valuable assets in the community but also become a large driver of economic development. Numerous tools are available to aid the development of housing in the communities across the country from affordable to market rate. In this installment of the CDFA//BNY Mellon Development WebCast Series, development finance practitioners will survey finance tools utilized to finance housing and provide a brief introduction to the world of housing finance.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Vice President & Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Smart infrastructure is the theme for Smart Cities Week 2017, which takes place in Washington D.C. in October 2017. It brings together North America’s visionary leaders and thinkers from all levels of government to hear real-world examples of smart infrastructure solving tough urban challenges.
“Today we have the opportunity to create more advantages for our citizens, our cities and towns, our business and industry – and along the way, our planet,” says Jesse Berst, chairman of the Smart Cities Council, which hosts the event. “We can do all of that with smart infrastructure,” Berst adds. “Smart infrastructure is the foundation for future success, for better paying jobs and for a new era of prosperity for all.”
Attendees will hear from public, private and non-profit leaders and subject matter experts from around the world during keynote addresses, workshops, roundtable discussions and panel sessions aligned to six tracks:
In particular, it will look at areas like readying the roads and planning for autonomous vehicles. Communities still lack understanding of and readiness for this transformative new technology. Research, education, and development of resources are needed to help communities prepare to minimize the costs and maximize benefits of autonomous vehicle deployment, through solutions based on planning, policy, and financial strategies. The American Planning Association (APA) will convene a conversation around issues and opportunities related to preparing smart infrastructure for the advent of autonomous vehicles.
One of the conference sessions will explore smart energy analytics for cities. In the US, buildings consume up to 75 percent of the primary energy use for cities. This session will showcase and seek dialogue on cities-related research done at the US Department of Energy National Laboratories focusing on data, tools, analytics, and case studies to demonstrate technologies. These technologies include energy efficiency, district energy systems, renewable energy, storage, and demand response.
Integrating these strategies can reduce energy use in city building stocks by up to 50 percent. Resiliency of energy infrastructure and energy flexibility of buildings will also be discussed. The session is based on real projects from the DOE labs that involve collaborating with US cities on energy, sustainability, and resiliency.
It will also look at funding smart infrastructure investment. Digital infrastructure requires significant financial resources, however, cities that do not make these critical investments will get left behind. Experts in municipal finance and green bonds will explain about alternatives to traditional taxpayer-financed smart city infrastructure projects.
The October event follows on from Smart Cities Silicon Valley in May 2017, where US Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) – a leading technology advocate in Congress who co-chairs the House internet of things caucus as well as the Congressional Caucus on virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies – said it’s important to understand the opportunities that advanced technologies and connectivity can unleash in communities large and small across the country.
Conference participants in Silicon Valley had a deep-dive into the new technologies the congresswoman championed, including what breakthroughs in artificial intelligence will mean for cities, how leaders can prepare for the arrival of self-driving cars, new technologies that are helping tackle homelessness and the latest advances in 3D urban modeling, among many others.
The conference was the first West Coast Smart Cities Week hosted by the Smart Cities Council, an advocate for more liveable, workable and sustainable cities that benefit all citizens. Major sponsors of the event included Deloitte, Hitachi, Comcast/machineQ, Fybr, Microsoft and Victor Stanley.
Program details for Smart Cities Week in Washington D.C. in October 2017 can be found here.
Posted on August 28, 2017 by Nitin Dahad
Maximizing the HUD Section 108 Loan Program
– Listen & Learn from Experts –
The HUD Section 108 Loan Program is a uniquely flexible federal financing tool that enables communities to invest in economic development, housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and other physical development projects. While loan sizes vary depending on the project, most loans generally fall in the $500,000 – $140 million range, and can be easily layered with other development finance tools to support community development.
Alongside its flexibility, the Section 108 Program is a federally guaranteed loan program that enables communities to apply for up to five times their latest CDBG entitlement amount, with flexible repayment terms and low interest rates.
So are you interested in taking advantage of the Section 108 Loan Program, but are unsure where to start? CDFA is here to help you! On Thursday, September 21 and 1:00 PM Eastern, CDFA will host Maximizing the HUD Section 108 Loan Program with an expert panel of speakers from HUD and major cities to give you thorough overview of the Section 108 Loan Program. You’ll learn how the program works, how it can be used with other development finance tools, and how cities around the country are using it. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and find answers from the experts!
Sept. 20, 2017 | 12 PM ET/9 AM PT
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is experiencing the most drastic fiscal crisis in the Commonwealth’s history. Please join Orrick and The Bond Buyer for an informative webinar that will focus on the latest issues that have come into play as the financial markets look to solve Puerto Rico’s debt crisis.
Topics to be discussed:
Presenters:
Lorraine S. McGowen
Partner, Restructuring
Orrick
Kevin Roche
Partner, Public Finance
Orrick
Rob Loeb
Partner
Supreme Court & Appellate
Orrick
The lower courts have had two years to apply the Supreme Court’s holding in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, Arizona that content-based regulations are subject to strict scrutiny.
John M. Baker, Greene Espel, will discuss how local governments have been modifiying their sign codes to come into compliance with Reed and how courts have interpreted the Reed decision in and out of the sign context.
Date: August 31, 2017
Time: 1:00 PM Eastern time
Training Type: Live Training
Course Status: Repeat Offering
Date and Time:
Oct 10 2017 – 8:30am to 5:00pm CDT
Oct 11 2017 – 8:30am to 5:00pm CDT
Oct 12 2017 – 8:30am to 5:00pm CDT
Oct 13 2017 – 8:30am to 1:00pm CDT
Region: Central
Location:
Chicago Office
203 N. LaSalle St Suite 2700
Chicago, IL 60601
United States
See map: Google Maps
Phone: (312) 977-9700
Fax: (312) 977-4806
Level: Basic
Field of Study: Finance
CPE Credits: 30
Member Price: $925.00
Non-Member Price: $1,175.00
Prerequisite: A laptop/tablet is recommended for the course.
Speakers: Tracy Arner – Program ManagerUniversity of Georgia
Who Will Benefit:
This course is designed for new and intermediate analysts or others new to government looking to gain important budgeting skills and improve their understanding of the public-sector budget process and budgeting best practices.
Program Description:
The GFOA Budget Academy is an immersion training course that focuses on skills and techniques critical to public sector budget analyst. Using a combination of exercises, discussions, and lectures, the course will provide an overview of the budget development process, including best practices and techniques required in effective budgeting. This course covers essential elements of public sector budgeting such as goal setting, program development, revenue and expense analysis, position budgeting, capital budgeting, and more. Designed for budget analysts from both small and large organizations, this course will provide critical information for new analysts and allow veteran analysts an opportunity to hone their skills.
**Please bring a laptop/tablet as some instruction will utilize Excel.**
Seminar Objectives:
Registration Form: Download
Hotel Form: Download
September 19, 2017
New York, NY
SIFMA’s Fixed Income Markup Disclosure Seminar will feature presentations and roundtable discussions to promote industry dialogue on the final rules and recently released implementation guidance issued by the MSRB and FINRA in July 2017.
This Seminar is designed to provide members with an opportunity to discuss the practical implementation issues and assist members with interpreting the new rules and guidance, given differing business models among firms and different levels of resources. The seminar will also provide attendees with information on, and access to, a number of vendors that will provide compliance tools.
This is a SIFMA Member event. SIFMA Full Members and AMG Members are eligible to register.
To learn more, and to register, click here.
The National Federation of Municipal Analysts will hold its Advanced Seminar on State Governments at the Grand Hyatt Denver on October 26 & 27, 2017.
To view the program for this event, click here.
To register, click here.
Training Type: Web-Streaming
Date and Time: Oct 5 2017 – 1:00pm to 5:00pm EDT
Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Finance
CPE Credits: 4
Member Price: $180.00
Non-Member Price: $195.00
Prerequisite:
Working knowledge of public-sector budgeting processes from role of budget analyst, budget manager, department head, chief executive, or policy maker.
Speakers:
Mike Bailey – Finance Director City of Redmond, WA
John Fishbein – Senior Program Manager GFOA
Chris Morrill – Executive Director/CEO GFOA
Mike Much- Director/Deputy Executive Director GFOA
David Schmiedicke – Finance Director City of Madison, WI
Ann Carbone – Budget Director, Public Works City of Boston
Lisa Bracken – Executive Director – Budget Atlanta Public Schools
Ebony Shelton – Director Office of Financial Policy & Planning, County of San Diego, CA
Who Will Benefit:
This training is intended for all participants in a government’s budget process. Instructors will discuss and debate current trends, best practices, implementation strategies, and lessons learned for governments of all sizes and types.
Program Description:
From the comfort of your own home or office, GFOA will present its 2nd Annual Better Budgeting web- streaming event. This session will present a “mini conference” of budget topics. Speakers representing leading governments from across the United States and Canada will present best practice strategies, communicate lessons learned, debate budget approaches, and identify trends that all governments should be aware of in the budget process. The session will present practical strategies for implementing GFOA’s best practices in budgeting from a variety of perspectives including elected officials, the budget office, departments, and the public.
Topics will include:
For most in government, including those in the finance office, the budget process is something to endure or survive. Budget adoption signals the budget process is over and is cause for celebration. The budget process, however, is not only essential to planning operations and allocating resources for the next year; it also provides the framework and structure for creating a financially strong, resilient, accountable, and well-run government.
Seminar Objectives:
Those completing this seminar will be able to:
Recommended GFOA Reading:
Other Documents:
Registration Form:
August 31, 2017
2:00 – 3:30 pm Eastern
Many communities are taking a health-based approach to restoring hazardous properties by reinventing them as parks, healthcare facilities, and grocery stores. The redevelopment of hazardous sites to healthy places promotes safety, equity, and sustainability. However, achieving these positive outcomes often requires overcoming extraordinary redevelopment costs through creative financing approaches. Through best practices and case studies, this free webinar will examine how various experienced entities have brought brownfield sites back into productive use.
