Finding 1175791 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-02-28

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a significant deficiency in internal controls over compliance with allowable costs for the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
  • Impacted Requirements: Section 200 of the Code of Federal Regulations mandates strong internal controls to prevent noncompliance with allowable cost principles.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a prior approval process for all grant expenditures and ensure documentation of approvals is maintained.

Finding Text

Finding 2025-002: Allowable costs and activities – Significant deficiency in internal controls over compliance. ALN 93.575 Child Care and Development Block Grant Criteria: Section 200 of the Code of Federal Regulations requires recipients to implement robust internal controls to reduce the risk of noncompliance with allowable cost principles for all transactions allocated to the grant. Management’s response: See corrective action plan. Condition: During allowable cost and activities other cost testing for the program, 7 out of 40 samples did not include approval of the invoice prior to being allocated to the grant activities. Cause: As of May 31, 2025, the Organization does not have a standard procedure in place to ensure proper controls over allowable costs and activities allocated to federal grants. Effect: Internal controls over the program were not properly designed to reduce the risk of noncompliance. Questioned Costs: None. Recommendation: In order to comply with the Code of Federal Regulations, we recommend the Organization implement a prior approval process of all grant expenditures. In addition, support of approval should be documented and kept on file.

Corrective Action Plan

Management Response: TXAEYC acknowledges that during testing, certain samples did not include documented approval of invoices prior to allocation to grant activities. We recognize the need for robust internal controls to reduce the risk of noncompliance. To remedy this, the organization will implement a strict prior approval process for all grant expenditures. We will update our standard operating procedures to ensure that every invoice is reviewed and approved by authorized personnel before being allocated to the grant. Furthermore, all support for these approvals will be documented and kept on file to ensure a clear audit trail. Parties Responsible and Timeline Updates to the expenditure approval procedures in the Accounting Manual will be drafted by the Executive Director and Accountant and submitted to the Finance Committee and Governing Board for approval by April 30, 2026. Implementation of the prior approval documentation process will begin immediately upon Board approval.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1175789 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175790 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175792 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175793 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1175794 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
84.371 COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY DEVELOPMENT $533,238
93.575 CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT $400,000
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $64,096