Finding 1152990 (2024-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-09-15

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization lacks a consistent approval process for expenditures, risking unauthorized payments.
  • Impacted Requirements: Responsibilities for transaction authorization, recording, and asset custody are not properly segregated.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure a management member or Board member reviews and initials all disbursements to confirm approval and prevent self-approvals.

Finding Text

United States Department of the Treasury Federal Assistance Listing Number 21.027 2024-03: Approval for expenditures Criteria: The assignment of responsibilities should be segregated so that one person is not responsible for the authorization and recording of a transaction and the custody of the related asset. Approvals should be noted on all expenditures by an individual outside of the recordkeeping and custody functions to provide reasonable assurance that transactions are allowable and appropriate for the Organization. Condition: The Organization does not consistently document an approval process on source documents for expenditure. Effect: Activities or costs that are not allowed or allowable could potentially be paid, as well as errors or intentional fraud could occur and not be detected timely by management in the normal course of their responsibilities. Cause: There are no procedures in place to ensure source documents are consistently approved by a member of management prior to payment. Identification of a repeat finding: This is repeat finding from the immediate previous audit. Recommendation: We recommend that a member of management or the Board of Directors review and authorize all disbursements, as well as travel reimbursements. This authorization should be evidenced by the initialing of each disbursement reviewed. We also recommend that care be taken to ensure the payee is not approving reimbursements to themselves and that a member of the Board approves those reimbursements. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: The Organization agrees with this finding and will adhere to the corrective action plan on page 36 in this audit report.

Corrective Action Plan

2024-03: Approval for expenditures Name of contact person: Rhonda Gordon, Program Coordinator Corrective Action: A member of management or the Board of Directors will review and authorize all disbursements. This authorization will be evidenced by the initialing of each disbursement reviewed. Proposed completion date: The Board will implement the above procedure immediately.

Categories

Cash Management

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1152980 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152981 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152982 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152983 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152984 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152985 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152986 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152987 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152988 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152989 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1152991 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
15.631 Partners for Fish and Wildlife $698,738
17.289 Community Project Funding/congressionally Directed Spending $606,427
10.862 Rural Decentralized Water Systems Grant Program $70,556
10.868 Rural Energy for America Program $53,777
10.443 Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers $52,334
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $48,815
15.608 Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species $45,450
10.912 Environmental Quality Incentives Program $42,614
10.902 Soil and Water Conservation $42,316
66.419 Water Pollution Control State, Interstate, and Tribal Program Support $41,839
66.460 Nonpoint Source Implementation Grants $39,605
10.446 Rural Community Development Initiative $30,000
15.657 Endangered Species Recovery Implementation $24,576
15.630 Coastal $2,500