Join CDFA, EPA, and experienced brownfield communities on Thursday, August 31, 2017 from 2:00 – 3:30pm Eastern as we discuss the financial strategies that restored hazardous properties for healthy reuse. This webcast is designed for professionals who work directly with brownfield sites as well as economic development finance professionals and communities interested in shaping programs to enhance redevelopment financing opportunities.
Moderator:
Blake Williams
Program Coordinator
Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA)
Speakers:
Miles Ballogg
Brownfields Practice Leader
Cardno
Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL
Tony Defalco
Deputy Director
Verde
Portland, OR
To participate in this webinar simply register online. You will receive a follow-up email with login information. We look forward to having you join the conversation.
November 15 in Atlanta
Join CDFA for the 2017 National Development Finance Summit in Atlanta, Georgia and attend a course from the CDFA Training Institute. This year the CDFA Training Institute is offering two in-person training opportunities: Intro Rural Finance Course and Advanced Tax Increment Finance Course.
CDFA’s Advanced Tax Increment Finance Course builds upon CDFA’s Intro TIF Course by focusing more concretely on structuring the deal and developing short- and long-term policies. You will also learn about performance monitoring, feasibility analysis and using TIF in conjunction with other development finance tools.
View the Advanced Tax Increment Finance Course agenda for a full outline of the timing and topics to be covered.
The Intro Rural Finance Course focuses on how the development finance toolbox can be structured to support rural communities and help them with strategies to invest in infrastructure, redevelopment, and job creation. This course differs from other curriculums in that it focuses on designing programs targeted to serve rural communities.
View the Intro Rural Finance Course agenda for a full outline of the timing and topics to be covered.
Both of these courses qualify for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
September 13-14, 2017
Daily: 12-5pm EST
Join CDFA for the two-day Advanced Bond Finance WebCourse on September 13-14. Designed for professionals who already have an understanding of tax-exempt financing, this course will detail instructions on complex financing techniques including the application of financial derivatives, advance refundings, investing bond proceeds and how to spot arbitrage issues.
The Advanced Bond Finance WebCourse is an ideal opportunity to enhance your knowledge and maximize your community’s ability to finance economic development using tax-exempt bonds. By attending the Advanced Bond Finance WebCourse you will:
View the Advanced Bond Finance WebCourse agenda for a full outline of the timing and topics to be covered.
To register, click here.
Register By August 18 for Early Bird Rates
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
How a WebCourse Works
The Advanced Bond Finance WebCourse will be presented via the web over two days and will include lecture and presentations from speakers throughout the country. Attendees will be asked to log into the WebCourse from 12-5pm Eastern on each day of the course and will be able to raise their hands, ask questions, comment on presentations, and take interactive polls during the sessions.
Participants must have access to a computer and phone to attend the WebCourse. Participants will receive instructions for logging into the WebCourse in a follow-up email after registering.
In their 2013 Report Card, the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the United States a D+ for the poor overall condition of its infrastructure, including drinking and wastewater infrastructure, highways, bridges, ports, and more.
While communities around the country are attempting to improve the state of their infrastructure, budgetary restrictions and a cumbersome federal capital deployment process have created an ever widening gap between the amount of infrastructure improvements needed and the amount of projects actually receiving investment. To overcome this, communities are implementing new and innovative financing structures which often include a complex layering of development finance tools.
In an effort to address the financing challenges facing national and regional infrastructure projects, CDFA has partnered with Frost Brown Todd, LLC and FBT Project Finance Advisors to host a four-part webcast series on infrastructure finance in the United States. The CDFA – Frost Brown Todd Infrastructure Finance Webcast Series will address current trends in financing the nation’s most pressing infrastructure needs along with strategies for assembling capital, structuring the deal, and addressing critical financing gaps.
The Webcast Series will feature the industry’s top leaders discussing case studies, challenges, opportunities and critical issues in infrastructure. Topics discussed for this webcast include:
The CDFA – Frost Brown Todd Infrastructure Finance Webcast Series will be held on September 26-29 with sessions daily from 2:00 – 3:30pm. Register today and attend the full week of the series.
CDFA is here to help. Join and get engaged today!
New York City, September 7, 2017 7 CPE Credits
Much media and analyst attention is focused on municipal bond issuers, especially in light of the ongoing Detroit bankruptcy. Because municipal issuers are not as transparent as corporate of financial institution issuers, identifying and measuring the risk of municipal debt is much more challenging. This interactive course will include a presentation, case studies, exercise, and relevant articles for discussion to illustrate the mechanics and risks of municipal debt.
After this course, participants will be able to:
1. Types of Municipal Debt
2. Analyzing a Municipal Issuer
Case Study: Bell, CA
3. Financial Analysis of Municipal Debt
4. Identifying Warning Signals
Case Study: Detroit, MI
—————————————————————————————-
Registration Fee: The price for this one-day training seminar is $995.
To Register: Please register online. Call 973-615-8967 with registration questions.
The National Federation of Municipal Analysts’ Introduction to Municipal Bond Credit Analysis will take place on November 16 & 17, 2017 in Philadelphia. The seminar is open to members and non-members, and is recommended for new analysts as well as other market participants who wish to expand their understanding of municipal bond credit analysis.
To view the program, click here.
To register, click here.
A limited number of student and government discounts are available.
August 31, 2017
@ 2:00 PM Eastern
Many communities are taking a health-based approach to restoring hazardous properties by reinventing them as parks, healthcare facilities, and grocery stores. The redevelopment of hazardous sites to healthy places promotes safety, equity, and sustainability. However, achieving these positive outcomes often requires overcoming extraordinary redevelopment costs through creative financing approaches.
Join CDFA, our technical partners, and experienced brownfield communities as we discuss the financial strategies that restored hazardous properties for healthy reuse. This webcast is designed for professionals who work directly with brownfield sites as well as economic development finance professionals and communities interested in shaping programs to enhance redevelopment financing opportunities.
Click on the Register button below to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Aug. 16, 2017 | 12 PM ET/9 AM PT
Increases in unfunded pension liabilities are a widespread problem affecting many public entities’ budgets, ratings and borrowing capacity, which also impacts their capital improvement programs.
These increases are driven by accelerated retirements, investment performance and, in many recent cases, decreases in assumed rates of investment returns. Large public pension funds have recently decreased their assumed rates of investment returns, including the California Public Employees Retirement System. Escalating pension contributions are creating budget and ratings pressure and leading some governments to re-examine the benefits of pension obligation bonds (POBs).
Topics to be Discussed:
Public Financial Management in a Changing World
Session Dates: January 14, 2018 – January 19, 2018
Application Deadline: November 14, 2017
Program fee: $8,500
Every country around the world has embraced public financial management reforms over the last two decades. Many have not met expectations.
Yet the demand for reform is great, particularly after 2008, as countries came under greater pressure to pursue austerity measures but still deliver government services.
Public Financial Management in a Changing World is an executive program providing a rigorous, evidence-based approach to public financial management. It brings together officials in charge of implementing reforms in their countries along with leading experts from multilateral organizations to examine the challenges associated with successful systemic reform.
Going Beyond the Numbers
This one-week public finance management executive program goes far beyond traditional approaches that have yielded decidedly mixed results. Harvard faculty and expert practitioners will lead you through a deep examination of what constitutes effective reform. They will also focus on political and organizational change, with an emphasis on national traditions, capacities and needs.
Public Financial Management will provide you with:
The NFMA is accepting applications for the Fugiel Scholarship. The scholarship is available for award to a full-time student in an accredited academic program in a field that would serve as preparation for a career in municipal finance. This annual scholarship awards one student with a stipend to cover the registration fees and travel costs associated with attending the NFMA’s Introduction to Municipal Bond Credit Analysis Seminar traditionally held each fall in Philadelphia. The scholarship also includes a one-year student membership.
To access the application, including information on eligibility requirements, click here. The 2017 Introduction to Municipal Bond Credit Analysis will be held on November 16-17 at Le Meridien Philadelphia.
Date: Thursday, August 10, 2017
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
During this free educational webinar, staff from the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) will provide information aimed at helping issuers of municipal securities better understand what to expect from their municipal advisor. Participants will learn about MSRB rules that regulate the activities of municipal advisors and hear about the standards of professional qualifications for municipal advisors—including the Municipal Advisor Representative Qualification Examination (Series 50 exam).
By September 12, 2017, municipal advisors must pass the Series 50 exam to engage in municipal advisory activities.
Jul. 27, 2017 | New York, NY
Please join S&P Global Ratings on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time for an interactive, live Webcast and Q&A. S&P Global Ratings is requesting comments on proposed criteria for U.S. and Canadian Not-For-Profit Transportation Infrastructure Enterprises.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EST
The standard settlement cycle will shorten for most transactions from three business days after the trade date (T+3) to T+2 on September 5, 2017. This industry-led initiative, guided by the T+2 Industry Steering Committee, will significantly reduce counterparty risk, increase capital efficiency, harmonize U.S. markets with other global markets, and create operational efficiencies.
At this Webinar, industry subject matter experts will address the migration to a shortened settlement cycle broadly, assist clients and participants as they execute implement operational and technology changes at their firms, provide information regarding industry support during the conversion period, and any answer questions participants may have regarding the move to a shorter settlement cycle.
This Webinar is ideal for operations staff, compliance staff, project managers and legal staff – particularly those who support smaller broker dealers, asset managers, service providers, clearing firms, and custodians as well as issuers of securities and those who counsel issuers of securities.
Jul. 26, 2017 | 12 PM ET/9 AM PT
Topics To be Discussed in the Webinar:
Speakers:
Leeann Ghazil Gaunt
Chief, Public Finance Abuse Unit, Enforcement Division
Securities and Exchange Commission
Robert Feyer
Senior Counsel, Public Finance Group
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
George Greer
Senior Counsel, White Collar, Securities Litigation and Investigations Group
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Alison Radecki
Partner, Public Finance Group
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Event Details
Start Date: 7/13/2017 2:00 PM EST
End Date: 7/13/2017 3:50 PM EST
Organization Name: NASACT
Contact: Pat Hackney
Email: phackney@nasact.org
Phone: (859) 276-1147
Overview – Click here for complete details
NASACT is pleased to announce the latest in its series of training events addressing timely issues in government accounting, auditing and financial management.
