Corrective Action Plans

Management Response and Planned Corrective Action: We concur with the Federal Award Findings outlined above of the auditors and have implemented a corrective action plan, including updating internal control policies and procedures. Views of Responsible Officials and Corrective Actions: The management team of the Council of Western State Foresters believe in the values of transparency, justification, and documentation for transactions made in the course of conducting job related duties. As a small organization with limited staff, suggested reasonable improvements to processes are always welcome. It is in this spirit that the below corrective actions for the compliance issues noted in the findings from the 2023 audit are put forward. 2023-004 Corrective Action Plan: Management acknowledges the need to strengthen procedures related to the preparation and review of SF-270 forms. The review and approval processes for SF-270 submissions have been evaluated and revised to ensure that requests for advances and reimbursements are accurately classified and properly documented. In alignment with 2 CFR § 200.305, all advance requests will be reviewed to ensure they are based on reasonable estimates of direct program costs that are immediately necessary for the applicable period. As part of this process, management will implement a cross-referencing procedure to verify that requests designated as reimbursements or advances are supported by appropriate documentation and accurately reflect the nature of the request. Anticipated Completion: Process revisions and controls have been completed

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS It is recommended, among other things, to establish internal controls that provide certainty, effective monitoring, data validation, and accountability for those employees who execute the reporting processes. To this end, the personnel responsible will be convened and written processes will be issued to expedite the information requests and ensure their rapid submission. This will be in accordance with both state and federal regulations. Once the agreements are finalized, they will be submitted to the auditing firm. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS Review the accounting system to ensure consistency with SF– 425 reporting. Establish a protocol for the review and approval of financial reports. Designate a financial compliance officer to validate reports prior to submission. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Families and Children (ADFAN, by the Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS ADSEF has controls and procedural manuals related to data collection. As part of the digitization project process, ADSEF seeks to standardize procedures and ensure the organization and proper location of documents within the files. Annexes IMPLEMENTATION DATE Up to Date RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym) AUDITORS’ COMMENT ADSEF did not provide us with a manual describing the data collection process as requested during the auditing procedures. An unsigned and undated Manual was attached to the Corrective Action Plan. Also, ADSEF was required to provide us with the corresponding participant worksheet appendix and the physical file to corroborate the information included in the report. ADSEF provided us with evidence of the hand-completed forms; however, we were not provided with the physical files to validate the information included in each document. This represents a scope limitation.

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS It is recommended, among other things, to establish internal controls that provide certainty, effective monitoring, data validation, and accountability for those employees who execute the reporting processes. To this end, the personnel responsible will be convened and written processes will be issued to expedite the information requests and ensure their rapid submission. This will be in accordance with both state and federal regulations. Once the agreements are finalized, they will be submitted to the auditing firm. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS It is recommended, among other things, to establish internal controls that provide certainty, effective monitoring, data validation, and accountability for those employees who execute the reporting processes. To this end, the personnel responsible will be convened and written processes will be issued to expedite the information requests and ensure their rapid submission. This will be in accordance with both state and federal regulations. Once the agreements are finalized, they will be submitted to the auditing firm. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS We wish to clarify that the Puerto Rico Department of the Family does not maintain a standalone accounting system but rather records all financial transactions directly in the Puerto Rico Integrated Financial Accounting System (PRIFAS), the centralized accounting platform hosted by the Puerto Rico Treasury Department. Consequently, it is not necessary for PRDF to “update its accounting practices” or “implement” a new financial management system, since PRIFAS already provides a comprehensive and reporting framework that meets state and local agreement requirements. However, it is important to mention that the Certified Fiscal Plan for 2024, certified by the Financial Oversight and Management Board (FOMB), in Section 3.1.7.5, explicitly prioritizes the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to further centralize and streamline financial management across Commonwealth agencies. Once deployed, this ERP will enhance financial transparency, unify budgeting and procurement processes, support real-time transaction recording, and deliver centralized reporting consistent with public sector accounting standards, thereby addressing the core objectives of this finding. IMPLEMENTATION DATE Awaiting system implementation. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Office of the Secretariat and Administrations

