Office of the Inspector General Semiannual Report to Congress April 1, 2020 - September 30, 2021

During this semiannual reporting period, we issued two audit reports that included $51,408 in questioned costs and nine recommendations to improve Agency operations and award recipient’s stewardship of Federal funds. Through our audit follow-up process, we assisted the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) staff and award recipients in clearing 47 recommendations based on corrective actions taken. In addition, we resolved a total of 29 hotline complaints. I applaud the NEA and Office of Inspector General (OIG) staff for pressing forward and working together when needed to avoid unreasonable and unnecessary work delays during the Pandemic. This enabled staff to continue delivering the missions of the Agency and OIG in a high quality and timely manner in spite of COVID-19, which required staff to continue working virtually during this period. The OIG has also initiated steps to monitor NEA’s progress to implement the President’s mandate to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) into all of its internal and external programs. The OIG applauds NEA’s initial steps to assess the level of DEIA in its program, and to add DEIA goals and strategies into its strategic plan. Recognizing the significance of this mandate and the level of effort it may take to implement the mandate, the OIG has added the DEIA mandate to the agency’s top management challenges. The value-added work that the OIG accomplished this semiannual period is due to my staff’s commitment to excellence, continued growth, and dedicated work effort; along with the support of the NEA Acting Chairman and her staff. I will continue to work with my staff, the Chairman, and her staff in promoting economy, efficiency, and effectiveness while helping to ensure integrity, excellence, and value in the delivery of NEA’s mission.