As fiscal year-end for most state governments quickly approaches and a new year begins, it’s an opportune time for financial statement preparers and auditors to get a refresher on standards that will be effective for June 30, 2017, financial statements, as well as recently released GASB statements that will require attention in fiscal year 2018.
This webinar will provide “must know” guidance on previously-issued GASB statements that are effective for June 30, 2017 and 2018.
For 2017, these statements include:
Other recently issued GASB statements that will be covered include:
August 16 , 2017
1:00 – 3:00 PM Central
Overview
Join the CDFA Wisconsin Financing Roundtable for a special one-day Webinar. This event will feature a number of economic development finance experts from around the state discussing development finance tools, authorities, resources and approaches, and how these can affect the Wisconsin economy going forward.
To learn more, and to register, click here.
August 22, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
The 2016 Volume Cap Report has been released, and our expert panelists are ready to analyze CDFA’s findings. Did the issuance of Industrial Development Bonds increase in 2016, or has this category’s recent downward trend continued? How much unused allocation was carried-forward by states in 2016, and what factors influenced their decision-making? During this installment of the CDFA//BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, we’ll take a mid-year look at the capital markets, consider the financing trends that volume cap data is showing us, and discuss what you can expect during the last months of 2017.
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Registration for the 2017 California Economic Summit, to be held in San Diego on November 2-3, is now open.
The sixth annual statewide gathering of the state’s largest public- and private-sector network will build on the progress made in workforce preparation, housing and community development, infrastructure and working landscapes.
Read the 2017 Summit Agenda and register today.
Californians from all regions will join the Summit coalition to bolster economic security, middle-wage jobs with a future, and sustainable communities. The 2017 Summit will seek to advance these ambitious themes:
The Summit’s yearlong process has made steady progress along the 2017 Roadmap to Shared Prosperity, which was created through the contribution of hundreds of Californians and contains detailed plans to:
We also know there are warning lights on the road ahead. The California Economic Summit is the premier venue for Californians from different regions and perspectives to craft solutions to the driving questions of our times:
California is leading on carbon reductions and has set some of the world’s most ambitious climate goals. How can we also make sure we are restoring upward mobility and producing middle-wage jobs that allow workers to flourish in a low-carbon economy?
California is the epicenter of the tech revolution, but amidst the rise of the robots, many workers fear for their jobs. How do we prepare Californians to thrive in an automated workplace?
California has one of the world’s largest, most dynamic and diverse economies. Faced with rising living costs and infrastructure challenges, how can California maintain a competitive advantage?
No one else is going to solve this problem for California. None are more capable of finding innovative answers. You can be part of the solution and register for the 2017 California Economic Summit today.
WHO: 501(c)(3) Organizations and State and Local Government Issuers Who Utilize Tax-Exempt Financing
WHAT: A Comprehensive Overview of Post-Issuance Compliance – IRS Tax Law and SEC Continuing Disclosure
WHEN: November 9th and 10th, 2017
WHERE: Vdara Hotel & Spa | Las Vegas, Nevada
RECEIVE: CPE and CLE Credits
Reserve your place today at the 5th annual BLX/Orrick Post-Issuance Compliance Workshop. It’s happening again in Las Vegas at the AAA Four Diamond Award winning Vdara Hotel and Spa at City Center.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND AGENDA
This BLX/Orrick Workshop offers timely discussion of topics related to post-issuance compliance and tax law for the public finance and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt communities. With open forums allowing for attendee participation, BLX and Orrick professionals will lead the program and assist participants with identifying and calculating Private Business Use, best practices relating to Post-Issuance Compliance, and complying with IRS Schedule K reporting requirements.
Click here to learn more, and to register.
August 7, 2017
Minneapolis, MN
The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course will help you understand the variety of development finance tools available, from bonds, tax credits and TIF, to federal financing programs, RLFs, and access to capital lending resources.
The Fundamentals Course is based on CDFA’s Practitioner’s Guide to Economic Development Finance, the only comprehensive reference guide dedicated to building and utilizing the development finance toolbox. The Practitioner’s Guide provides the insight and practical information needed to critically understand how economic development is financed and the tools, strategies and techniques used to build strong communities.
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Participants may register for one, two, or three courses during CDFA Summer School. Complete three courses, and you will have fulfilled half of the requirements for the DFCP Program. Join us in Minneapolis, and start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
To learn more, and to register, click here.
July 14, 2017
1:00 PM Eastern
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI). This program provides millions of dollars of grants to government agencies, non profits, and federally recognized tribes to support housing, community facilities, and community or economic development programs in rural areas. This round of the RCDI program will provide $4 million of funding, and applications are due by July 25th. During this special webinar from CDFA, learn from expert speakers and previous awardees as we discuss the RCDI program, how to apply, and recommendations for successful applications.
To learn more, and to register, click here.
Municipal Advisor Solicitor Guidance Webinar
Thursday, June 22, 2017
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
MSRB staff will discuss the recently published guidance on the application of MSRB rules to solicitor municipal advisors. Under the MSRB’s mandate to protect municipal entities and obligated persons, the MSRB has developed a core regulatory framework for all municipal advisors. The solicitor guidance comprehensively summarizes that framework and specifically addresses how that framework applies to solicitor municipal advisors, which will be discussed during this webinar.
Municipal Advisor Representative Qualification Examination (Series 50 Exam)
Thursday, June 15, 2017
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EDT
During this free webinar, staff of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will review the standards of professional qualification for municipal advisors and discuss the enrollment process for taking the MSRB’s Municipal Advisor Representative Qualification Examination (Series 50). For municipal advisor firms that have yet to enroll an associated person to take the Series 50 exam, the MSRB is providing a reminder that, after September 12, 2017, only associated persons who have passed the Series 50 exam can engage in municipal advisory activity on behalf of the firm.
Tuesday, July 11
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET
Prepared by Deloitte & Touche LLP’s Energy & Resources Group, this Quarterly Accounting update webinar will focus on technical accounting and regulatory issues in the Power & Utilities sector. Participants will learn about new accounting rules and other utility accounting matters, and use this knowledge to prepare for quarterly accounting and reporting requirements.
This event may qualify you for 1.5 CPE credits.
Who should attend: Power & Utilities sector accounting, audit, tax, and finance professionals
Fitch Ratings held a teleconference discussion on developments in the airport sector over the last decade and future transportation trends.
Key discussion points included:
10-Years in Infrastructure
· Ratings Averages
· 2007-2016 World Airport Traffic Volumes
· Large International Airports vs. O&D
· Airport Resiliency to Airline Volatility
· Airport Sector: Next 10 Years
Transportation Trends
· Solid, but Softening Enplanement Growth
· Fitch-Rated Airports
· Large Hubs
· U.S. Carriers
Canadian Airport Privatization
Speakers:
Seth Lehman, Senior Director, Global Infrastructure & Project Finance
Jeffrey Lack, Director, Global Infrastructure & Project Finance
Contact:
Michele O’Brien
Senior Director
Global Investor Development
312-368-2087
michele.obrien@fitchratings.com
Special Assessment Techniques for Transformative Community Improvements
July 18, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Special assessments are a valuable tool that can be used to finance a wide variety of different projects across myriad sectors. Special assessments raise capital by assessing a prescribed fee on property owners within a geographic district. Based on the state authorizing legislation, the capital can then be used for any number of special purposes depending on what improvements are needed in the district. Over the past decade, special assessment has become one of the driving capital access tools for transformative community improvements. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, our expert speakers will discuss new and innovative uses for special assessments and how this tool is poised for greater use nationwide.
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Jun. 07, 2017 | 12 PM ET/9 AM PT
Each year, Orrick and the Bond Buyer present an overview of the charter school facilities bond sector, highlighting transaction fundamentals, sector-level research data, and credit and structure trends. This year, in Part III of the series, the webinar examines the expanding array of financial tools used by charter schools to address facilities needs by assembling a roster of experienced market participants to present current trends and analysis on the sector.
The featured speakers, Paul Jasin of Specialized Public Finance, Paula Permenter of BB&T Capital Markets and Oscar Davis of Regions Bank, will provide insights regarding evolving credit structures for both public capital markets and commercial loan facilities financing for charter schools. Todd Brewer and Eugene Clark-Herrera of Orrick will review transaction fundamentals and discuss trends affecting the growth of the sector.
Who Should Attend?
Financing the Nation’s Transportation Needs One Community at a Time
June 13, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Federal, state, and local funding for transportation is woefully inadequate to cover the costs of maintenance and improvements needed. Although this subject is often discussed on a national level, it often remains a local issue for local communities to address. From bridges and roadways to water and energy, local communities are developing creative strategies to address their growing infrastructure needs. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, our experts will discuss financing structures that communities are deploying to fund infrastructure improvements.
You will hear from:
Michael Bonini
Director of Public-Private Partnerships
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Fran Rood
Senior Vice President
SB Friedman Development Advisors
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
Description: During this free webinar, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) staff will discuss the recently published guidance on the application of MSRB rules to solicitor municipal advisors. Under the MSRB’s mandate to protect municipal entities and obligated persons, the MSRB has developed a core regulatory framework for all municipal advisors. The solicitor guidance comprehensively summarizes that framework and specifically addresses how that framework applies to solicitor municipal advisors, which will be discussed during this webinar.
Click here to register.
Washington, DC – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today announced a joint educational webinar to assist municipal advisors with understanding their professional qualification requirements. The live webinar, scheduled for Thursday, June 15, 2017, from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET, will provide information on signing up for the MSRB’s Municipal Advisor Representative Qualification Examination (Series 50 exam), preparing to take the Series 50 exam and fulfilling municipal advisor firms’ SEC registration obligations.
The MSRB’s recent regulatory notice reminded municipal advisor firms that after September 12, 2017, only associated persons who have passed the Series 50 exam can engage in municipal advisory activity on behalf of the firm.
“We hope that this webinar will address questions municipal advisor firms have about the process for enrolling their associated persons to take the exam by the deadline,” said MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly. “The webinar should be particularly valuable for those firms that do not yet have a single Series 50-qualified municipal advisor representative associated with the firm nor any individual scheduled to sit for the exam.”
