Finding 574462 (2024-001)

-
Requirement
P
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-08-22
Audit: 364796
Organization: Adjoin (CA)
Auditor: Jgd & Associates

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The organization failed to comply with grant agreement terms, leading to seven compliance deficiencies in the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program.
  • Impacted Requirements: Key requirements include proper tracking of administrative expenses, maintaining documentation for all costs, and ensuring compliance with federal regulations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should improve internal controls by accurately recording administrative expenses, ensuring proper approvals for supplemental pay, and implementing comprehensive compliance policies.

Finding Text

Adjoin Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs Year Ended December 31, 2024 Section II - Financial Statement Findings Section None noted. Section III - Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs Section 1. Finding Number: Finding 2024-001 Program Name: Supportive Services for Veterans Families: CFDA 64.033 Pass Through Agency: N/A Type of Finding: Other matters, compliance a. Criteria: Failure to comply with the grant agreement’s terms and applicable regulations: The Organization did not comply with grant compliance requirements such as tracking administrative expenses charged to the program outside of the general ledger and in other matters noted in Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) reviews. b. Condition: During our audit, JGD reviewed the results of all reviews for the SSVF grant and noted seven compliance deficiencies were indicated in the reporting period. These deficiencies resulted in a failure of controls over compliance. Under the SSVF Program, a minimum of 90% of supportive services grant funds must be used to provide and coordinate the provision of supportive services to very lowincome Veteran families who are occupying permanent housing. A maximum of 10% of supportive services grant funds may be used for administrative costs. Per Section 62.70 of the 38 CFR Part 62, administrative costs are defined as all direct and indirect costs associated with the indirect, of subcontractors. SSVF requires grantees to provide support documentation (payroll records, invoices, receipts etc.) for all costs and expenses associated with the administration of the SSVF grant. Administrative costs should be placed in the Administrative section of an SSVF program budget. An approved Indirect Cost Rate is not considered adequate support or source documentation for costs listed in the Administrative section of the budget. Grantees are required to have a detailed breakout of these administrative costs along with any supporting documents for those expenses for auditing and oversight. Title 2 CFR 200.302 requires the financial management system of each non-Federal entity provide “records that identify adequately the source and application of funds for federally-funded activities. These records must contain information pertaining to Federal awards, authorizations, obligations, unobligated balances, assets, expenditures, income and interest and be supported by source documentation.” These citations are included for informational purposes:  Fiscal Administration – Administrative Expenses: Administrative expenses were not recorded in the general ledger, resulting in questioned costs.  Fiscal Administration – Unallowed Supplemental Pay: Five employees did not have evidence to support reasonableness and compliance with incentive compensation requirements, resulting in questioned costs. 25 Adjoin Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs Year Ended December 31, 2024  Fiscal Administration – Inadequate TFA Identification: TFA expenses were not paid through credit card charges in the general ledger. This deficiency was cleared as corrective action was taken during the review.  Participant Eligibility – HMIS Release of Information Forms: Four case files were missing HMIS Release of Information Forms for household members over the age of 18.  Participant Eligibility – Missing Income Eligibility Documentation: Three case files missing income eligibility documents for Veterans and one case file missing income eligibility documents for Veteran and household members at certification of eligibility events.  Participant Eligibility – Missing Exit Checklist: Five case files did not include exit checklist documentation. This deficiency was cleared as corrective action was taken during the review.  Program Operations – Inadequate MOU: MOU for a legal subcontractor was missing required elements, including expectations and requirements for quarterly assessments and annual monitoring of performance, listing of only eligible/allowable legal services, highlighting of response time expectations and requirements to support payments, and account for Veterans that have been separated from the program and those in need of long-term legal services. c. Context: Recipients of Federal grants are required to comply with all terms and applicable regulations of grant agreements. d. Questioned Costs: Administrative expenses resulted in $937,794 and supplemental pay resulted in $1,500 in questioned costs. The Organization has disputed both findings noting the expenses are itemized within their internal tracking files and that the costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable. The Organization has received no response from the agency. e. Cause: Internal accounting procedures, lack of compliance policies, and lack of training over verification and documentation processes, resulting in a failure of controls over compliance. f. Effect: Considered to be an other matter related to internal control over compliance. g. Recommendation: Management should take steps to ensure that all administrative expenses are properly recorded in the general ledger, supplemental pay is approved with proper evidence of approvals, and proper documentation and policies are in place to comply with all grant compliance requirements. We recommend that management closely monitor areas of non-compliance as noted in the licensing reviews. Section IV – Schedule of Prior Year Findings and Questioned Costs None noted.

Corrective Action Plan

June 26, 2025 JGD & Associates LLP 9191 Towne Centre Drive Suite 340 San Diego, California 92122 Re: Corrective Action Plan Dear JGD & Associates LLP, The following are responses to the program audit findings from the most recent audit of Adjoin. 1. Current Year Findings 2024-001 a. Program Name: Supportive Services for Veterans Families: CFDA 64.033 b. Criteria: Failure to comply with the grant agreement’s terms and applicable regulations: The Organization did not comply with grant compliance requirements such as tracking administrative expenses charged to the program outside of the general ledger and in other matters noted in licensing reviews. c. Condition: The Organization has failed to comply with grant requirements due to lack of proper tracking of administrative expenses, limited compliance policies including approval over supplemental pay wages, and lack of proper training over verification and documentation processes. d. Response: The organization has been successfully running the SSVF program for 11+ years and tracking/calculating administrative costs utilizing offline Excel spreadsheets since inception which provided a low cost and flexible solution for our accounting team. However, as an outcome of our last SSVF audit and due to the size and scope of our SSVF operations, the VA is requiring Adjoin to cease maintaining offline spreadsheets and ensure that all SSVF grant costs are logged in the general ledger. We're partnering with JMT Consulting (our Sage Intacct solution provider) for their assistance in implementing a new Dynamic Allocation Module to our Sage platform allowing click thru capabilities to all of the administrative costs that hit the grant (not to exceed 10%). We're committed to rolling out this functionality and are excited about the efficiencies it will bring to the team along with ensuring compliance with VA requirements. 2. Prior Year Finding 2023-001 None noted. Contact person responsible for corrective action: Pat Phelan, CFO Completion date: August 31, 2025 If you have any questions regarding this plan, please contact Pat Phelan, CFO, 858- 292-2030, pat.phelan@adjoin.org. Sincerely, Pat Phelan CFO Adjoin

Categories

Questioned Costs Internal Control / Segregation of Duties Subrecipient Monitoring Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Eligibility Reporting Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
64.033 Va Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program $14.46M