Audit 357357

FY End
2024-08-31
Total Expended
$2.04M
Findings
14
Programs
3
Organization: The Chamber Foundation (ND)
Year: 2024 Accepted: 2025-05-28

Organization Exclusion Status:

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Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
561712 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
561713 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
561714 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
561715 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
561716 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
561717 2024-002 Material Weakness - M
561718 2024-003 - - M
1138154 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
1138155 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
1138156 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
1138157 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
1138158 2024-001 Significant Deficiency - L
1138159 2024-002 Material Weakness - M
1138160 2024-003 - - M

Programs

ALN Program Spent Major Findings
11.307 Economic Adjustment Assistance $1.43M Yes 3
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $195,843 - 1
47.084 Nsf Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships $128,999 - 1

Contacts

Name Title Type
HZNFLAMGU3J7 Nicole Meland Auditee
7013653434 Jeremy Ulmer Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: BASIS OF PRESENTATION Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported in the schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the “schedule”) are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: Y Rate Explanation: The Chamber Foundation has elected to use the 10% de minimis cost rate. The accompanying schedule includes the federal award activity of The Chamber Foundation under programs of the federal government for the year ended August 31, 2024. The information is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of The Chamber Foundation, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets, or cash flows of The Chamber Foundation.
Title: SUBRECIPIENT MONITORING Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported in the schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the “schedule”) are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. Such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. De Minimis Rate Used: Y Rate Explanation: The Chamber Foundation has elected to use the 10% de minimis cost rate. The Chamber Foundation passes through certain federal assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce to other agencies (subrecipients). As described in Note 1, The Chamber Foundation records expenditures of federal awards to subrecipients on the accrual basis. The subrecipient agencies have certain compliance responsibilities to administering these federal programs. Under Uniform Guidance, The Chamber Foundation is responsible for monitoring subrecipients to help assure that federal awards are used for authorized purposes in compliance with laws, regulations, and the provision of contracts or grant agreements, and that the performance goals are achieved.