The MSRB makes available on its website a list of Series 50-qualified municipal advisor representatives and their associated municipal advisor firms. Qualification information is updated weekly and is dependent on the quality of the data municipal advisor firms submit to the SEC through Form MA-I.
“Providing and maintaining accurate and up-to-date information on municipal advisor firms’ initial registration forms and subsequent amendments is essential to ensuring the effectiveness of the municipal advisor registration system,” said Jessica Kane, Director of the SEC’s Office of Municipal Securities. “In particular, information about associated persons on Form MA-I promotes confidence in the municipal advisor registration regime and helps protect municipal entities, obligated persons, the public and, ultimately, investors. The Office of Municipal Securities is pleased to partner with the MSRB on this webinar.”
During the free webinar, staff of the SEC and MSRB will review the standards of professional qualification for municipal advisors, discuss the enrollment process for taking the Series 50 exam and highlight relevant municipal advisor SEC registration obligations. Members of the public interested in viewing the webinar should register here.
Date: May 23, 2017
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
Washington, DC – The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) received approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish continuing education (CE) requirements for municipal advisor firms to ensure that individuals providing municipal advisory services to municipal entities and obligated persons remain current in their industry knowledge. Read the approval notice.
The requirements, which are part of the MSRB’s regulatory framework for municipal advisors, will be implemented on January 1, 2018. Municipal advisor firms will have until December 31, 2018 to complete a needs analysis, develop a written training plan and deliver training to comply with the annual CE requirements that will be codified in amendments to MSRB Rule G-3, on professional qualification requirements, and MSRB Rule G-8, on recordkeeping. The MSRB plans to provide implementation guidance on how to conduct a needs analysis and develop a training plan and provide other resources to assist municipal advisor firms in developing a CE program. Access resources for municipal advisors.
“Ensuring that municipal advisor professionals are regularly receiving training on current regulations and market activities is in the best interests of the state and local government issuers relying on their advice,” said MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly. “The new CE requirements are an important piece of the MSRB’s comprehensive regulatory framework for municipal advisors.”
The new requirements fulfill the MSRB’s mandate under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to develop professional qualification standards and CE requirements for municipal advisors. The CE requirements for municipal advisors align with existing CE requirements for municipal securities dealers and seek to reduce regulatory overlap for municipal advisors who may also act as dealers.
The MSRB will host an educational webinar on the CE requirements for municipal advisors on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Register for the webinar.
The implementation of CE program requirements by municipal advisors complements the baseline examination of competency for municipal advisor professionals, the Municipal Advisor Representative Qualification Examination (Series 50 exam), which municipal advisor professionals must take and pass by September 12, 2017 to continue to engage in municipal advisory activities.
Date: May 17, 2017
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
Municipal Bonds 201
An Educational, Breakfast Seminar on Tax-Exempt Municipal Bonds
Bonds are the Original Public Private Partnership (P3): A Deeper Dive into Federal Policy Issues
Date & Time:
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
8:45 am – Guest arrival and Breakfast
9:00 am – Program Begins
10:00 am – Program Ends
Location:
Capitol Visitor Center
Congressional Meeting Room North
To RSVP or learn more, contact Rebecca Cooke-Rodriguez at rcrodriguez@bdamerica.org. We encourage you to send someone from your office if you cannot personally attend.
Panel:
Stephen Benjamin, Mayor – Columbia, SC and Chair, MBFA Coalition
Jane Campbell, Director, Washington Office – National Development Council and Former Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio
Annie Russo, Vice President of Government and Political Affairs – Airports Council International – North America
Stephen Winterstein, Chief Municipal Strategist – Wilmington Trust
Breakfast will be served (first-come, first-served)
This event is compliant with Congressional Ethics Rules
Last call for registration for the National Federation of Municipal Analyst’s 34th Annual Conference at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. on May 16-19, 2017.
To view and download the program, click here.
To register, click here, or go to the Register for Event link under Quick Links.
Please join us for our 2017 U.S. Public Finance Credit Forum on Thursday, June 1st in Boston.
On hand will be several of our Sector Lead Analysts to review and discuss S&P Global’s research related to credit pressures facing U.S. states and local governments, with a focus on pension issues and emerging risks/trends in public finance.
The plight of the U.S. State sector was highlighted in a recent op-ed by Gabe Petek, Managing Director and Sector Lead for States: “It’s The Dawn Of A New And Less-Forgiving Era For U.S. States”. The cause of these pressures and the ripple effects across the municipal finance universe will be a focus of the discussion. We look forward to hearing your views and engaging in a dialogue.
Topics will include:
This interactive seminar will take place at the Metro Meeting Center in Boston, with a networking reception to follow.
Click here to view the agenda.
Registration is complimentary but required. Click here to register now.
WHO: 501(c)(3) Organizations and State and Local Government Issuers Who Utilize Tax-Exempt Financing
WHAT: Comprehensive Overview of Post-Issuance Compliance – Tax Law and SEC Secondary Market Disclosure
WHEN: November 9th and 10th, 2017
WHERE: Vdara Hotel & Spa | Las Vegas, Nevada
RECEIVE: CPE and CLE Credits
Reserve your place today at the 5th annual BLX/Orrick Post-Issuance Compliance Workshop this November. It’s happening again in Las Vegas at the AAA Four Diamond Award winning Vdara Hotel and Spa at City Center.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND AGENDA
This BLX/Orrick Workshop offers timely discussion of topics related to post-issuance compliance and tax law for the public finance and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt communities. With open forums allowing for attendee participation, BLX and Orrick professionals will lead the program and assist participants with identifying and calculating Private Business Use, best practices relating to Post-Issuance Compliance, and complying with IRS Schedule K reporting requirements.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Five months into the Trump Administration, it is important that the game-plan you have in place addresses current market issues, answers regulatory questions, meets investment needs and produces sound infrastructure plans.
The NE Municipal Finance Summit will offer in-depth education about these cutting-edge public finance topics. Attendees have the opportunity to meet face-to-face and network with senior issuers, as well as other deal participants. The audience is the region’s most influential public-sector finance officials, investors, bankers, lawyers, financial advisors, rating analysts, insurers and other finance professionals.
Date:
June 20, 2017
Location:
Boston, MA
Venue:
The Harvard Club
For more information, contact:
Whitney Betts
(704) 341-2445
wbetts@frallc.com
NCPPP’s next P3Bootcamp training course will be held in Philadelphia on May 2-3 and again on Aug. 8-9 in Denver. This course is designed for newcomers to the P3 field and seasoned professionals who are looking for the latest take on critical issues. Each P3Bootcamp is an intensive day-and-a-half event that will teach public- and private-sector leaders how partnerships work and proven strategies for assembling successful projects.
The top five lessons you’ll take away from P3Bootcamp are:
Attendees also will gain insights from industry experts on current and emerging trends in business and government that can affect P3 projects. Click here for more information and to register.
Financing Historic Theater Redevelopment
May 16, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
Historic theaters are key structures for creating a sense of place and often have a rich history of being a community’s economic driver. For theaters that have fallen into disrepair, changing their fate requires vision, planning, and a commitment to financing.
During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, CDFA has partnered with Heritage Ohio to explore the wealth of financing tools available to redevelop historic theaters, including 501(c)(3) bonds, TIF, tax credits, and other creative programs. Join us for this special discussion as we highlight success stories from historic theaters across the U.S.
Speakers
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Joyce Barrett
Executive Director
Heritage Ohio
Jeff Ramsey
Executive Director
Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization
Nancee Trombley
Chief Deputy Executive Director
California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
May 17, 2017
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Central
Urban communities like Austin and Dallas are not the only places looking for help to fund economic development. Texas is filled with rural communities and small towns who are also in need of financing strategies. These areas face unique development financing challenges and needs such as downtown revitalization, food systems, infrastructure and energy finance. A number of creative and important financing tools exist to assist rural and small town development, and this webinar will explore the cutting-edge strategies driving development in the state, and how to access them.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Join the CDFA Colorado Financing Roundtable, in partnership with EDCC, CHFA and DCI on May 16, 2017 for a special one-day conference hosted at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Denver Branch. This event will feature a number of economic development finance experts from around the state discussing development finance tools, authorities, resources and approaches, and how these can affect the Colorado economy going forward.
Click here to learn more and to register.
Join the CDFA Illinois Financing Roundtable on May 2, 2017 for a special one-day conference hosted at the offices of Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Chicago. This event will feature a number of economic development finance experts from around the state discussing development finance tools, authorities, resources and approaches, and how these can affect the Illinois economy going forward.
Click here to learn more and to register.
May 10 – 11, 2017
Daily: 12:00 – 5:00 PM Eastern
The Intro Tax Increment Finance WebCourse offers an in-depth look at the guiding principles and appropriate application of TIF. This course brings TIF deal-making and best practices into focus through a two-day program targeting the entire TIF community including economic developers, public agency representatives, bond issuers, legal professionals, developers, financial advisors, and other stakeholders.
This course qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Ohio has six large cities, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron and Dayton, as well as a good number of mid-size cities, Parma and Canton among these. In the first half of 2016, Ohio was ranked #9 in Bond Sales and #8 in Note Sales, with an increase in both sales over 2015. Ranked 34th in total area size, Ohio is ranked 7th in population, proving BIG things come in small packages. Overall, they were the second largest issuer in development issues and seventh in education issues. There is not a statewide conference that combines infrastructure, regulatory issues and overall market trends in one agenda, compounded with the fact that Ohio was instrumental in this past year’s national election – combining their issuance with their political clout – this state deserves its own conference.
Join us for the Ohio Municipal Finance Summit on May 2nd in Columbus to discuss these national issues from a local perspective.
Date: 13 April 2017 – 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
CEC: A certificate of attendance will be offered.
Duration: Approximately one hour. Free to attend.
Presented by:
Andy Moore, Product Manager, Neptune Technology Group
Will Jernigan, P.E., Director of Water Efficiency, Cavanaugh
Description:
In this webinar from Neptune Technology Group, learn how to address your water utility’s “pain points” regarding Non-Revenue Water – financial implications, customer pressures, water scarcity and government regulations. Work flows, meter flows, and the flow of information all affect your water utility’s bottom line: cash flows.