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS Based on the audit report submitted, it is recommended that the Cash Management Section Procedures Manual be amended, and that the segregation of employee duties be identified. To this end, work has begun on reading and amending the Manual. It will be updated considering both state and federal regulations. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS In Process Develop an operational procedures manual for each program under Uniform Guidance. Include flow outlining key processes. Assign personnel responsible for each function and establish periodic review mechanisms. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Families and Children (ADFAN, by the Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS It is recommended, among other things, to establish internal controls that provide certainty, effective monitoring, data validation, and accountability for those employees who execute the reporting processes. To this end, the personnel responsible will be convened and written processes will be issued to expedite the information requests and ensure their rapid submission. This will be in accordance with both state and federal regulations. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS It is recommended, among other things, to establish internal controls that provide certainty, effective monitoring, data validation, and accountability for those employees who execute the reporting processes. To this end, the personnel responsible will be convened and written processes will be issued to expedite the information requests and ensure their rapid submission. This will be in accordance with both state and federal regulations. Once the agreements are finalized, they will be submitted to the auditing firm. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

VIEWS OF RESPONSIBLE OFFICIALS It is recommended, among other things, to establish internal controls that provide certainty, effective monitoring, data validation, and accountability for those employees who execute the reporting processes. To this end, the personnel responsible will be convened and written processes will be issued to expedite the information requests and ensure their rapid submission. This will be in accordance with both state and federal regulations. Once the agreements are finalized, they will be submitted to the auditing firm. IMPLEMENTATION DATE During Fiscal Year 2025-2026. RESPONSIBLE PERSON Administration for Socioeconomic Development of the Family (ADSEF, by its Spanish Acronym)

Finding 2023-003 - Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance and Material Noncompliance (Qualified Opinion) - Inadequate Tracking of Expenditures and Retention of Documentation: Activities Allowed or Unallowed: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles and Reporting (A/B/L) for Assistance Listing Number 19.510 and 93.567 Criteria: The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 200.510(b) states in part, “The auditee must also prepare a schedule of federal expenditures for the period covered by the auditee’s consolidated financial statements which must include the total Federal awards expended as determined in accordance with 200.502.” Also, in accordance with CFR Section 200.302(b) - Financial Management, the auditees financial management system must provide 1) identification of all federal awards received and expended; 2) accurate, current, and complete disclosure of the financial results of each federal award or program; 3) records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federally‐funded activities; 4) effective control over, and accountability for, all funds, property, and other assets; 5) comparison of expenditures with budget amounts for each Federal award; 6) written procedures to implement the requirements of section 200.305 and; 7) written procedures for determining the allowability of costs in accordance with Subpart E and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. Recipients of federal awards must submit accurate, complete and timely financial and performance reports. The Organization should have internal controls designed to ensure compliance with those provisions. The Organization should retain sufficient documentation such as invoice and allocation support for expenditures to retain documentation for audit purposes. Condition: During detail testing of expenditures, it was noted that the Organization did not maintain adequate documentation to support how certain costs were allocated to the federal program. Several transactions lacked sufficient detail, such as invoice or expense reimbursement form. Several expenditures selected for testing did not obtain sufficient approval by an individual at the Organization. It was noted that quarterly reports provided to the federal program were not reviewed by an individual at the Organization prior to submission to ensure accurate report of expenditures. Cause: The Organization does not have an adequate system in place to ensure quarterly reports have sufficient supporting documentation, proper approval/review, and accurate reporting prior to submission. Responsibilities for expenditure tracking were not clearly assigned, and there was no formal review process in place. The Organization is not following their Document Retention Policy. Effect: The effect of this condition increases the possibility that quarterly financial reports are misstated or inaccurate and increase the risk of noncompliance with federal requirements. The effect of this condition also increases the risk that expenditures are unallowable per the grant, federal regulations, or cost principles due to the insufficient support of proper approval retained. Questioned costs: None Repeat Finding: Yes - 2022-004 Recommendation: Policies and procedures should be in place to ensure quarterly financial reports are properly supported, accurately reported, and adequately approved and reviewed. A formal review process should be established to ensure compliance. The Organization should following the Document Retention Policy that was put in place and required by law. Management Response: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Management has taken steps to address these deficiencies in fiscal year 2025 including but not limited to: the implementation of a new accounting system that includes document retention and review/sign off logs, the engagement of a third-party CPA firm to provide client advisory and accounting services and the review and updating of accounting policies and procedures for best practices. Responsible Person for Corrective Action Plan: Marc Hall, Director of Operations Implementation Date for Corrective Action Plan: Fiscal year 2025

