Finding 1101631 (2024-001)

Material Weakness
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-01

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization lacks proper documentation and internal controls for costs related to the federal award program, leading to discrepancies in the general ledger.
  • Impacted Requirements: Federal regulations require that all allowable costs be adequately documented and allocated, which the Organization failed to do.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement monthly journal entries for administrative allocations, improve documentation retention, and establish controls to prevent reclassification of expenses post-reimbursement by March 31, 2025.

Finding Text

Finding Number 2024-001 Assistance Listing # 21.027 - Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Allowable Activities and Costs Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting and Compliance Immaterial Noncompliance Criteria: Federal regulations 2 CFR Part 200, §200.403(g) require allowable costs be adequately documented. Condition: The Organization did not retain general ledger supporting detail of the costs directly coded to the federal award program and requested for reimbursement. Further, the Organization does not allocate administrative costs directly within the general ledger. Cause: A breakdown in procedures, partially attributable to the federal award program being new during the year, led to expenses being coded to the federal award program within the general ledger that were not submitted for reimbursement. In some cases, expense coding was changed after reimbursement requests were submitted, thereby effectively reclassifying expenses into the federal award program within the general ledger, or out of the federal award program. Additionally, the Organization does not journalize the allocation of administrative costs to specific federal award programs within the general ledger. Effect: As a result of this condition, the Organization's general ledger does not reconcile to the total expenses requested for reimbursement for the federal award program. The general ledger supports expenses of approximately $13,000 less than the reimbursements received, because it excludes the administrative costs allocation. Administrative costs claimed for reimbursement approximated $15,000, and when combined with expenses directly coded to the federal award program, total expenses exceed the reimbursements received, therefore, there are no questioned costs. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: We recommend management develop procedures whereby administrative allocations are journalized monthly to each applicable program. Upon submitting reimbursement requests, the Organization should retain documentation for each federal award program that supports the costs claimed for reimbursement. Management's Response: The Organization acknowledges the finding and agrees with the auditors' recommendations. We recognize the importance of maintaining accurate documentation and financial controls to ensure compliance with federal regulations. To address the finding, the Organization will implement the following corrective actions: 1) Journalizing administrative allocations - effective March 31, the Organization will implement a procedure to allocate administrative costs to each applicable federal award program through monthly journal entries within the general ledger. 2) Improved documentation retention - the Organization will establish a process to retain supporting documentation for all costs submitted for reimbursement, ensuring alignment between the general ledger and reimbursement requests. 3) Internal controls for expense classification - the Organization will implement additional controls to prevent expenses from being reclassified within the general ledger after reimbursement requests have been submitted. Any necessary adjustments will be documented with a clear audit trail. These corrective actions will be fully implemented by March 31, 2025, will include and cover all such costs from the start of the fiscal year which began October 1, 2024, and management will monitor compliance to ensure ongoing adherence to these procedures. Responsible Party for Corrective Action: Bryce Hundley, Director of Finance Anticipated Completion Date: February 2025

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Cash Management Material Weakness Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 525189 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 525190 2024-001
    Material Weakness
  • 1101632 2024-001
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $264,486
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $196,550
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $155,578
15.931 Youth and Veteran Organizations Conservation Activities $103,309
93.623 Basic Center Grant $101,357
16.021 Justice Systems Response to Families $76,202
10.699 Partnership Agreements $60,899
10.729 Inflation Reduction Act - National Forest System $36,384
10.682 National Forest Foundation $34,747
94.006 Americorps State and National 94.006 $11,935
93.052 National Family Caregiver Support, Title Iii, Part E $10,791
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $6,662
81.041 State Energy Program $1,297