On this journey, you’ll have a guide that understands the daily challenges you face, while offering concrete actions that provide real solutions. Monitor your system to recapture apparent and real water losses. Proactively address leaks across your water distribution network. And share data across departments to save time, labor, and money.
Sponsored by:
Neptune Technology Group :
Improved business outcomes. Satisfied consumers. Sustainable solutions. They’re all connected – along with your water utility – through Neptune. Move boldly forward, confident in innovative, backward-compatible AMR-to-AMI technology. Streamline your work processes and speed up cash flow. Realize greater ROI from your field assets. Leverage the power of the Internet of Things to share crucial data across departments. Act on real-time data today to recapture Non-Revenue Water while predicting tomorrow’s outcomes. With actionable intelligence at your command, your utility can take control for greater operational and water efficiency, and customer service. It’s time to take action with Neptune.
For additional information, please visit the company website at www.neptunetg.com.
April 18, 2017 @ 1:00 PM Eastern
After the latest round of allocations from the CDFI Fund, there are now more New Markets Tax Credits available than there are qualifying projects. This webcast will explain the double allocation of tax credits that occurred during the last round and explore how this is affecting the tax credit markets. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, our expert speakers will provide an inside look into how these tax credits can be leveraged and consider opportunities that a surplus creates for qualifying projects.
Speakers
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Nathanael Voss
Principal and Managing Director
Baker Tilly
Cam Turner
Principal
United Fund Advisors
Bob Labes
Partner
Squire Patton Boggs
Register in advance to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
As part of its Strategy to Optimize Resources Management of Storm Water (STORM) series, the State Water Resources Control Board will host a free seminar in April to explore legal cases and ongoing efforts to address the municipal finance of stormwater projects. Michael G. Colantuono, special counsel to counties, cities and special districts around California, is slated to speak at the event.
Colantuono, a leading expert on Proposition 218, assisted the Legislative Analyst’s Office in the impartial analysis of the measure and co-chaired the committee which drafted what became the Prop. 218 Omnibus Implementation Act of 1997. He also chaired the committee that drafted the League of California Cities’ Prop. 218 Implementation Guide and chaired the League committee that drafted the Proposition 26 Implementation Guide. He is also a shareholder at Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, a municipal law firm with offices in Los Angeles and Grass Valley.
The seminar will be held on Thursday, April 20 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. in the Byron Sher Auditorium at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) building at 1001 I Street in Sacramento. This event also will be available via webcast on CalEPA’s website.
Please register for this free event please visit EventBrite.
For questions about this seminar please contact Jeffrey Albrecht with the State Water Board at (916) 322-8569
Schedule of Public Hearings and User Forums
In the coming weeks, the GASB will be holding a series of public hearings and user forums on the Financial Reporting Model ITC. Please review the schedule, determine the best event for you, and share your input and feedback.
Events are currently scheduled for:
Click here to learn more and to register.
On Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 2PM Eastern Time, NAST and the State Debt Management Network hosted a webinar that discussed many details of bank loans/direct loans. Selection process, advantages, disadvantages, pricing, disclosure practices, credit implications, regulatory impacts, and overall best practices were discussed.
David Erdman from the Wisconsin Capital Finance Office co-facilitated the discussion with Ellen Evans from the Washington Treasury Office. Our two speakers – Renee Boicourt, Managing Director at Lamont Financial Services and Peg Henry, Deputy General Counsel at Stifel Financial Corp brought their unparalleled expertise to the webinar and to answer your questions.
Hosted by MBFA in partnership with Court Street Group Research LLC
On Thursday, March 9th, approximately 50 industry groups representing issuers, investors, and state and local governments, participated in the MBFA/Court Street Group Research webinar on the Mismeasurement of the Municipal Tax-Exemption.
The Powerpoint presentation with audio can be viewed here.
The webinar featured the commentary of:
The webinar focused on the recent rhetoric from Hill meetings and reports around Washington on the purported inefficiencies of the tax-exemption. Our experts discussed why the municipal tax exemption is efficient, what the potential implications for municipals are in tax reform, and prospects for maintaining the tax-exemption in tax reform.
Additional Materials:
For any questions concerning this event, please contact Justin Underwood at justin@munibondsforamerica.org.
Tuesday, April 11
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. ET
Prepared by Deloitte & Touche LLP’s Energy & Resources Group, this Quarterly Accounting update webinar will focus on technical accounting and regulatory issues in the Power & Utilities sector. Participants will learn about new accounting rules and other utility accounting matters, and use this knowledge to prepare for quarterly accounting and reporting requirements.
Click here to learn more.
Training Type:
Webinar
Course Status:
New Course
Date and Time:
Apr 20 2017 – 2:00pm to 4:00pm EDT
Level:
Basic
Field of Study:
Finance
CPE Credits:
2
Member Price:
$85.00
Non-Member Price:
$160.00
Prerequisite:
None
Speakers:
Kenton Tsoodle – Assistant Finance Director, City of Oklahoma City, OK
Barry C. Faison – Chief Financial Officer, Virginia Retirement System
Who Will Benefit:
Financial officers interested in understanding new and revised Best Practices in public financial management.
Program Description:
This course will focus on the GFOA’s Executive Board recently approved five best practices in the areas of treasury and investment management, retirement and benefits, and municipal debt. GFOA best practices identify specific policies and procedures that contribute to improved government management. They aim to promote and facilitate positive change rather than merely to codify current accepted practice. GFOA has emphasized that these practices be proactive steps that a government should be taking. Best practices are applicable to all governments (both large and small), are approved by the GFOA executive board, and represent the official position of the organization.
Seminar Objectives:
Those who successfully complete this seminar should be able to:
Apply the best practices described in each best practice including:
Recommended Other Reading:
GFOA Best Practices
Registration Form:
Download
2017 CDFA Pennsylvania Financing Roundtable Webinar
March 22, 2017
1:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern
2017 CDFA Michigan Financing Roundtable Webinar
March 23, 2017
1:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern
Every week leading up to the 2017 Congressional City Conference we’ll feature a “Meet Your City Advocate” spotlight as part of a series introducing you to NLC’s Federal Advocacy team. This week, I sat down with Brett Bolton, principal associate for finance & intergovernmental relations at National League of Cities.
Name: Brett Bolton
Area of expertise: Finance and Intergovernmental Relations
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida
Hey Brett, thanks for taking the time to do this interview with me. Why don’t you share a little bit about your background and why you are passionate about cities?
I was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida – the Navy originally brought my mom’s family down that way. I went to college in Birmingham, Alabama, and grad school in Tallahassee, Florida, before eventually making my way up to Washington. After school, I interned for Congressman Steve Southerland in his D.C. office. He represented Florida’s second district – basically the area along the panhandle between Panama City and Tallahassee. I wound up getting a staff position as a legislative correspondent and stayed there for two years. After my time on the Hill, I lobbied for the state of Florida. Most of my work there focused on securing funding for the Everglades and building partnerships between the state and FEMA. And then I came to NLC.
Why am I interested in cities? Well, there are a couple of reasons. Hurricane Ivan hit Pensacola in 2005 and pretty much wiped out whole neighborhoods in the city. The storm and ensuing devastation were horrible, but it did bring together a lot of actors in the same room to discuss rebuilding. Local leaders helped play a role in creating a renaissance in the city, and today the downtown is booming and businesses are thriving. It made me proud to watch my hometown get back up on its feet after the worst had happened. More importantly, the whole experience sparked an interest in local politics for me.
Secondly, I happened to be finishing up a degree in public administration at Samford University in Alabama right as the surrounding Jefferson County entered into bankruptcy. At that time, it was the largest municipal bankruptcy filing, and I began following how local finance.
Right, so Birmingham’s restructuring process really guided you into the world of municipal finance?
Yeah, it played a role for sure. It was an interesting process to watch as an MPA candidate. Honestly, working on Everglade issues also opened my eyes to how much a project’s execution could be improved simply by infusing more local control and directing more money to local governments. When cities are given the directive and the resources, projects just get done faster, more efficiently and with better end results. I also realized that states and the federal government can be partners to cities, but cities often have to rely on their own financing capacity bridge the gap between what they need to do on a daily basis and what they have been provided.
Interesting. Along those lines, what do you think 2017 has in store for municipal finance?
Well, that’s the million-dollar question right there. There’s some uncertainty for sure, but I don’t think we should expect any immediate or sudden changes in this lane. As you probably know, Speaker Ryan released a plan for tax reform in June, President Trump campaigned hard for corporate and personal tax reform, and Congressman Brady, the House chair of the Ways and Means Committee, says there will be a tax reform proposal. At the end of the day there are a lot of promises, but the fact of the matter remains that we haven’t seen many details as of yet.
Nonetheless, this all leads me to believe some sort of tax policy proposals will happen, just maybe not this instant. That’s what resolves us to keep pushing so hard to make sure city interests and voices are well heard at the table. We’re out there, and we are pushing to make sure the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds is protected, that state and local tax deductions remain, and we’re still working to get Chairman Goodlatte, from the House Judiciary Committee, to address marketplace fairness.
Sounds like a busy 2017. So what is your spirit city?
This is the hard one! Is it cheesy if I go with my hometown?
No, not at all!
You know what? I have to say Chicago here. I am a food fanatic and the city of broad shoulders has the best food in my opinion. Best steak, best pizza, best everything. It’s a beautiful city with great people.
You ever go to the food festival?
No, never. I need to go, though!
Join us at the 2017 Congressional City Conference and meet Brett and the rest of your City Advocates.
About the author: Brian Egan is the Public Affairs Associate for NLC. Follow him on Twitter @BeegleME.
General Information
The substantial growth of public private partnerships and large, capital intensive projects continue to drive the need for effective analysis of project and infrastructure investments. This course will help delegates assess project feasibility, conduct financial analyses, structure investments using various sources of funds, and review key provisions of the documentation. The course has an international focus and will identify the critical components of projects and associated risks.
