Management concurs with this finding and has taken steps to strengthen controls over the preparation, review, and submission of fiscal reports. For fiscal year 2026, the Organization has implemented enhanced internal controls requiring the senior accountant to prepare the reports, program directors ...
Management concurs with this finding and has taken steps to strengthen controls over the preparation, review, and submission of fiscal reports. For fiscal year 2026, the Organization has implemented enhanced internal controls requiring the senior accountant to prepare the reports, program directors to review and approve all programmatic and fiscal reports for accuracy, completeness, and compliance prior to submission to the outsourced accounting for final fiscal review. Documentation of these reviews and approvals is maintained to provide evidence of oversight. Written procedures have been updated to clearly define responsibilities, review timelines, and approval requirements, and periodic monitoring will be conducted to ensure controls remain effective, particularly during staff transitions. These actions are intended to strengthen accountability, preserve continuity, and reduce the risk of incomplete or inaccurate reporting. In addition, staff responsible for federal Head Start grant reporting, including the President/CEO, Head Start Director, and fiscal staff, attended the Fiscal Accountability, Integrity, & Risk (FAIR) Forum in September 2026 to further strengthen our understanding of the regulations pertaining to this federal award. Also, the Organization’s Senior Accountant will attend Head Start’s National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations (PMFO) Institute to learn practical strategies related to financial leadership, internal controls, financial reporting, cost allocation, audit readiness, and organizational accountability. This training will go far to ensure a clear understanding of reporting requirements, including completion of SF-425 reports and the reporting of recipient share of expenditures. The anticipated completion date for this corrective action is September 30, 2026.The PFMO training pertaining to this finding will be completed by November 30, 2026.