Finding 1239103 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-09-30
Audit: 413958
Organization: Wellspring Living, Inc. (GA)
Auditor: GBQ PARTNERS LLC

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Organization lacked effective controls for timely financial statement preparation and review, leading to errors that required restatement of the December 31, 2024 financial statements.
  • Impacted Requirements: Management failed to ensure accurate and complete financial reporting, risking material misstatements in significant account balances and disclosures.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a formal monthly and year-end financial-close process with documented reconciliations and independent reviews to enhance accuracy and compliance.

Finding Text

Finding Number: 2025-001 Type of Finding: Material Weakness over Financial Reporting Repeat Finding: No Federal Award Impact: None Criteria Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, including controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial transactions are recorded in the proper period, account balances are accurate and complete, financial statements and disclosures are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and material misstatements are prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis. Condition The Organization did not maintain effective controls over the timely preparation and review of financial statements and related disclosures. During the audit, errors in the Organization’s previously issued December 31, 2024 financial statements were identified related to receivables, construction in progress, accumulated depreciation, accrued liabilities, net-asset classification and revenue. These errors resulted in a restatement of the previously issued financial statements. Cause Management’s period-end close and financial-reporting review procedures were not sufficiently designed or operating effectively to identify and correct material errors in significant account balances and related financial-statement disclosures before the financial statements were issued. Specifically, controls over the reconciliation and review of construction in progress, accumulated depreciation, accrued liabilities, accounts receivable, revenue recognition and cutoff, and net-asset classifications were not performed with sufficient precision or were not timely documented and reviewed. Effect or potential effect The Organization’s previously issued December 31, 2024 financial statements were restated. The restatement affected receivables, construction in progress, accumulated depreciation, accrued liabilities, net assets with and without donor restrictions and revenue. As a result, there is a reasonable possibility that material misstatements in the Organization’s financial statements could occur and not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis. Recommendation We recommend that management establish, implement, and document a formal monthly and year-end financial-close process. The process should include: • Timely preparation and independent review of reconciliations for significant statement of financial position and statement of activities accounts. • Review and reconciliation of CIP, depreciation calculations, construction-related invoices, and retainage. • Formal review of accounts receivable aging and pledges receivable, customer balances, revenue recognition, revenue cutoff, collectability, and subsequent cash receipts. • Documented review of donor restrictions, releases from restriction, and net-asset classifications. • A final review of proposed adjusting journal entries, the financial statements, and all disclosures by an individual with appropriate technical accounting knowledge before issuance. • Retained evidence of preparation, review, resolution of review comments, and approval. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective action Management agrees with the finding. Management will enhance its month-end and year-end close procedures by implementing documented reconciliations and supervisory review controls over significant accounts, including accounts receivable and revenue, capital assets and construction in progress, accrued liabilities, and net-asset classifications.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2025-001: Material Weakness over Financial Reporting Management’s Response Management agrees with the finding and the auditor’s recommendation. Management recognizes that Wellspring’s period-end close and financial reporting review procedures during the audit period did not provide sufficient assurance that material errors in significant account balances and related financial statement disclosures would be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis. The deficiencies identified during the audit occurred within a broader financial management and internal control environment that was not sufficiently developed for the size and complexity of Wellspring. During 2024 and 2025, the Organization relied extensively on an outsourced Client Accounting Services arrangement. Under this arrangement, the Organization’s accounting was migrated to Sage Intacct using base templates that were not sufficiently tailored to Wellspring’s unique financial reporting and operational requirements. As a result, the Organization did not have sufficiently developed and consistently executed processes for account reconciliation, period-end close, financial statement review, or related supervisory oversight, and the accounting system did not provide an adequate level of configuration and automated control to support these processes. Management accepts responsibility for these conditions and has taken significant steps to address them. Wellspring has strengthened its internal financial operations through the recruitment of experienced nonprofit financial leadership and accounting personnel and is implementing a comprehensive remediation of its financial reporting processes, internal controls, and accounting system. As part of this remediation, the Organization has engaged the software consultancy firm Armanino to conduct a comprehensive review of its accounting system. Based on the results of that review, Armanino will proceed to assist management with a System Remediation Project, which will include the implementation of Sage Intacct’s Advanced Grants Tracking module and Fixed Assets module, as well as a redesign of other system configurations and controls. Management believes its current structure combining internal staffing with external consulting resources positions Wellspring to effectively build and maintain an effective internal control framework over financial reporting. Corrective Action Plan Management is implementing a formal, documented monthly and year-end financial close process designed to provide consistent evidence that significant accounts and financial statement areas have been reconciled, reviewed, and appropriately supported before financial statements are finalized. The corrective action plan includes the following: 1. Formal monthly close process and close checklist Management is implementing a standardized monthly close checklist establishing required procedures, responsible parties, due dates, and supervisory review for significant financial statement accounts. 