About this seminar
Learn to assess project feasibility, conduct financial analyses, structure investments using various sources of funds, and review key provisions of documentation.
Click here to learn more.
Washington, DC – The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) is seeking comment on a plan to update and harmonize certain provisions of its municipal securities dealer advertising rule with those of other financial regulators, and to create similar advertising standards for municipal advisors.
“The changes we are proposing today would standardize advertising requirements for dealers and municipal advisors, and reinforce protections for the investors and municipal securities issuers that rely on their products and professional services,” said Executive Director Lynnette Kelly. “We think the changes we are seeking comment on would improve consistency of advertising standards across the financial services sector and would be appropriately tailored to the business needs of municipal finance professionals.”
MSRB Rule G-21, which defines advertising and establishes standards for advertising by dealers, has been in place since 1978 and is a key investor protection rule. The draft amendments published today would harmonize Rule G-21 with certain provisions of an advertising rule of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Rule 2210. Market participants have frequently suggested that the MSRB harmonize Rule G-21 with FINRA Rule 2210. Further, the draft amendments to Rule G-21 update advertising requirements for municipal fund security products, such as 529 college savings plans, to conform with recent amendments made by the Securities and Exchange Commission to its parallel investor protection rules.
Because the purpose of advertising standards is similar for different market participants, the MSRB has incorporated the substance of the draft amendments to Rule G-21 into a new draft municipal advisor advertising rule, MSRB Rule G-40. Rule G-40 defines advertising and establishes standards for advertising by municipal advisors, but contains terms relevant to municipal advisors. At this juncture, draft rule G-40 omits certain provisions of the dealer rule concerning product advertisements.
Read the request for comment. Comments should be submitted no later than March 24, 2017. The MSRB will host a webinar on Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to discuss today’s request for comment. Register for the webinar.
Date: February 16, 2017
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500 jgalloway@msrb.org
This seminar provides an in-depth workshop on the financial statements seen in U.S. public finance. With real-world case studies, delegates will learn where to find information in an audit, what the line items mean, and key ratios and trend analysis used by Moody’s analysts. Download Brochure.
The $2.7 trillion public finance market has undergone unusual stress in the past year, as the weakened economy has impacted revenue streams securing public finance debt, the credit crisis has limited market access for some issuers, and the strength of most mono-line insurers has been diluted. As a result, investors have more reason than ever to keep abreast of their portfolios and analyze their holdings. This seminar is designed to provide attendees with the tools to analyze local government financial statements, with a focus on the unique accounting methods and credit concerns seen in public finance. The course makes use of real-world case studies and exercises to provide practical hands-on training.
Location Date Price
New York Mar 17, 2017 USD 1,395
Chicago Jun 27, 2017 USD 1,395
San Francisco Jul 13, 2017 USD 1,395
New York Aug 4, 2017 USD 1,395
Charlotte Oct 26, 2017 USD 1,395
New York Nov 1, 2017 USD 1,395
Click here to learn more and to register.
GASB is hosting a webinar specifically designed for users of governmental financial information like you.
The topic is the GASB’s recently published Invitation to Comment that considers several major changes to how state and local governments report their general fund and other governmental funds. Among the potential changes are three alternative recognition approaches that could replace the modified accrual basis of accounting and current financial resources measurement focus now used in governmental fund financial statements. The Invitation to Comment also discusses potential improvements to the format of those financial statements.
The focus of the webinar will be on the kinds of financial information that governments would report under each of the alternative approaches, and how the different approaches would differ from existing reporting and each other.
The webinar is on Wednesday, February 22, 2017—2:00–3:00 pm EST, and features David R. Bean, GASB Director of Research and Technical Activities, and Dean Michael Mead, GASB Senior Research Manager.
In Case You Missed It: Mark-up Disclosure Webinar
The MSRB’s free webinar on “Amended MSRB Rules G-15 and G-30 on Required Disclosure of Mark-ups and Mark-downs to Retail Customers on Certain Transactions and to Provide Guidance on Prevailing Market Price” is available on demand for one continuing education credit.
The webinar covers key provisions of the recently approved amendments to MSRB Rule G-15 on confirmation, clearance, settlement and other uniform practice requirements with respect to transactions with customers and MSRB Rule G-30 on prices and commissions related to disclosure of mark-ups and mark-downs on certain customer confirmations and guidance on prevailing market price.
March 20-21, 2017
New York City, 14 CPE Credits
The Bond Math Boot Camp program is a two-day training program delivered via interactive lecture format. The BootCamp is facilitated in a fashion that encourages group participation with numerous leading/rhetorical questions to draw the audience into focused discussions. The course concepts and methodologies discussion will be supplemented by in-class hands-on exercises as well as optional homework. This seminar will provide an in-depth exposure to yield, pricing and interest rate conventions for fixed income securities. The session begins with an introduction to such fundamental concepts as time value of money, interest/discount rates as well as the compounding and day count conventions upon which market measures are based.
The balance of the class will be devoted to exploring how these concepts are applied to the determination of price, yield, interest/discount rates, rates of return, accrued interest, etc.
The presentation will incorporate the mechanics of the calculation: formula or methodology for determining a numeric value; source and nature of inputs into formula; implicit or explicit assumptions being used. This discussion of conventional calculations will be augmented by an introduction to the interpretation and application of the numbers – how market participants use the numbers for investment/market insights. We strongly recommend that you bring an HP12c calculator or a similar model to ensure you get the benefit of the hands-on activities during this two-day class.
Concepts and measures will be addressed in a pertinent fixed income market context, illustrating these ideas with a discussion of their use by bond traders and portfolio managers when assessing risk and return. The approach taken to address each of the major topics:
First, explain the concept and the related market intuition, what does the concept/number attempt to quantify and how do market participants interpret the number regarding any insight into market conditions/securities valuation.
Second, review the specific methodology by which the measure/concept is quantified, what is the structure of the computation or process by which the number is determined, what are the inputs for the computation/process and how are they obtained as well as any implicit assumptions used in the calculation.
Third, illustrate the computation/process using current market data, taking values/rates/contract details of treasury, corporate and mortgage-backed securities. To the extent possible the presentation will be guided by participant questions.
Exploring the Impact of GASB 77
March 14, 2017
@ 1:00 pm Eastern
This past December marked the official start of GASB 77, a new accounting standard requiring all government agencies to report tax abatements as lost revenue. How do these changes affect development finance agencies, audit requirements, and the negotiation of future tax abatement deals? During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, our expert speakers will provide an in depth look into the implications of this new accounting standard.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Click here to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
S&P Global Ratings U.S. Public Finance held a live Webcast and Q&A on Tuesday, January 24th, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time for discussion on our 2017 U.S. State and Local Government Credit Outlook.
Jan. 24, 2017 | New York
Opportunities and Advancements in Water Finance
February 21, 2017
@ 1:00 pm Eastern
Financing for water infrastructure, public utilities, and drinking water has become an important area for development finance agencies as concerns about water quality and aging management systems have increased. With the U.S. EPA’s recent announcement about the Water Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act (WIFIA) making $1 billion available for credit assistance, new opportunities are emerging to address the nation’s critical investment needs in water and waste water. During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, learn from expert speakers as they discuss developments in the water finance space and how different financing mechanisms like bonds, RLFs, P3s, and other tools are being used to address today’s water infrastructure projects.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Click on the Register button below to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
GASB’s Financial Reporting Model Improvements – Governmental Funds
Event Details
Start Date: 2/23/2017 2:00 AM
End Date: 2/23/2017 3:50 PM
Event Website: http://www.nasact.org/webinars
Organization Name: NASACT
Contact: Pat Hackney
Email: phackney@nasact.org
Phone: (859) 276-1147
OVERVIEW
GASB’s Financial Reporting Model Improvements – Governmental Funds
Has it really been over 17 years since GASB 34 was issued? It’s hard to believe, but true! GASB is again turning its attention to the government reporting model with the release of an invitation to comment document entitled Financial Reporting Model Improvements – Governmental Funds.
This highly-anticipated reporting model project begins with a focus on accounting and reporting of governmental funds. This phase of the project addresses several potential improvements to governmental fund reporting, including:
GASB believes this project will have a significant impact on the foundation of state and local governments’ accounting and financial reporting. Please join us for this informative webinar!
COST
$299 per group (unlimited attendance)
$50 per person – Use promo code INDWEB to receive individual discount pricing with CPE.
$25 per person – Use promo code INDNOCPE to receive individual discount pricing with no CPE required.
CPE Credits
Two credits are available for this event.
Click HERE to see the full registration brochure.
January 24, 2017 @ 1:00 pm Eastern
Spurred by mid-year refundings in a low rate environment, municipal bond volume reached an all-time high in 2016, surpassing the record previously set in 2010. With the Fed raising rates this past December, and the potential for more on the horizon, how will the municipal bond market respond? What can we expect as we move into 2017? During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast, hear industry experts gaze into their crystal ball and provide a glimpse of the year ahead.
Speakers:
Rena Nakashima, Moderator
Senior Product Manager
The Bank of New York Mellon
Click here to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Fitch Ratings-New York-04 January 2017: Despite uncertain fiscal, economic and regulatory pressures, U.S. public finance will benefit from modest economic expansion that will support revenue growth and stability, according to Fitch Ratings’ 2017 Public Finance Compendium.
The 2017 sector outlook for seven of the eight sectors in the U.S. public finance space is stable, with U.S. not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems sector maintaining a negative outlook for 2017.
“The upcoming transition of the federal administration holds potentially significant implications for many sectors across public finance,” said Jessalynn Moro, Managing Director of the U.S. Public Finance Group. “The transition creates an unpredictable environment for U.S. states and local governments, which are particularly exposed to policies affecting trade, jointly funded programs and fiscal stimulus.”
Given the transition of the federal administration, the uncertain future of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency creates an unpredictable operating environment for public power and water and sewer.
Fitch will host a series of teleconferences on its outlooks:
For more information, a special report titled “2017 U.S. Public Finance Outlooks” is available on the Fitch Ratings web site at www.fitchratings.com.
