Finding 2025-001: Finding Type: Noncompliance and significant deficiency in internal control Federal Department: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Identification of the Federal Program: Assistance Listing Number 93.297 – Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Program, United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Award Number: 5 TP1AH000315-02-00 Compliance Requirements: Matching, Level of Effort, and Earmarking and Reporting Criteria Per 2 CFR 200.303 (Internal Controls), non-federal entities must establish and maintain effective internal control over federal awards that provides reasonable assurance of compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the award. Effective internal controls should ensure these requirements are consistently met. Per 2 CFR 200.306 (Cost Sharing), cost-sharing contributions, including third-party in-kind contributions, must be properly documented and allowable. Per 2 CFR 200.328 (Financial Reporting), financial reports must be accurate and complete. The SF-425 Federal Financial Report (FFR) instructions require recipients to report recipient share of expenditures (including cost matching or cost sharing). The Notice of Funding Opportunity #AH-TP1-23-001 for Advancing Equity in Adolescent Health through Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs and Services issued by HHS states at section D.3.b.1.s: “For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute or regulation, where ‘cost sharing’ refers to costs of a project in addition to Federal funds requested that you voluntarily propose in your budget, if your application is successful, we will include this non-federal cost sharing in the approved budget and you will be held accountable for the non-federal cost-sharing funds as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). Failure to meet a cost sharing or matching obligation that is part of the approved project budget on the NOA may result in the disallowance of federal funds. If you are funded, you will be required to report cost sharing or matching funds on your quarterly Federal Financial Reports.” Condition The Fund did not formally track or record the in-kind contribution required for federal award #5 TP1AH000314-02-00 for budget period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. The Fund did not report the recipient share of expenditures on the quarterly SF-425 Federal Financial Reports (FFR) during fiscal year 2025. Through review of supporting documentation compiled subsequent to fiscal year 2025, the auditor verified that the Fund received third-party in-kind contributions via donated services performed during the budget period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 of $1,119,156, which is $22,521 less than the required cost share per the NOA. However, the Fund submitted a grant amendment to HHS on February 28, 2025 via the Grant Solutions system to reduce the Project Director's effort from 100% to 25% (because she was reassigned to another federal program), which would have reduced the required cost share amount to $1,039,482. Had the Fund's grant amendment request been approved, the Fund would have met and exceeded the required in-kind cost share. The Fund has made numerous attempts to contact HHS to obtain resolution regarding the outstanding grant amendment approval request, to no avail. As of May 29, 2026, the grant amendment has yet to be approved by HHS, and it appears as "in progress" in the Grant Solutions system. Therefore, the auditor was unable to determine whether the in-kind cost share was fully met. Cause When applying for the New York City Teens Connection Expansion project funds for budget period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, the Fund included a voluntary non-federal cost share amount of $1,141,677 in their proposed budget. Upon receiving the federal award, HHS included the $1,141,677 cost share on the NOA as a requirement of the federal award. The Fund was aware of the required cost share, but did not formally track or report the donated services provided toward the cost share requirement during fiscal year 2025 because they thought that voluntary cost share amounts are not required to be formally tracked or reported on the FFR. Effect The Fund’s internal controls did not ensure that #93.297 in-kind contributions were formally documented and reported in accordance with Uniform Guidance requirements during fiscal year 2025. Recipient share of expenditures on the quarterly FFRs was underreported and the federal awarding agency may not have been able to verify the Fund’s compliance with matching requirements. Questioned Costs None. Recommendation We recommend that the Fund implement internal control procedures whereby someone reviews NOAs for any specified cost sharing or matching amounts, including those which are voluntary, and ensure that compliance with such requirements are formally tracked and reported over the life of the award. View of Responsible Officials Management agrees with the recommendation. The Organization’s corrective action plan is on page 45.