Finding 2023-003 Name of Responsible Individual: Carolina Liriano, Grant Manager; Holly Forester, Controller; Sheri Brady, VP and Chief Program Officer Corrective Action: CDF hired an Outsourced Grant Manager starting January 2025 who will assume comprehensive oversight of all facets of grant administration and compliance. The grant manager's duties will include ensuring that all reimbursement requests are substantiated by adequate documentation, such as actual invoices, payroll registers, and payment records. Key actions include:  Establishing a systematic process for the collection, organization, and retention of all requisite documents.  Implementing internal review and approval procedures to guarantee that every reimbursement request undergoes thorough vetting and receives approval prior to submission, with explicit documentation of the review process.  Instructing both existing and new personnel on these newly instituted procedures to prevent future inconsistencies. Anticipated Completion Date: December 31, 2025.

For recipients and subrecipients other than States, payment methods must minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds from the Federal agency or the pass-through entity and the disbursement of funds by the recipient or subrecipient regardless of whether the payment is made by electronic funds transfer or by other means. See § 200.302(b)(6). Except as noted in this part, the Federal agency must require recipients to use only OMB approved, government-wide information collections to request payment. The management of the Instuitution should reinforce its cash management procedures and internal controls to ensure the disbursement of funds in the required tme frame. Advance payment requests are done under the advance method to cover anticipated cash needs. The Federal drawdowns are requested by the Finance Office on a monthly basis and Drawdowns are based on budget forecasting and subrecipient encumbrances. All procedures for drawdowns were handled most efficiently and with proper accounting standards. However, there are instances that took more than five days to make the payments to some vendors because of invoices being received late, missing information, management resolved the issues with the vendors but the time it takes is longer than the five days. The finance department now is monitoring the upcoming expenditures and making the reimbursement request closely to the date of payments due to the vendors. Yusein Durakov (CFO) Brenda Ortiz (Business Specialist) Procedures have been implemented

Recommendation: We recommend that internal controls be strengthened and processes implemented to ensure all draw down requests are reviewed and approved to ensure costs were accurately reported and paid before requesting reimbursement. Grantee Response and Corrective Action Plan 2023-001: We concur with this finding and have implemented measures to mitigate the repetition or additional occurrences. Previously draw down documentation was uploaded to a shared folder, in which the CEO and Fiscal Manager had access. In 2024, we implemented additional procedures to document review of drawdowns and supporting documentation. Additionally, documentation includes attaining the CEO signature on draw down documentation before the draw down is made. Responsible Parties: Jemea Dorsey, CEO Date Corrected: April 30, 2024

Identifying Number: 2023-001; Lack of Written Policies and Procedures Recommendation: The Organization should develop and implement comprehensive written policies and procedures in accordance with the requirements of the Uniform Guidance. Action Taken: In response to the finding, management will take action to develop and implement the necessary written policies and procedures. Comprehensive training will be provided to all relevant staff to ensure compliance with federal requirements. Anticipated completion date: June 30, 2025 Name of contact person and title: Jeffrey Seymour, President / CEO

In alignment with this audit finding, Illuminate Colorado has implemented processes to improve working capital and address cash flow challenges, including:  improved invoicing procedures to ensure timely submission of invoices to minimize time elapsed between submission of invoices to funders and reimbursement of those invoices, and  seeking increased working capital via a larger line of credit or other source (foundation, corporate, or individual donations) In addition, Illuminate Colorado is in process of developing a Standard Operating Procedure to ensure consistent identification of vendors utilized for direct Federal assistance programs in order to prioritize payment of those vendors with federal drawdown receipts. Standard Operating Procedure will include:  Process to identify vendors paid with federal funds  Process to monitor invoice timelines of vendors paid with federal funds  Process to prioritize payments of vendors paid with federal funds following federal drawdowns  Process for internal review of payment timelines