Contact:
Jessalynn Moro
Managing Director
+1 212-908-0608
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
33 Whitehall Street
New York, NY 10004
Media Relations: Elizabeth Fogerty, New York, Tel: +1 (212) 908 0526, Email: elizabeth.fogerty@fitchratings.com.
Additional information is available at ‘www.fitchratings.com’.
The industry is moving to a shorter settlement cycle from trade date plus three business days (T+3) to T+2 in the U.S. for most securities with a target date of September 5, 2017. The instruments subject to the shortened settlement cycle include corporate and municipal bonds, equities, unit investment trusts, and financial instruments comprised of these products. Join us on March 29, 2017, at the T+2 Settlement Conference in NYC for a deep dive into the next phase of the industry’s migration to T+2. This conference will address behavioral, systems, operational and regulatory changes necessary to meet the T+2 implementation date. Reserve your seat today!
Click here to learn more, and to register.
Amended MSRB Rules G-15 and G-30 on Required Disclosure of Mark-ups and Mark-downs to Retail Customers on Certain Transactions and to Provide Guidance on Prevailing Market Price
Thursday, January 12, 2017
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
During this free webinar, staff will review key provisions of amendments to MSRB Rule G-15 on confirmation, clearance, settlement and other uniform practice requirements with respect to transactions with customers and MSRB Rule G-30 on prices and commissions related to disclosure of mark-ups and mark-downs on certain customer confirmations and guidance on prevailing market price. Staff from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) will join MSRB staff at the conclusion of the webinar to answer questions, as time permits, about the MSRB amendments as well as FINRA’s parallel requirements for the corporate and agency bond markets.
At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Click here to register.
Start Date: 1/25/2017 2:00 PM
End Date: 1/25/2017 4:00 PM
Event Website: http://www.nasact.org/webinars
Organization Name: NASACT
Contact: Pat Hackney
Email: phackney@nasact.org
Phone: (859) 276-1147
OVERVIEW
Getting Ready for Infrastructure Change
Strategies to Prepare for the Expected Increase in Infrastructure Financial Capacity
State financial managers have always been on the front lines of infrastructure investments – from project identification and funding through delivery and operations. And state leaders, especially financial leaders, know the relationship between the state of good repair and economic vitality. Infrastructure renewal has become a topic front and center to the public during this last presidential campaign, and the public has included infrastructure renewal and investment in their thinking. As funding becomes available, how can states prioritize and better manage investments?
In this webinar we will review how state financial managers can:
Speakers:
COST
$299 per group (unlimited attendance)
$50 per person – Use promo code INDWEB to receive individual discount pricing with CPE.
$25 per person – Use promo code INDNOCPE to receive individual discount pricing with no CPE required.
CPE Credits
Two credits are available for this event.
Click HERE to see the full registration brochure.
January 25-26, 2017 | Daily: 12-5pm (Eastern)
The Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance WebCourse is the foundation for all of CDFA’s educational offerings. This course will help you understand the variety of development finance tools available, from bonds, tax credits and TIF, to federal financing programs, RLFs, and access to capital lending resources.
The Fundamentals Course is based on CDFA’s Practitioner’s Guide to Economic Development Finance, the only comprehensive reference guide dedicated to building and utilizing the development finance toolbox. The Practitioner’s Guide provides the insight and practical information needed to critically understand how economic development is financed and the tools, strategies and techniques used to build strong communities.
This course qualify for the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Complete three courses and you will fulfill half of the requirement for the DFCP Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
To learn more, and to register, click here.
Register before January 6, 2017 for early-bird rates.
Find out what you need to know about the recently released final issue price regulations by registering for NABL’s free teleconference, “What You Need to Know About the Final Issue Price Regulations.”
Join moderator Tom Vander Molen, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, and panelists John Cross, Associate Tax Legislative Counsel, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Arthur Miller, Goldman, Sachs & Co.; and Linda Schakel, Ballard Spahr LLP as they provide their government, underwriting and private practice perspectives on the these new regulations.
This NABL members only teleconference will take place on Tuesday, January 10, 2017, from 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern. No CLE will be offered. The registration deadline for this teleconference is, Friday, January 6, and all participants will receive the teleconference materials and dial-in instructions via email on Monday, January 9.
Register for this free teleconference today!
Members of Fitch’s Analytical and Legal teams discussed how Fitch arrived at the ‘A’ rating for the upcoming $500 million Chicago Board of Education dedicated capital improvement tax bonds, series 2016. The teams discussed how the specific features of the bonds meet Fitch’s criteria for rating special revenue obligation debt without consideration of the issuer’s general credit quality and how Fitch arrived at the ‘A’ rating for the bonds.
The call was chaired by Arlene Bohner, Senior Director and Francis Phillip, Assisant General Counsel.
Jan. 19, 2017 | Denver, CO
On behalf of the U.S. Public Finance team, we are pleased to invite you to our inaugural Denver U.S. Public Finance Credit Forum on Thursday, January 19th, with Keynote Speaker Arturo Perez, Director at the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Click here to learn more and to register.
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today announced the effective date for amendments to MSRB Rule G-15 on confirmation, clearance, settlement and other uniform practice requirements with respect to customer transactions, and Rule G-30, on prices and commissions, to require municipal securities dealers to disclose mark-ups and mark-downs to retail customers on certain principal transactions, and to provide dealers guidance on prevailing market price for the purpose of determining mark-ups and mark-downs and other Rule G-30 determinations. The new disclosure requirements and prevailing market price guidance will become effective on May 14, 2018, approximately 18 months from the date of Securities and Exchange Commission approval of the amended rule. Read the regulatory notice.
The MSRB will host a free educational webinar about the rule changes and guidance on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Continuing professional education credit is available.
Playing it Safe: Reducing Your Potential Liability in a Bond Transaction
Wednesday, December 14 │ 1:00-2:30 pm
Registration Fees:
► $195 for members
► $295 for non-members.
Description: A panel of experts will provide a practical overview of some areas where legal liability may arise for bond lawyers and offer strategies to alleviate these risks. The panel will focus on a hypothetical revenue bond issue that appears straightforward and noncontroversial on its surface and highlight situations where investors may nevertheless decide to file suits against participants in the transaction. In addition, the panel will provide responses and defenses which may be utilized in light of the Model Rules and recent case law. The inclusion of members of the plaintiffs’ bar and malpractice insurance representatives on the panel will provide “real life” perspectives on liability scenarios and the responses thereto.
Moderator:
N. Gordon Knox (Miles & Stockbridge P.C.)
Panelists:
Michael P. Cillo (Davis & Ceriani, P.C.)
Matthew K. Corbin (Aon Risk Solutions)
Jeffery J. Qualkinbush (Barnes & Thornburg LLP)
CLE Information: NABL has applied for and anticipates receiving ethics CLE credit for between 1.5 and 1.8 hours in most states that accredit teleconferences. No credit will be available in Pennsylvania. To obtain CLE credit you must pay the CLE fee listed below and fill out the payment form. Be sure to include your CLE states and identifying numbers on the payment form. Certificates of Attendance will be e-mailed to you , and credit hours will be reported to those states that require sponsors to report credit.
Register online here, or download the printed registration form.
Learn everything you need to know about the most recent developments in accounting and financial reporting for state and local governments, including the latest GASB statements, exposure drafts, and implementation guidance, at the encore of GFOA’s 21st Annual Governmental GAAP Update web-streaming event on December 1, 2016.
December 13, 2016
@ 1:00 pm Eastern
Have you ever wondered how all that new and exciting development started in your community? Ever wondered how your neighboring communities have been so successful with their economic development efforts? Well, look no further than your local Development Finance Agency (DFA). DFA’s assist in the financing of all types of development projects at the local, state, and even multijurisdictional levels. They benefit communities by eliminating blight, attracting new businesses, and financing critical infrastructure. Thousands of DFA’s exist across the country, each serving a special role in their communities. Do you have a high performing DFA in your community or region? How are these agencies organized and how do they operate? This month, during the final CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series of 2016, our expert speakers will provide a look into the activities, operations, management and success stories of their high performing DFA. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the best DFAs in the country.
Click on the Register button below to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Current Issues in Debt Management – Internet Training on November 18, 2016
Attend this 2-hour webinar to understand the current (post-election) market outlook for debt management and the importance of disclosure responsibilities following the SEC’s MCDC initiative.
Municipal Advisor Registration Requirements and Process
Thursday, November 10, 2016
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET
During this free webinar, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) will review the municipal advisor registration requirements and process. View the program agenda.
At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) will host its 111th Annual Conference, May 21-24, 2017, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. Registration for the event is open on GFOA’s website (www.gfoa.org).
The conference is expected to bring together thousands of public finance professionals through:
Sessions will examine a wide variety of topics, such as accounting, auditing, and financial reporting; budgeting; capital planning; debt management; pension and benefit administration; and treasury and investment management.
Public-sector practitioners can take advantage of participating in full- or half-day preconference seminars on the Friday and/or Saturday before the start of the conference. This year’s topics include:
To keep with GFOA’s commitment to the government finance profession, GFOA’s Executive Board is pleased to announce that 50 scholarships will be awarded per state or province in the amount of the full-conference registration fee to first-time annual conference attendees who are GFOA active government members. If interested in applying for the scholarship, candidates should e-mail firstannualconference@gfoa.org.
The annual conference gives participants an opportunity to earn more than 20 CPE credits with additional credits available for preconference sessions. The conference is one of the most broad-ranging educational opportunities in the public finance field.
For more information about preconference seminars and conference events or on how to join GFOA, please contact:
Government Finance Officers Association
203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700
Chicago, IL 60601-1210
Phone: 312/977-9700
Fax: 312/977-4806
E-mail: conference@gfoa.org
For information about what to do while in Denver, visit www.denver.org/gfoa.
November 16, 2016
12 pm ET/9 am PT
As colleges and universities become more entrepreneurial and embrace a wider range of financing options, including in particular more taxable debt, it is useful to compare and contrast the financing options that have developed. This webinar will focus on the legal issues relating to:
Most of the discussion will be based on experience drawn from recent transactions that included the above-listed elements or issues and considered pros and cons of the different structures.
