This page is for organizations providing training to city officials in Iowa. Use these directions to get your courses pre-approved for credit BEFORE your event occurs.

IMFOA Course Guidelines and Processes

Submit your course for review

Committee

The IMFOA Curriculum Committee is comprised of City Clerks, Finance Officers, Administrators, and other municipal professionals, appointed, and regulated by the Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association Board of Directors. Committee members are volunteers who give of their time and resources. Although the application requests are of educational concentration, it is solely the responsibility of the IMFOA Curriculum Committee to determine what, if any, hours shall count towards any category or area of emphasis. Conferences and workshops with municipal components will generally be considered to be eligible only for Flex Curriculum hours unless attendance can be verified for individual areas of emphasis.

Contact Hour Definition

Iowa Municipal Finance Officers Association (IMFOA) Curriculum Committee reviews clerk/finance related programs for credit based upon in-class contact hours. In alignment with standard higher education academic policy, a “contact hour” is defined as 50 minutes of instruction for every hour of the class or workshop.

The IMFOA Curriculum Committee does not award less than 0.5 contact hours. Host Associations must offer a minimum of 30 minutes of educational content in order to meet this requirement. This must be one standalone educational event offered with no breaks or interruptions.

Courses Offered Outside Of The IMFOA-Approved Institute/Academy, Iowa League Of Cities Or Regional Clerk Meetings

In some cases, applicants may find a course in their demographic area that is applicable to the Municipal Clerk profession. A course such as this that is not offered at the Institute/Academy or Iowa League of City hosted events must go through the course review process. If you as the applicant will be attending an educational event and would like to receive course credit for your attendance, please reach out to the Hosting Association and request that they submit their educational material through the IMFOA Pre-Approval Process. Pre-approval will be required on all educational credit summations to the IMFOA Certification Committee as of January 1, 2023.

Online Learning Guidelines

There are three distinct types of online learning courses: fully online courses, online hybrid courses, and web-based seminars (webinars). IMFOA has elected to adhere with IIMC’s definitions regarding course types of online learning. 

Definitions of Online Courses Obtained Directly From IIMC Website:

Fully Online Courses: The Online Learning Consortium (2014) classifies a course as fully online when learning is provided 100% using the Web, giving students the opportunity to interact frequently with fellow students, instructor(s), and content. These courses include an in-depth exploration of the topic and a reasonable amount of outside work. To be eligible for CMC Education or MMC Advanced Education points, fully online courses must include a learning assessment approved by the Institute Director or sponsoring organization. Fully online courses that do not contain a learning assessment will only be eligible for CMC Experience or MMC Professional Contribution points. Fully online courses must meet a minimum of four hours.

Online Hybrid Courses: The Online Learning Consortium (2014) classifies a course as online hybrid (or blended) when learning contains three key components:

1) Web-based learning activities are used which supplant and/or complement “in-class” seat time.

2) “In-class” seat time is reduced by no more than 70%.

3) The web-based and in-class components of the course are designed to interact, supporting one another, and taking advantage of the best of both learning methodologies.

To be eligible for CMC Education or MMC Advanced Education points, Online hybrid courses must include a learning assessment approved by the Institute Director or sponsoring organization. Online hybrid courses that do not contain a learning assessment will only be eligible for CMC Experience or MMC Professional Contribution points. Online hybrid courses must meet a minimum of four hours.

Webinars: Techopedia classifies a web-based seminar, known as webinar, as a workshop or conference that is hosted in real-time or recorded (webcast) for later viewing or distribution. There are two types of webinars:

1) Interactive webinars – These are real-time webinars in which participants interact with a facilitator, other participants, and content. Participants may ask questions and participate in discussions. To be given credit by IIMC, these webinars must include a learning assessment approved by the Institute Director or sponsoring organization.

2) Non-Interactive webinars – These are recorded webinars (webcasts) where participants view or read content at their own pace, without any real-time interaction with an instructor or other participants. To be given credit by IIMC, these webinars must include a learning assessment approved by the Institute Director or sponsoring organization.

The IMFOA Board recognizes and encourages the networking value of in-person courses. Being fully engaged during educational opportunities is primary to gleaning even the smallest of statements made by the presenter that can directly affect an outcome for cities. The IMFOA Board has considered, deliberated, and ultimately the following:

Fully Online Courses: Courses offered through MPI or MPA, Iowa league of Cities are eligible for course credit, if the course includes a learning assessment tool approved by the IMFOA Curriculum Committee. Fully online courses that do not contain a learning assessment will not be eligible for course credits. Fully online courses must meet a minimum of two (2) contact hours per course or a total of eight (8) contact hours per educational day.

Other fully online Courses, Online Hybrid Courses or Webinars will not receive IMFOA course credits. This in no way is meant to discourage someone from attending courses they deem valuable to their ability to serve their city in the best way possible. Ultimately, serving our cities is the main reason to remain educated, not simply to receive credits for attendance.

 

Course Review Process

Course Review is the process by which the IMFOA Curriculum Committee considers educational programs for certification credit – both the credit type and credit quantity. Credit types awarded are Flex Certification credits, Clerk Certification credits or Finance Officer Certification credits.

This process is to be completed by the Hosting Association in advance of the event and not by Individual Certification Applicants. 

Host Associations wishing to have their conference/programs reviewed for credit will work with the Curriculum Committee when submitting all documents needed for course review at IMFOA Course Review Process. Host Associations are required to provide documentation during this process for each individual session being offered at the educational program. This pre-approval process gives the IMFOA Curriculum Committee everything needed to assess the content and level of the programs being offered. Course Review Requests are reviewed in the order in which they are received. Please allow a minimum of 21 business days for review, as the committee is made up of volunteers who have full-time employment that requires their attention.

Submittal/Pre-Approval Process

IMFOA Curriculum Committee reviews programs as a whole in their entirety. Please have the entire program planned and ready for review before submitting. When Host Associations are ready to submit for IMFOA course credit approval, please complete the Course Review Form linked below.

Association representatives will be required to attach the following, so please have these ready:

• Course description for each individual session

• Presenters’ bio’s

• Paragraph describing the take-aways desired

• Detailed description of attendance verification process

• Copy of an assessment tool if utilized. If an assessment tool is not submitted by the Hosting Association, one will be assigned by the Curriculum Committee and provided upon credit approval.

• The assessment tool should be designed to gauge the knowledge and experience acquired by the participants taking the course. An assessment can be a quiz, short answer questions, test, essay and/or similar tools.

• The Assessment tool is to be reviewed by the Association or Instructor before a certificate of completion is issued.

Once a course has been approved for credit, the Hosting Association will receive a link and QR Code to use for attendance and assessment tool submission.

Note: The opportunity to receive Certification Course Credits from both IMFOA and IIMC is a very important part of the decision-making process for clerks when choosing to invest personal or city funds into educational opportunities. However, these are two independent accreditation programs. 

Host Associations can provide the same information required by the IMFOA certification process to the IIMC Course Submission Form. Training that does not require a learning assessment tool and does not receive prior approval through IIMC is not eligible for IIMC course credits. IIMC also requires a certificate of completion for attendees.