2. Account reconciliations and supervisory review Significant statement of financial position and statement of activities accounts will be reconciled and supported on a timely basis. Reconciliations will be subject to documented supervisory review, including evidence of review, resolution of reconciling items, and follow-up on outstanding or unusual balances. 3. Capital assets and construction in progress Management is strengthening procedures for capital assets and construction in progress, including reconciliation and review of capital additions, construction-related invoices, retainage, and depreciation. The implementation of the Sage Intacct Fixed Assets module will provide better system support for the Organization’s fixed asset accounting. 4. Accounts receivable and revenue Management is implementing documented review procedures for accounts receivable aging, pledges and other receivables, revenue recognition and cutoff, collectability, and subsequent cash receipts. The implementation of the Sage Intacct Advanced Grants Tracking module will also provide better system support for these processes. 5. Accrued liabilities and period-end cutoff Management is strengthening procedures for identifying, recording, and reviewing accrued liabilities and other period-end obligations to ensure that expenses and liabilities are recorded in the appropriate reporting period. 6. Net asset classification and donor restrictions The initial installation of Sage Intacct was not optimally configured for the efficient tracking of net asset classes and releases from restriction. The ability to record and view purpose and time restrictions within the general ledger and supporting modules is a key emphasis of the system remediation project. New dimensions and documented procedures will allow Wellspring to reliably track net asset classifications and reconcile supporting schedules to the general ledger and financial statement presentation. 7. Journal entry and system controls Management is strengthening controls over journal entries and transaction recording, including appropriate review, approval, and segregation of responsibilities. New system configuration controls include approval workflows, more restrictive user permissions, use of the period close function, and restrictions on direct posting to control accounts and subledger journals. The new controls will be further evaluated and developed as part of the system remediation project. 8. Financial statement and disclosure review Prior to issuance, the financial statements and related disclosures will undergo a documented review by personnel with appropriate technical accounting knowledge. Proposed audit adjustments and other significant adjusting journal entries will likewise be subject to management review and approval. 9. Documentation and evidence of review Management is establishing requirements for retaining evidence of supervisory review, review comments, and resolution of identified issues. The objective is to ensure that the Organization can demonstrate both that controls were performed and that identified issues were appropriately evaluated and resolved. Wellspring’s Board of Directors will meet with administration at least once per quarter to review the financial statements. 10. Ongoing monitoring and internal control improvement The Senior Director of Finance will oversee implementation and ongoing monitoring of these procedures and will continue to evaluate the Organization’s financial reporting processes, accounting system configuration, and other internal controls as part of the Organization’s broader remediation efforts. Responsible Official Casey Richey Senior Director of Finance Anticipated Completion Date The enhanced monthly and year-end close procedures and related supervisory review controls are being implemented during 2026. Management expects the core remediation activities to be substantially implemented by December 31, 2026, with the controls becoming part of Wellspring’s ongoing monthly and annual financial reporting processes thereafter. Management will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the implemented controls and make additional modifications as necessary to ensure that the financial reporting process provides reasonable assurance that material errors are prevented or detected and corrected on a timely basis.

Categories

Reporting Material Weakness

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1239088 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239089 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239090 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239091 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239092 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239093 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239094 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239095 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239096 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239097 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239098 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239099 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239100 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239101 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1239102 2025-001
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
16.320 SERVICES FOR TRAFFICKING VICTIMS $164,807
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $147,955
16.575 CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE $147,157
93.958 BLOCK GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES $85,842