Finding 395814 (2023-101)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-05-03
Audit: 305459

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Greater Phoenix Urban League failed to meet the required 25% match for federal funding, resulting in a shortfall of $828,835.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with the Allowable Costs/Cost Principles set by the City of Phoenix for the Head Start program.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Implement a review process for quarterly reports to ensure the organization meets matching requirements moving forward.

Finding Text

2023-101 – Allowable Costs/Cost Principle and Reporting (Material Weakness, Compliance Finding) Repeat Finding Federal program information: Funding agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Title: Head Start CFDA number: 93.600 Award number and years: 72609; July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 Pass-through grantor: City of Phoenix Compliance Requirements: Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Questioned Costs: $828,835 Criteria: The Pass-through Grantor, the City of Phoenix, requires that the Organization provide a 25% match (nonfederal share) of the federal funding. Condition: During fiscal year 2023, the total federal amounts reported for the Head Start program related to base and carryover funding was $7,542,594, which would require a $1,885,649 match based on 25%. Greater Phoenix Urban League was able to document a match of $1,056,814, a shortfall of $828,835. In addition, the sum of all in-kind/match reported on the expense reports requesting reimbursement from the City of Phoenix totaled $1,243,748 for fiscal year 2023, whereas the total match that could be supported totaled $1,056,814. Cause and Effect: Greater Phoenix Urban League did not adequately monitor the required match during the year, resulting in a reported match that was less than the required amount. Auditors’ Recommendations: Each quarterly report submitted to the granting agency should be analyzed to determine if the organization is meeting the required match. This finding is similar to prior year Finding 2022-101

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2023-101 Allowable Costs/Cost Principle and Reporting (Material Weakness Compliance Finding) Repeat Finding Responsible Individuals: William Bridgeman Chief Fiscal Officer Natalie Alvarez- Chief Operating Officer Head Start Director Corrective Action Plan: Greater Phoenix Urban League has received great support from our community partners by providing in-kind space in 4 school districts and the abundance of parent volunteer support for our Head Start program, however, the program struggles to identify the in-kind match during the turn to full on campus instruction. COVID19 has had a considerable impact on the programs ’s ability to meet the non-federal share obligation as families and community volunteers are not allowed fully back onto Head Start Campuses and enrollment has declined. The program was unable to open several classrooms due to lack of qualified staff and low enrollment. In the past, Greater Phoenix Urban League Head Start has relied heavily on in-kind Space as the main source of program match and with the closing of classrooms in-kind was very difficult to collect. We believe we have worked towards meeting the challenge of program in-kind match. We have used ARPA funds to develop “A grow your own program.” Greater Phoenix Urban League Head Start has recruited parents and the community to participant in a workforce development program to train and hire new Head Start staff as classroom aides and teacher assistances. We also have contracted with an organization to provided contracted instructional support to open up temporarily closed classrooms. The program will continue to identify non-federal share to meet the obligations of the grant award. COVID will continue to have an impact on the programs ’s ability to meet non-federal share but it certainly opens new channels of identifying non-federal share. The following steps are in progress of being implemented in fiscal year 23-24 within the grantee: • An internal control process has been developed to review the current system to document the resources for non-federal share. A Data Assistant will review and analyze at our process in collecting in kind. • Revised Policies and procedures will be developed to assisted instructional staff to collect parent volunteer hours. • Parent Policy Committee will be trained on the non-federal share in-kind as it relates to their important role within the Head Start Program. • Greater Phoenix Urban League Head Start will continue to review the internal control process annually to ensure compliance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards, federal regulations, and City of Phoenix Grantee regulations. • Greater Phoenix Urban League Chief Fiscal Officer, fiscal staff, Program Director and Grantee Fiscal and Program staff will meet monthly to review fiscal reporting and requirements, to ensure grant obligations are on track. • Greater Phoenix Urban League will continue their efforts to identify citywide partners that can provide non-federal share to the Head Start Program. • Greater Phoenix Urban League Chief Fiscal Officer, fiscal staff, Program Director and Grantee Fiscal and Program staff will meet monthly to review fiscal reporting and requirements, to ensure grant obligations are on track. • All third-party appraisals will be conducted in May 2024 to reflect the current market value of space and real property. • The activities mentioned above will assist the Greater Phoenix Urban League-Head Start Program in meeting its obligations in the coming years. Anticipated Completion Date: Ongoing throughout the contract period on an annualized basis. May 1, 2024

Categories

Questioned Costs Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Cash Management Material Weakness Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 395815 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 395816 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 395817 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 395818 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 395819 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 395820 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 395821 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 395822 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 395823 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 395824 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 395825 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972256 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972257 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 972258 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972259 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972260 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 972261 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972262 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972263 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 972264 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972265 2023-101
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 972266 2023-102
    Material Weakness
  • 972267 2023-103
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.600 Head Start $323,405
10.558 Child and Adult Care Food Program $80,442
93.185 Immunization Research, Demonstration, Public Information and Education_training and Clinical Skills Improvement Projects $40,000
84.371 Striving Readers $38,628
10.551 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $23,941
59.077 Community Navigator Pilot Program $22,500
84.027 Special Education_grants to States $21,800