Finding Details

Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: AL 11.307 – Economic Adjustment Assistance Criteria: A good system of internal controls allows for the compliance with Uniform Guidance to monitor funds that are passed through to subrecipients and the continued stewardship of those federal dollars. Condition: For the year ended August 31, 2024, we discussed the policies and procedures in effect for the Chamber Foundation employees to adequately monitor the subrecipients under the Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant. Although the policies and procedures in effect during the year ended August 31, 2024 were appropriately designed, they were not completed throughout the year. Cause: There was a general misunderstanding on the process of completing subrecipient monitoring controls throughout the year. Effect: Noncompliance will not be prevented, or detected and corrected in a timely manner. Questioned costs: None Repeat finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The subrecipient monitoring policies and procedures should be updated to include specific milestones and broken down into specific tasks that are to be achieved throughout the year. Redundancies and cross-training could be included to reduce the risk that lapses in monitoring occur due to staff turnover or extended absences. In addition, training for all staff upon employment and periodically throughout the year over EDA policies and procedures would allow for better clarity and understanding. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations.
Federal Program: AL 11.307 – Economic Adjustment Assistance Criteria: Uniform Guidance requires, for any funds passed through to a subrecipient, that the pass-through entity (The Chamber Foundation) must perform certain activities to ensure that the subrecipient uses funds within provisions of the grant award and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR sections 200.331 (d) through (f)). This includes review of independent audits of subrecipients and response to deficiencies detected through audits (2 CFR section 200.331(f)). It also includes requiring all subawards granted to subrecipients have specific identifications with the award to ensure the subaward is clearly identifiable (2 CFR Section 200.331(a)). Condition: For the year ended August 31, 2024, we reviewed the Foundation’s subrecipient internal controls, requesting supporting documentation for monitoring activities included, and interviewed key members of management when documentation was not available. Performance of several of the policies noted as required under Unform Guidance for subrecipient monitoring and per the Foundation’s internal controls could not be substantiated or were determined to not have occurred during the year under audit. Cause: Due to internal control deficiency noted in 2024-002, the subrecipient monitoring requirement was not in compliance during the year. Context: Of the federal expenditures under the program noted, $341,811 are passed through to subrecipients. The following are specific items noted that were not in compliance with the criteria listed above: - We requested copies of the correspondence with subrecipients requesting copies of the financial statement audits performed in compliance with 2 CFR 200. Follow up discussion with the Chamber Foundation staff confirmed that this requirement was not completed during the year under audit. Subsequently, of the four subrecipient audit reports required to be requested, zero were requested. - We requested copies of all subawards awarded to subrecipients. Of the four subawards awarded to pass-through entities, one was missing the following required information under (2 CFR Section 200.331(a)): o Subrecipient’s unique entity identifier. Effect: Increased risk of potential noncompliance with subrecipient monitoring requirements under Uniform Guidance. Questioned costs: None Indication of Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The Foundation should request yearly audit reports as determined by 2 CFR 2002. Additionally, the entity should include all required information as determined in CFR Section 200.331(a) in all subawards. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: All federal programs Criteria: The Uniform Guidance requires all entities that expend in excess of $750,000 of federal expenditures to file audited financial statements within 9 months of year-end. Condition: The Foundation’s August 31, 2023 audited financial statements were not filed with the Federal Audit Clearinghouse within nine months of the Foundation’s year end. Cause: Changes in Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards during the audit. Questioned Costs: None Effect or Potential Effect: The Foundation is not in compliance with Uniform Guidance requirements. Recommendation: We recommend the Foundation ensure records are reconciled and available for audit within a timely manner of year end. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations. Indication of Repeat Finding: This is a new finding in the current year.
Federal Program: AL 11.307 – Economic Adjustment Assistance Criteria: A good system of internal controls allows for the compliance with Uniform Guidance to monitor funds that are passed through to subrecipients and the continued stewardship of those federal dollars. Condition: For the year ended August 31, 2024, we discussed the policies and procedures in effect for the Chamber Foundation employees to adequately monitor the subrecipients under the Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant. Although the policies and procedures in effect during the year ended August 31, 2024 were appropriately designed, they were not completed throughout the year. Cause: There was a general misunderstanding on the process of completing subrecipient monitoring controls throughout the year. Effect: Noncompliance will not be prevented, or detected and corrected in a timely manner. Questioned costs: None Repeat finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The subrecipient monitoring policies and procedures should be updated to include specific milestones and broken down into specific tasks that are to be achieved throughout the year. Redundancies and cross-training could be included to reduce the risk that lapses in monitoring occur due to staff turnover or extended absences. In addition, training for all staff upon employment and periodically throughout the year over EDA policies and procedures would allow for better clarity and understanding. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations.
Federal Program: AL 11.307 – Economic Adjustment Assistance Criteria: Uniform Guidance requires, for any funds passed through to a subrecipient, that the pass-through entity (The Chamber Foundation) must perform certain activities to ensure that the subrecipient uses funds within provisions of the grant award and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR sections 200.331 (d) through (f)). This includes review of independent audits of subrecipients and response to deficiencies detected through audits (2 CFR section 200.331(f)). It also includes requiring all subawards granted to subrecipients have specific identifications with the award to ensure the subaward is clearly identifiable (2 CFR Section 200.331(a)). Condition: For the year ended August 31, 2024, we reviewed the Foundation’s subrecipient internal controls, requesting supporting documentation for monitoring activities included, and interviewed key members of management when documentation was not available. Performance of several of the policies noted as required under Unform Guidance for subrecipient monitoring and per the Foundation’s internal controls could not be substantiated or were determined to not have occurred during the year under audit. Cause: Due to internal control deficiency noted in 2024-002, the subrecipient monitoring requirement was not in compliance during the year. Context: Of the federal expenditures under the program noted, $341,811 are passed through to subrecipients. The following are specific items noted that were not in compliance with the criteria listed above: - We requested copies of the correspondence with subrecipients requesting copies of the financial statement audits performed in compliance with 2 CFR 200. Follow up discussion with the Chamber Foundation staff confirmed that this requirement was not completed during the year under audit. Subsequently, of the four subrecipient audit reports required to be requested, zero were requested. - We requested copies of all subawards awarded to subrecipients. Of the four subawards awarded to pass-through entities, one was missing the following required information under (2 CFR Section 200.331(a)): o Subrecipient’s unique entity identifier. Effect: Increased risk of potential noncompliance with subrecipient monitoring requirements under Uniform Guidance. Questioned costs: None Indication of Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The Foundation should request yearly audit reports as determined by 2 CFR 2002. Additionally, the entity should include all required information as determined in CFR Section 200.331(a) in all subawards. Views of Responsible Officials: Management recognizes the deficiency and plans to implement the auditor’s recommendations.