Featured Presenters:
Eileen Heitzler
Partner
Orrick New York
Bill Haft
Partner
Orrick New York
Hoang Vu
Partner
Orrick Houston
Larry Sobel
Partner
Orrick Los Angeles/Houston
Chas Cardall
Partner
Orrick San Francisco
Do you have training budget left to spend in 2016? Register for our Public Courses taking place this year and save 25%.
Are you in the midst of planning your 2017 training program? Register for Public Courses taking place in Q1 and save 25% next year too. Take a look at our website to view all Moody’s 2017 Public Courses.
Enter 16OCT24AMR during checkout and save 25% on any Public Course taking place October 2016 through March 2017. Register now, this offer will expire November 30, 2016.
The National Federation of Municipal Analyst’s Education Committee is pleased to open registration for its January Advanced Seminar, Local Governments in Crisis, to take place on January 26 & 27 in Salt Lake City.
To view the program, click here.
To register, click here.
Muni Compliance Update: Top lessons for compliance and business leaders
November 9, 2016 | 2 pm ET/11 am PT
Join muni industry veterans Gregg Bienstock from Lumesis Inc. and Kim McManus from Alternative Regulatory Solutions for a discussion on Muni Compliance aimed at both compliance and business professionals. Topics will includea 15c2-12 and MCDC recap that reviews best practices emerging across the industry and what seems to be coming next from the SEC and FINRA for both Underwriters and Issuers. They will also dive into the Municipal Advisor Rule and how to solve for G-42 requirements, the latest on Best Execution and also the link between best practices in Underwriting and Time-of-Trade compliance.
Featured Presenters:
Gregg Bienstock
CEO and Co-Founder
Lumesis, Inc.
Kim McManus
President
Alternative Regulatory Solutions
Municipal Bank Loans and Direct Placements Seminar
October 25, 2016 | 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM | SIFMA Conference Center, NYC
Join SIFMA for a discussion on the legal, regulatory, accounting and compliance uncertainties arising from the increase in state and local governments turning to banks as a source of debt finance over traditional public market debt offerings.
This half day program includes views from the regulators and a deep dive into bank loan and direct placement transactions, covering:
Training Type: Web-Streaming
Course Status: Repeat Offering
Date and Time: Jan 12 2017 – 2:00pm to 4:00pm EDT
Level: Intermediate
Field of Study: Finance
CPE Credits: 2
Member Price: $70.00
Non-Member Price: $140.00
Prerequisite: None.
Speakers:
Program Description:
Budgeting is at the very core of local government finance, where it functions as a practical tool for setting policy, establishing priorities, promoting effectiveness and efficiency in operations, and ensuring both financial and programmatic accountability. Budgeting can only be as effective as the budget professionals who make it all happen. This webinar is designed to equip those on the front lines of local budgeting to do an even better job meeting the many practical challenges they must face from day to day and from year to year.
This year’s first annual Better Budgeting web-stream event will offer practical advice on how to:
This two-hour web-stream event combines lecture, panel discussion, and examples to communicate and reinforce the key policies and critical procedures presented.
Agenda: Download
Other Documents: Technical FAQs
Registration Form: Brochure and Registration Form
Thursday, October 20, 2016
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET
During this free webinar, MSRB staff will provide an overview of the Request for Comment on Draft Rule Amendments to MSRB Rule G-3 on professional qualifications to establish continuing education requirements for certain associated persons of a municipal advisor. To support market participants’ submission of comment letters, this webinar will review the key provisions of the draft rule amendments.
Click here to register.
Deloitte Power & Utilities Accounting, Financial Reporting, and Tax Update
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
During day one of the seminar, Deloitte’s energy specialists focus on industry technical accounting and tax issues to assist participants in preparing for calendar year-end accounting, reporting, and tax requirements. Participants may choose one of the following sessions:
The Evolving Role of Controllership: Opportunities and Challenges
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Day two of the seminar will address evolving issues facing the controllership function, including the opportunities and challenges associated with advances in technology, the release of new accounting standards, and market and regulatory changes.
This seminar will address topics of interest for energy accounting professionals, including those charged with responsibilities over finance, accounting and reporting.
After attending this seminar, participants will better understand the issues and opportunities currently facing the controllership function and leading practices that help you successfully manage these issues and opportunities.
Additional information
Below are a few key logistics for the Fall Seminars:
Location: Hyatt Regency O’Hare, 9300 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, IL 60018
Room rate: $187 per night plus tax
Registration Fees: $495 per person, per day. The registration fee is $990 for attending both seminars.
Group discounts available: Companies with five or more employees attending the seminars will receive a 10% discount on the registration fees. The discount will be reimbursed after the seminars based on attendance.
CPE: Participants can receive up to 12.5 hours of CPE credits for attending this conference in multiple subject areas depending upon sessions attended.
Click here to register.
Norwalk, CT, September 26, 2016 — The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) today announced the opening of registration for an upcoming webinar that provides an overview of its proposed guidance on fiduciary activities. IN FOCUS: Update on GASB’s Fiduciary Activities Project will take place on Tuesday, October 11, 2016, from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Participants in the live broadcast (which is offered free of charge to those who preregister) will be eligible for up to 1.5 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. (Please note that CPE credit is not available for group viewing of the live broadcast.)
The webinar will be moderated by David R. Bean, GASB director of research and technical activities, and Dean Mead, GASB senior research manager. Featured speakers will be Lisa Parker, GASB senior project manager, and Scott Reeser, GASB supervising project manager.
The purpose of the webinar is to update and receive feedback from stakeholders on the GASB’s fiduciary activities project. The Board has deliberated the feedback received on the Exposure Draft, Fiduciary Activities, and has made tentative changes to the proposed guidance to address many of the issues raised.
The webinar will cover the following topics:
An archive of the webinar will be available on the GASB website through January 8, 2017. (CPE credit will not be available to those who view only the archived webcast.)
For more information about the webinar, visit www.gasb.org.
Washington, DC – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today announced the opening of registration for the Compliance Outreach Program for Municipal Advisors to be held on November 10, 2016 as a live webcast on the MSRB website.
The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) and Office of Municipal Securities are partnering with FINRA and the MSRB to sponsor the program, which will run from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar will highlight OCIE and FINRA staff examination findings on municipal advisors’ registration and give municipal advisors a detailed explanation of the registration process.
“This webinar is designed to promote compliance with municipal advisor registration rules by providing municipal advisor professionals the opportunity to hear from all three regulators on the important topics of initial and ongoing SEC and MSRB registration obligations,” said Jessica Kane, Director of the SEC’s Office of Municipal Securities.
“This municipal advisor outreach will take municipal advisors through the registration processes at the SEC and the MSRB to help ensure proper regulatory compliance,” said Suzanne McGovern, Assistant Director of the SEC’s broker-dealer and municipal advisor examination programs.
Mike Rufino, FINRA’s Head of Member Regulation-Sales Practice, said, “The discussions covering the information required to complete the initial registration process and meet firms’ ongoing obligations will be valuable to municipal advisors. Any firm that is uncertain as to the regulatory expectations of firms in completing and updating their municipal advisor applications will benefit from participating in the webinar.”
“This program is consistent with the MSRB’s goal of providing resources to municipal advisors to help them understand their regulatory obligations,” said Lynnette Kelly, Executive Director of the MSRB. “Municipal advisors will benefit from hearing first-hand from our staff.”
There is no cost to attend the program. Registration is open to all municipal advisor professionals. Please register for the program here.
Information on accessing the webcast will be posted on the SEC, FINRA and the MSRB websites on the day of the program. For additional information visit the SEC, FINRA, or the MSRB website.
Date: October 3, 2016
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
Washington, DC – To facilitate greater transparency of bank loans and other alternative financings used by municipal securities issuers, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) today enhanced the bank loan disclosure submission process and the display of these documents on its Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA®) website.
The MSRB has long advocated for increased voluntary disclosure of bank loans and alternative financings by municipal bond issuers to enable current bondholders and prospective investors to assess a municipal entity’s creditworthiness and evaluate the potential impact of these financings. Read more about the MSRB’s market leadership on the issue of bank loan disclosure.
“Feedback from issuer representatives suggested that a simplified method of submitting bank loan disclosures to EMMA would support making this important information available to investors and the public,” said MSRB Executive Director Lynnette Kelly. “With the new and streamlined process, the MSRB hopes to see more issuers submitting bank loan disclosures for display on EMMA.”
Access step-by-step instructions for submitting disclosures for bank loans and alternative financings to EMMA. The MSRB will host an educational webinar geared toward issuers on submitting bank loan disclosures on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Register to attend.
The MSRB also has improved the display of bank loan disclosures on EMMA to make them easier for investors to find. A new dedicated bank loan disclosure tab is available on the issuer homepage of issuers that voluntarily submit these filings to EMMA. EMMA’s advanced search function also now allows users to search specifically for securities with associated bank loan disclosures.
The MSRB’s EMMA website is the official source of data and disclosure documents on more than 1 million outstanding municipal securities. The MSRB operates the EMMA website in support of its mission to protect investors, state and local governments, and the public interest by promoting a fair and efficient municipal market.
Date: September 26, 2016
Contact: Jennifer A. Galloway, Chief Communications Officer
202-838-1500
jgalloway@msrb.org
October 18, 2016
@ 1:00 pm Eastern
Is your community challenged with immigrants and refugees needing financing? It can be exceedingly difficult for immigrants in the United States to access capital for small businesses and working capital. Without credit history or a business track record, lenders are traditionally hesitant to lend to immigrants and refugees. So, how do immigrants and refugees secure financing? How do immigrants get access to affordable and flexible capital for starting a business? Not surprising, there are a handful of creative organizations and programs that have tackled this difficult task. These programs are found throughout the country and specialize in underserved financing needs. This month during the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series, our expert speakers will discuss their approach to unlocking capital for immigrants and refugees in your community.
Click here to confirm your participation and receive login information. Registration is free and open to all interested stakeholders.
Register today for the National Federation of Municipal Analyst’s Introduction to Municipal Bond Credit Analysis to be held on November 17 & 18 at Le Meridien Philadelphia.
To view the program, click here.
To register, click here.