Grants Management: Opportunities Exist to Improve Sponsored Project Administration and Oversight
The Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian) relies on funding from external sponsors such as governments, foundations, and corporations to support projects that further its mission to increase and diffuse knowledge.
The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) provides centralized support, guidance, and training for Smithsonian units receiving sponsored project funding. Together they manage sponsored projects in compliance with Smithsonian policies and procedures and sponsors’ terms and conditions.
Audit of Federal Awards Performed in Accordance with Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
This is the third report of the fiscal year 2024 financial statement audits of the Smithsonian Institution performed by the independent accounting firm of KPMG LLP.
Regents’ Reimbursed Expenses for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024
According to 20 U.S.C. § 44, each member of the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents shall be paid for necessary travel and other actual expenses to attend meetings of the Board. The law also assigns the Board’s Executive Committee the responsibility of auditing these expenditures. Since 2008, at the request of the Executive Committee, the Smithsonian’s Office of the Inspector General has conducted audits of the Regents’ travel expenses.
Information Security: Fiscal Year 2024 Independent Evaluation of the Smithsonian Institution’s Information Security Program
The Office of the Inspector General contracted with Castro & Company, LLC to evaluate the effectiveness ofthe Smithsonian's information security program in fiscal year 2024. For Fiscal year 2024, Castro found that the Smithsonian Institution’s Information security program was effective overall because it was operating at a managed and measurable level (Level 4) in all five cybersecurity functions (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover).