Denver’s promise to help its youth via the Denver College Affordability Fund is faltering amid reports of poor oversight and mismanagement of funds. A recent follow-up audit by Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien revealed that the city’s Office of Children’s Affairs and their third-party contractor, Prosperity Denver Fund, have just not adequately implemented the measures they vowed to put into place. According to the
Denver Auditor´s Office
, “Recovering about $33,000 for improper reimbursements paid out to ineligible students is a step in the right direction. But it’s a small step,” as per Auditor O’Brien.
The audit had laid out a roadmap of eight recommendations in 2023 to safeguard the scholarship fund, but only two have been partially tackled. The inability to properly oversee the program and to conclusively make data management enhancements has left the program susceptible to ongoing issues. From missing documentation to insufficient data checks leading to ineligible reimbursements, the fund’s trajectory appears muddled. Compliance with recommendations is meager, and the systemic gaps in accountability and information handling are yet to be addressed to forestall the unnecessary leakage of resources meant for lower-income households striving for higher education.
Issues such as the lack of a data management plan and the failure to establish detailed requirements for document retention have put the program at risk. Not only is the data fragmented and inaccurate, but it also means scholarship money keeps flowing to students who aren’t supposed to receive it. This mishandling leaves less for those who are truly in need. “With so little being done to address the root cause, there’s a high likelihood these mistakes will be repeated,” Auditor O’Brien said, as per
Denver Auditor´s Office
. Children’s Affairs failed to firmly establish exact requirements for retaining documents, adding to the risk of error-riddled payments.
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