AmeriCorps Member Timesheet Verification Audit

Confirms that AmeriCorps member service, training, and fundraising hours are properly separated, signed, and within the 20% training and 10% fundraising caps. Used by program staff to ensure grant compliance and OIG audit readiness.

Audit Identification & Member Information

• Member full name
  Full legal name of the AmeriCorps member whose timesheets are under review.
• Program / grant name
  Name of the AmeriCorps program and associated grant number (e.g., VISTA, State & National, NCCC).
• Service term period under review (start date)
  First day of the timesheet period being audited.
• Service term period under review (end date)
  Last day of the timesheet period being audited.
• Auditor name and role
  Full name and title of the program staff member conducting this audit.
• Audit date
  Date on which this verification audit is being conducted.

Timesheet Completeness & Format

• All timesheets for the review period are present and accounted for
  Confirm that no timesheet weeks or pay periods are missing from the member's file.
• Timesheets use the approved program-issued form or system
  Member is using the official timesheet template or approved electronic system — not an informal or self-created log.
• Each timesheet entry includes the specific date of service
  Every row or entry on the timesheet has a specific calendar date, not a range or blank.
• Hours are recorded in decimal or consistent format (e.g., 1.5 hrs, not '1 hr 30 min')
  Confirm uniform time notation throughout all timesheets to prevent calculation errors.
• Activity descriptions are specific and observable (not generic entries like 'service' or 'work')
  Each time entry includes a brief but specific description of the activity performed, sufficient for an OIG auditor to classify the hour type.
• Timesheets are submitted within the program-required submission window
  Verify that submission dates fall within the program's defined deadline (e.g., within 7 days of period end). Late submissions should be flagged.

Hour Category Separation & Classification

• Direct service hours are recorded in a dedicated 'Service' category
  Hours spent delivering the program's primary service activities are clearly labeled as service and not mixed with training or fundraising columns.
• Training hours are recorded in a dedicated 'Training' category
  All orientations, workshops, skill-building sessions, and required trainings are logged under a separate training column — not counted as direct service.
• Fundraising hours (if any) are recorded in a dedicated 'Fundraising' category
  Any time spent on permissible fundraising activities is logged in a separate fundraising column. If no fundraising occurred, mark N/A and note zero hours.
• No prohibited activities (e.g., political activities, religious instruction, voter registration) are logged on any timesheet
  Review activity descriptions for any entries that would constitute prohibited activities under 45 CFR §2520.65. Flag any ambiguous entries for supervisor review.
• Total hours per timesheet period are correctly summed across all categories
  Manually verify or cross-check the arithmetic totals for service, training, and fundraising columns. Calculation errors are a frequent OIG finding.
• Cumulative total hours logged to date for this member
  Enter the running total of all hours (service + training + fundraising) logged by this member through the end of the review period.

Training Hour Cap Compliance (20% Limit)

• Total training hours logged for the review period
  Enter the total training hours recorded on all timesheets within the review period.
• Training hours as a percentage of total hours for the review period
  Calculate: (Training Hours ÷ Total Hours) × 100. Must not exceed 20%. Enter the calculated percentage.
• Training hours are within the 20% cap for the review period
  Based on the percentage calculated above, confirm training hours do not exceed 20% of total hours for this period.
• Cumulative training hours remain on track to stay within the 20% cap for the full service term
  Project whether the member's cumulative training hours will exceed the cap by term end. Flag if the running rate exceeds 18% as an early warning.
• Training activities logged are eligible training (not direct service misclassified as training)
  Spot-check training entries to confirm they represent genuine skill-building, orientation, or required program training — not service activities mislabeled to manage hour counts.

Fundraising Hour Cap Compliance (10% Limit)

• Did the member log any fundraising hours during this review period?
  If no fundraising hours were logged, mark Yes (compliant) and note zero hours. If fundraising hours exist, proceed through remaining items.
• Total fundraising hours logged for the review period
  Enter total fundraising hours from timesheets. Enter 0 if none. Must not cumulatively exceed 10% of total service hours.
• Fundraising hours as a percentage of total hours for the review period
  Calculate: (Fundraising Hours ÷ Total Hours) × 100. Must not exceed 10%. Enter the calculated percentage.
• Fundraising activities logged are permissible under 45 CFR §2520.40 (e.g., writing grants for the program, not personal solicitation for the organization's general fund)
  Review fundraising activity descriptions to confirm they fall within permissible fundraising as defined by AmeriCorps regulations. Flag any entries that appear to be prohibited fundraising.

Signatures & Supervisor Verification

• Each timesheet bears the member's original or electronic signature
  Verify that the member has signed every timesheet for the review period. Unsigned timesheets are a critical non-conformance.
• Each timesheet bears the supervisor's original or electronic signature
  Verify that an authorized site supervisor or program director has co-signed every timesheet. Supervisor signature confirms hours were observed and approved.
• Member and supervisor signatures are dated and match or follow the service period end date (no pre-dating)
  Confirm that signature dates are on or after the last day of the timesheet period — not before. Pre-dated signatures indicate the timesheet was signed before hours were actually worked.
• The signing supervisor is an authorized approver (not the member themselves or an unauthorized designee)
  Cross-reference the supervisor's name against the program's list of authorized approvers. Members may not approve their own timesheets.

Audit Findings, Corrective Actions & Sign-Off

• Overall compliance status for this member's timesheets
  Select the overall compliance determination based on findings above.
• Summary of deficiencies identified
  List each deficiency found during this audit, referencing the specific timesheet date and item. Be specific and observable (e.g., 'Week of 3/10: training hours at 23%, exceeding 20% cap by 3%').
• Corrective actions required and assigned owner
  For each deficiency, document the specific corrective action required, who is responsible, and the deadline for resolution.
• Corrective action deadline
  Date by which all corrective actions must be completed and re-verified.
• Photo or scan of representative timesheet(s) attached as evidence
  Attach a photo or scan of at least one timesheet from the review period as audit documentation.
• Auditor signature confirming review is complete and findings are accurate
  Program staff auditor must sign to certify this verification audit was conducted in accordance with program requirements.