Finding 1208891 (2025-002)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
H
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-04-27

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization incurred $348 in expenses outside the allowed timeframe for the 2025 federal grant.
  • Impacted Requirements: Federal regulations mandate that costs must be incurred within the grant's performance period.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Establish a review process to ensure expenses are recorded in the correct grant period.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Federal Program Name: LSC Grants Assistance Listing Number: 09.742018 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 09.742018 2025 Award Period: 1/1/2025-12/31/2025 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance • Other Matters Criteria or specific requirement: Federal regulations require allowable costs under federal awards to be incurred during the federal award grant period. Condition: During our testing, we noted the Organization incurred expenses in one transaction totaling $348 in our testing sample of 15 transactions outside of the period of performance for the 2025 award. Context: The instance was noted during our testing of transactions at the beginning and end of the 2025 grant period of performance. Questioned costs: $348 Cause: Based on the dollar amount of the transaction and timing of receipt of the invoice for the expenses, the Organization recorded the immaterial transaction in 2025 rather than in 2024 when the expense was incurred. Effect: Expenditures for federal awards are incurred outside of the period of performance and may not be allowable expenses if outside of that period. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: The Organization should implement a review process for proper cutoff of federal expenditures incurred during a grant’s period of performance to ensure only expenses incurred during current periods are included. Views of responsible officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

LSC Grants (Basic and Native American) – Assistance Listing No. 09.742018 Recommendation: The Organization should implement a review process for proper cutoff of federal expenditures incurred during a grant’s period o fperformance to ensure only expenses incurred during current periods are included. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: The Organization respectfully disagrees to the extent the finding suggests a reporting deficiency related to the specific item identified. As reflected in the audit correspondence, the underlying accrual in question was reviewed and determined by both the Organization’s accounting support and the auditors to be immaterial, and no adjustment was recommended or required. However, the Organization acknowledges the value of formalizing documentation of its review procedures to ensure consistency and clarity in all reporting determinations. Action taken in response to finding: Notwithstanding the above, the Organization will implement a formalized review and documentation process for financial and performance reports to ensure that all determinations—including immaterial items—are consistently reviewed, documented, and supported. This will include: • A standardized report review checklist • Documentation of materiality assessments and related decisions • Secondary review and approval prior to submission This process will be incorporated into the Organization’s accounting procedures and applied consistently across all LSC-funded grants. In addition, the revision to the Accounting Manual will be submitted to LSC for its review. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: William Sulik, Interim Executive Director and Lori Stanford, Deputy Director Planned completion date for corrective action plan: June 30, 2026

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Period of Performance Significant Deficiency Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1208890 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1208892 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1208893 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1208894 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1208895 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1208896 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1208897 2025-005
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
09.U02 Basic Field Grant - Native American $1.83M
09.U01 Basic Field Grant - Basic $587,202
16.815 TRIBAL CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE $119,309
93.044 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGING, TITLE III, PART B, GRANTS FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND SENIOR CENTERS $91,721
16.021 JUSTICE SYSTEMS RESPONSE TO FAMILIES $4,290