Finding 2022-005 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Subrecipient Monitoring Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance - Material Weakness; Noncompliance Criteria: The Foundation is required to establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the Foundation is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide documentation indicating the existence of established written policies on subrecipient monitoring in accordance with the compliance criteria and requirements under the U.S. Department of Justice. Cause: The Foundation has not created and implemented written policies and internal controls over subrecipient monitoring. Effect: The internal control over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance requirement is likely to be ineffective in preventing or detecting noncompliance. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation document the existence and implementation of internal controls over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance criteria. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 37.
Finding 2022-006 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Subrecipient Monitoring Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance - Material Weakness; Noncompliance Criteria: The Foundation is required to establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the Foundation is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide documentation indicating the review of financial and performance reports submitted by subrecipients in accordance with the compliance criteria and requirements under the U.S. Department of Justice. Cause: The Foundation has not created and implemented written policies and internal controls over subrecipient monitoring. Effect: The internal control over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance requirement is likely to be ineffective in preventing or detecting noncompliance. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation document the existence and implementation of internal controls over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance criteria. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 37.
Finding 2022-007 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance ? Significant Deficiency; Noncompliance Criteria: Per the U.S. Department of Justice Financial Guidelines, the costs of computing devices, software, and information technology systems that are characterized as equipment require prior written approval. In addition, any tangible personal property over $5,000 must be classified as equipment and the recipient must have adequate maintenance procedures. Equipment is a budget category whereby indirect costs may not be calculated and charged. Condition: Purchase of equipment in the amount of $11,436 was reported and charged to the grant budget as supply expense rather than equipment. As a result, indirect costs in the amount of $4,055 were incorrectly calculated on this expense and charged to the grant. In addition, $6,426 of this equipment purchase was not included in the approved budget nor did the Foundation receive prior written approval for the increased expenditure. Cause: The accounting department misclassified $11,436 of equipment costs incurred as supply expense and only obtained verbal approval for the increased expenditure. Effect: The internal control over the Allowable Costs compliance requirement is likely to be ineffective in preventing or detecting noncompliance. Context: 1 sample selection ($5,010) out of a sample of 40 items selected from a population of 373 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that federal funds are administered in accordance with program compliance requirements. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 38.
Finding 2022-008 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs; Period of Performance Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance ? Significant Deficiency; Noncompliance Reference to Financial Statement Finding: Finding 2022-004 Criteria: Invoices submitted to the grantor for reimbursement should include expenditures incurred for goods purchased and services provided. Condition: The Foundation submitted invoices for payment/reimbursement of subrecipient payments in excess of amounts actually incurred and billed by subrecipients. Cause: Quarterly invoices submitted to the grantor for reimbursement of subrecipient payments made were based in a budgeted payment schedule rather than actual invoices received from the subrecipient. Effect: As of December 31, 2022, a reconciliation of invoices submitted to the grantor compared to expenses incurred by the subrecipient resulted in a net excess of $33,622 charged to the grant. Context: 1 sample selection ($37,853) out of a sample of 40 items selected from a population of 373 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that federal grants and contracts are charged based on expenditures incurred and in the period when performed. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 38.
Finding 2022-009 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance ? Significant Deficiency; Noncompliance Criteria: Under the allowable costs standards, expenditures charged to federal awards should be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the federal award and should be properly supported by documentation. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide documentation to support payroll costs charged to two separate grants for two employees for selected pay periods. Cause: The two employees left the Foundation during 2022 and did not complete and submit timesheets for the selected pay periods. Effect: The Foundation charged payroll costs to the two grants for the selected pay periods based on approved budget allocations and approved hourly rates. Context: 3 sample selections ($2,151) out of a sample of 40 items selected from a population of 373 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that federal grants and contracts are charged based on expenditures incurred and that all expenditures have proper support and documentation. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 38.
Finding 2022-010 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Special Tests and Provisions Type of Finding: Noncompliance Criteria: Under the compliance requirements for special tests and provisions, the Foundation shall submit quarterly financial reports and semi-annual progress reports throughout the term of each grant and a final report at the end of the grant award period. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide evidence of the semi-annual progress report and the final report submitted for one of its grants. Cause: The grant was managed by an employee who left the Foundation in July 2022. Management of the Foundation was unable to locate copies of the reports or to download copies from the JustGrants system. Effect: The Foundation was unable to support compliance with the requirements to submit the semi-annual progress report and the final report for the one grant. Context: 2 sample selections out of a sample of 13 items selected from a population of 27 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that documentation is maintained to support filing and compliance requirements. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 39.