Federal Award Findings Finding 2023-001 Lack of Internal Controls Over Cash Management Name of Contact Person: Galen Gilbert, First Chief Corrective Action Plan: AVC staff were unable to complete a drawdown for the HUD grants due to a change in staff. AVC is working with HUD to resolve the matter. AVC staff is currently drawing down all other funds in a timely matter. AVC has limited unrestricted cash. AVC is currently looking for opportunities to increase unrestricted cash, such as increasing prices for gas and electric. Proposed Completion Date: July 31, 2024

Condition: The Organization did not have appropriate segregation of duties surrounding the preparation and review of the monthly NIST schedules which accumulate the information necessary to calculate allowable costs and matching for drawdown requests. Further, while the Organization had written procedures over cash management, they were outdated and did not reflect the current staffing model. Planned Corrective Action: Subsequent to year end, the reorganized finance team put new controls and procedures in place. Moving forward the Accounting Supervisor will calculate the NIST MEP monthly program income which is used to determine the monthly award drawdown of cash from the available grant award funds. This is reviewed by the Controller and this report is used to create SF-425. Contact person responsible for corrective action: Alan Kowalewski, Controller Anticipated Completion Date: 07/01/24

A grant manager and grant-financial coordinator have been hired to work with the finance team to communicate the whole gamut of applicable elements of ASC 606. Also, we are purchasing a grant management system—not a manual Excel sheet- that can scan grants and identify conditions and restrictions.

Finding: 2023-005 • Condition: There are no written policies and procedures for allowable costs/cost principles, cash management, procurement and suspension and debarment requirements. • Planned Corrective Action: Financial policies and procedures will be created and implemented. Contact Person: Katherine Jaeger Anticipated Date of Completion: 6/30/2025

FA 2023-003 Improve Controls over Cash Management Compliance Requirement: Cash Management Internal Control Impact: Material Weakness Compliance Impact: Material Noncompliance Federal Awarding Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: Georgia Department of Education Assistance Listing Number and Title: 84.010 - Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies Federal Award Number: SO10A210010-21A (Year: 2022) SO10A220010 (Year: 2023) Questioned Costs: None Identified Repeat of Prior Year Finding: FA 2022-003, FA 2021-001, FA 2020-001, FA 2019-001, FA 2018-001, FA 2017-002, FA 2016-001, FA 2015-002, FA 2014-003 Description: The School District made cash drawdowns in excess of immediate cash needs for the Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies and Elementary and School Emergency Relief Fund programs. Corrective Action Plans: District office has put procedures in action to make sure that all drawdowns are in line with expenditures. All draw down packets will be viewed and singed off by federal programs director. This packet will include detail expenditure sheet for the month, year to date expenditure report and a cover sheet. Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2024 Contact Person: Torrence H. Freeman, III CFO Telephone: 706-665-8577 Email: tfreeman@talbot.k12.ga.us

FA 2023-003 Improve Controls over Cash Management Internal Control Impact: Material Weakness Compliance Impact: Material Noncompliance Prior Year Finding: None Description: The School District made cash drawdowns in excess of immediate cash needs for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund program. Corrective Action Plans: The district will implement procedures to ensure all drawdowns align with expenditures. The program director or coordinator will view and sign all draw- down packets. The packets will include detailed expenditure reports for the month and year-to-date of the expenditures that are a part of the requested drawdown. Estimated Completion Date: June 30, 2024 Contact Person: Daisy M. Prather, Finance Director Telephone: (478) 836-3131 extension 106 Email: daisy.prather@crawfordschools.org

Views of Responsible Officials: Federal grant requests and reporting is the function of three teams: Programs, Development and Finance. Prior to the hiring of the VP-Finance, the Associate Director, Grants Management and Compliance met with the Associate Director, Partnerships on a quarterly basis to discuss required program spend reimbursements and projected program cash needs prior to submitting the formal requests. With the onboarding of the new VP-Finance, internal review processes were changed to incorporate more robust segregation of duties, alignment with the internal cash management policies and procedures and formal review of drawdown requests prior to submission. The VP-Finance became a permanent employee in October 2024 so the anticipated completion date of this corrective action is the end of the respective calendar quarter (December 31, 2024).