Finding 1226948 (2024-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2026-08-14
Audit: 409144
Auditor: WHITTLESEY PC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Payroll costs are allocated based on estimates rather than actual time worked, leading to potential inaccuracies in grant funding.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR §200.430(i) is not met, as there is a lack of documentation supporting salary allocations to specific activities.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Strengthen payroll allocation processes by implementing formal tracking methods, ensuring documentation of actual time spent, and conducting regular reviews to align costs with actual activities.

Finding Text

Finding No. 2024-003: Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles –Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance (Payroll) Federal Program Name: All Pass-through Entity: All Federal Assistance Listing Number: All Criteria In accordance with 2 CFR §200.430(i), charges to federal awards for salaries and wages are required to be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must support the distribution of the employee’s salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives. Condition The Organization allocates employees’ payroll costs to grants based on an estimate. Although the payroll allocation is periodically reviewed and revised, differences from actual time and effort can result due to an estimate being used. Questioned Costs Unknown. Context The Organization allocated payroll costs to multiple funding sources based on estimates during the audit period and did not maintain formal documentation to support allocations based on actual time and effort. Effect The employee time and payroll costs that are charged to the grant could differ from the actual time and payroll costs expended in support of the grant activities. Cause The Organization does not have established procedures to ensure that salaries and wages charged to federal awards are supported by records that accurately reflect the work performed. Documentation of personnel expenses should support the distribution of the employee's salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives if the employee works on more than one federal award; a federal award and non-federal award; an indirect cost activity and a direct cost activity; two or more indirect activities allocated using different allocation bases; or an unallowable activity and a direct or indirect cost activity. Repeat Finding No Recommendation We recommend that management strengthen processes over payroll cost allocations to ensure amounts charged to funding sources are supported by documented actual time and effort. This may include implementing a formal methodology for allocating payroll costs, establishing procedures for employees to track or otherwise document time spent by program or funding source, and performing periodic reviews and adjustments based on actual activity. In addition, management should ensure that sufficient documentation is maintained to support how payroll costs are allocated and that such processes are consistently applied. Management’s Response/View of Responsible Officials Management agrees with this finding, see the Corrective Action Plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Management agrees with the finding that payroll costs charged to HUD-funded programs were based on estimated allocations and did not consistently reflect actual time and effort in accordance with 2 CFR §200.430 (Compensation—Personal Services) and applicable HUD program requirements. Management acknowledges the requirement that personnel costs charged to HUD awards (e.g., CDBG, HOME, CoC) must be supported by records that accurately reflect work performed on eligible program activities. Corrective Actions Implemented: The Organization has strengthened internal controls over payroll allocation for HUD-funded programs by implementing a formal monthly review and reconciliation process based on after-the-fact determinations of actual activity. Under this enhanced process: • Payroll costs charged to HUD awards are reviewed monthly and supported by documentation that reflects actual time and effort by eligible activity and funding source. • Payroll distribution reports are evaluated for accuracy, allowability, and alignment with HUD-eligible program activities. • Allocated payroll costs are compared to actual program delivery (e.g., beneficiary services, project activities, administrative vs. program caps, where applicable). • Timely cost adjustments are recorded, as necessary, to ensure payroll charges are properly aligned with work performed and eligible cost objectives. • All adjustments are documented, reviewed, and approved by appropriate supervisory and finance personnel. Expected Outcome: Management believes these corrective actions will ensure that payroll costs charged to HUD-funded programs are accurate, allowable, properly documented, and aligned with eligible program activities, and fully compliant with Uniform Guidance and HUD requirements. These enhancements will strengthen internal controls, improve reporting reliability (including IDIS/financial reporting where applicable), and reduce the risk of noncompliance in future monitoring or audit reviews.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1226941 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226942 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226943 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226944 2024-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226945 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226946 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226947 2024-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226949 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226950 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226951 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226952 2024-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226953 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1226954 2024-005
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.267 CONTINUUM OF CARE PROGRAM $315,880
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $24,471
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $20,000