Finding 2022-005 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Subrecipient Monitoring Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance - Material Weakness; Noncompliance Criteria: The Foundation is required to establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the Foundation is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide documentation indicating the existence of established written policies on subrecipient monitoring in accordance with the compliance criteria and requirements under the U.S. Department of Justice. Cause: The Foundation has not created and implemented written policies and internal controls over subrecipient monitoring. Effect: The internal control over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance requirement is likely to be ineffective in preventing or detecting noncompliance. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation document the existence and implementation of internal controls over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance criteria. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 37.
Finding 2022-006 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Subrecipient Monitoring Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance - Material Weakness; Noncompliance Criteria: The Foundation is required to establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the Foundation is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide documentation indicating the review of financial and performance reports submitted by subrecipients in accordance with the compliance criteria and requirements under the U.S. Department of Justice. Cause: The Foundation has not created and implemented written policies and internal controls over subrecipient monitoring. Effect: The internal control over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance requirement is likely to be ineffective in preventing or detecting noncompliance. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation document the existence and implementation of internal controls over the Subrecipient Monitoring compliance criteria. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 37.
Finding 2022-007 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance ? Significant Deficiency; Noncompliance Criteria: Per the U.S. Department of Justice Financial Guidelines, the costs of computing devices, software, and information technology systems that are characterized as equipment require prior written approval. In addition, any tangible personal property over $5,000 must be classified as equipment and the recipient must have adequate maintenance procedures. Equipment is a budget category whereby indirect costs may not be calculated and charged. Condition: Purchase of equipment in the amount of $11,436 was reported and charged to the grant budget as supply expense rather than equipment. As a result, indirect costs in the amount of $4,055 were incorrectly calculated on this expense and charged to the grant. In addition, $6,426 of this equipment purchase was not included in the approved budget nor did the Foundation receive prior written approval for the increased expenditure. Cause: The accounting department misclassified $11,436 of equipment costs incurred as supply expense and only obtained verbal approval for the increased expenditure. Effect: The internal control over the Allowable Costs compliance requirement is likely to be ineffective in preventing or detecting noncompliance. Context: 1 sample selection ($5,010) out of a sample of 40 items selected from a population of 373 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that federal funds are administered in accordance with program compliance requirements. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 38.
Finding 2022-008 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs; Period of Performance Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance ? Significant Deficiency; Noncompliance Reference to Financial Statement Finding: Finding 2022-004 Criteria: Invoices submitted to the grantor for reimbursement should include expenditures incurred for goods purchased and services provided. Condition: The Foundation submitted invoices for payment/reimbursement of subrecipient payments in excess of amounts actually incurred and billed by subrecipients. Cause: Quarterly invoices submitted to the grantor for reimbursement of subrecipient payments made were based in a budgeted payment schedule rather than actual invoices received from the subrecipient. Effect: As of December 31, 2022, a reconciliation of invoices submitted to the grantor compared to expenses incurred by the subrecipient resulted in a net excess of $33,622 charged to the grant. Context: 1 sample selection ($37,853) out of a sample of 40 items selected from a population of 373 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that federal grants and contracts are charged based on expenditures incurred and in the period when performed. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 38.
Finding 2022-009 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs Type of Finding: Internal Control over Compliance ? Significant Deficiency; Noncompliance Criteria: Under the allowable costs standards, expenditures charged to federal awards should be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the federal award and should be properly supported by documentation. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide documentation to support payroll costs charged to two separate grants for two employees for selected pay periods. Cause: The two employees left the Foundation during 2022 and did not complete and submit timesheets for the selected pay periods. Effect: The Foundation charged payroll costs to the two grants for the selected pay periods based on approved budget allocations and approved hourly rates. Context: 3 sample selections ($2,151) out of a sample of 40 items selected from a population of 373 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that federal grants and contracts are charged based on expenditures incurred and that all expenditures have proper support and documentation. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 38.
Finding 2022-010 Federal Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Justice Program Name: National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants Type(s) of Compliance Requirements: Special Tests and Provisions Type of Finding: Noncompliance Criteria: Under the compliance requirements for special tests and provisions, the Foundation shall submit quarterly financial reports and semi-annual progress reports throughout the term of each grant and a final report at the end of the grant award period. Condition: The Foundation was unable to provide evidence of the semi-annual progress report and the final report submitted for one of its grants. Cause: The grant was managed by an employee who left the Foundation in July 2022. Management of the Foundation was unable to locate copies of the reports or to download copies from the JustGrants system. Effect: The Foundation was unable to support compliance with the requirements to submit the semi-annual progress report and the final report for the one grant. Context: 2 sample selections out of a sample of 13 items selected from a population of 27 items. Recommendation: We recommend that the Foundation develop and implement procedures to ensure that documentation is maintained to support filing and compliance requirements. View of Responsible Officials: See corrective action plan on page 39.