Finding 1229756 (2022-003)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
G
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2026-09-14
Audit: 410987
Organization: GROW FOOD dba Viva Farms (WA)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a significant deficiency in internal controls over compliance for matching transactions in the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program.
  • Impacted Requirements: The lack of documented review and approval violates 2 CFR 200.303(a), which mandates effective internal controls for federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should establish and implement documented review and approval processes for matching transactions to ensure compliance and accuracy.

Finding Text

2022-003 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Program Name: Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program Assistance Listing Number: 10.175 Federal Award Identification Number and Year: 2020: AM200100XXXXG176 Award Period: September 30, 2020 to September 29, 2023 Type of Finding: • Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Criteria or specific requirement: 2 CFR 200.303(a) states that a nonfederal entity must "Establish, document, and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the recipient or subrecipient is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: All eight transactions selected for testing of matching requirements lacked evidence of review and approval controls to ensure the transactions were allowable and appropriately applied to matching requirements. Questioned costs: None. Context: There are no documented controls surrounding transaction-level matching contributions to ensure they are allowable and properly coded to the federal program. However, a running total of matching is included on the form SF-270 that is reviewed and approved, as evidenced by the executive director's signature. Cause: Existing policies and procedures governing matching transactions do not require documented review and approval. Effect: A lack of documented controls over matching transactions could result in inaccurate, unsupported, or inappropriate reporting of matching contributions. Repeating finding: No. Recommendation: We recommend management implement a documented review and approval for matching transactions. View of responsible officials: Management agrees with the finding and has provided its corrective action plan.

Corrective Action Plan

Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program– Assistance Listing No. 10.175 Recommendation: To implement a documented review and approval for matching transactions. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: Management will implement a quarterly review and approval process for grant matching transactions, performed separately for each grant program. For each program, a spreadsheet summarizing that program's matching transactions received during the prior quarter will be prepared and sent to the Executive Director for review. The Executive Director's approval will be documented via email for each program, retained along with the corresponding supporting spreadsheet as evidence of review. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Rob Smith Planned completion date for corrective action plan: September 30, 2026

Categories

Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Subrecipient Monitoring Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1229752 2022-002
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1229753 2022-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1229754 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1229755 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1229757 2022-005
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1229758 2022-006
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.311 BEGINNING FARMER AND RANCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM $168,956
10.175 FARMERS MARKET AND LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM $166,665
10.170 SPECIALTY CROP BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM - FARM BILL $137,548
10.310 AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE (AFRI) $124,425
10.912 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM $81,502
10.500 COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE $45,537
10.351 RURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GRANT $21,396
10.575 FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM $20,423
10.215 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION $4,918
10.255 RESEARCH INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT GRANTS IN ECONOMIC (RIDGE) $2,701