Finding 1155469 (2024-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-09-26

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. lacks adequate internal controls, leading to potential misallocation of payroll costs to the federal award.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR Part 200 is not met, as payroll expenses charged do not align with actual salary expenses.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a formal review process to ensure payroll allocations are based on actual time and effort, addressing the repeat finding.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: U.S. Department of State Federal Program Name: Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges Assistance Listing Number: 19.415 Award Period: July 26, 2022- September 30, 2025; September 14, 2022- September 30, 2026 Type of Finding: • Material Weakness in Internal Control over Compliance • Material Noncompliance (Modified Opinion) Criteria: 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Award requires compliance with the provisions of allowable costs. American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. should have internal controls designed to ensure compliance with those provisions. Condition: During our testing of payroll expenditures, we noted American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. did not have adequate internal controls designed to ensure only allowable costs were charged to the award. Questioned costs: Unknown Context: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. is charging to the award based on the budgeted payroll expenses which does not correspond with the actual salary expense that should have been allocated to the award. As a whole, payroll charged to the award is not in excess of the budgeted amount. Cause: Management believed that they should charge the award based on budget. Effect: The effect is that salaries charged may not represent the award's allocable share. Repeat Finding: Yes, 2023-001 Recommendation: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. should formalize review over allocations to the award to ensure that allocations are based on actual time and effort. Views of Responsible Officials: Management is not in agreement with the finding. See separate corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges - Assistance Listing No. 19.415 Recommendation: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. should formalize review over allocations to the award to ensure that allocations are based on actual time and effort. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. does not agree with the finding. American Institute For Foreign Study Foundation, Inc. has been charging the correct actual hours and the actual rates that have been approved in the budget. What has not been adjusted and captured are the raises that individuals get during the time they are working on the grant (which cross a calendar year). This would result in more salary being charged to the grant. In the future, we will ensure any employee rate increases get charged to the grant so that we do not under charge the grant. Action taken in response to finding: Management will ensure the actual salary is ultimately charged to the awards. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: James Mahoney, CFO Planned completion date for corrective action plan: August 31 , 2025

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1155468 2024-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155470 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1155471 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
19.415 Professional and Cultural Exchange Programs - Citizen Exchanges $555,260