Each Child. Every Community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RALEIGH-For the ninth consecutive year, The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (NCPC) has a “clean bill” of financial health, according to the Office of State Auditor. An audit of Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Smart Start activities found the organization was in compliance and had appropriate internal controls. NCPC is the organization that oversees Smart Start and is audited annually.

In the past ten years, NCPC and Smart Start local partnerships have been audited more than 450 times by State auditors and/or independent auditors hired by the state. NCPC has had no audit findings for the past nine years. In the past two years, 77 partnerships were audited, and had no findings.

Auditors look for compliance in three core areas: accuracy of financial statements; how the partnership processes and authorizes transactions such as grants, accounts payable, payroll and cash receipts; and contract compliance.

“Smart Start is a public-private partnership with the highest standards of accountability. This latest clean audit reflects those high standards. Smart Start is a trusted partner that works effectively and efficiently to serve young children,” said Dr. Olson Huff, Chair of the NCPC Board of Directors.

Smart Start is an early childhood leadership network that leverages private and public dollars to address issues critical to North Carolina’s young children and future workforce. The initiative serves all 100 North Carolina counties and is administered by 77 local Smart Start partnerships that create community-based programs. Smart Start financially supports programs that increase the number of quality early childhood programs, provide education for early childhood workers, support parent education programs and connect families with medical services.

NCPC places great emphasis on local control, coupled with strict accountability, oversight and measures to ensure financial integrity.
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The earliest years of childhood are critical. Experiences during this time literally shape the structure of the brain. Because today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders, parents and workers, everyone has a stake in making sure all children have the experiences they need to thrive. Smart Start is the system that brings together all the people involved in a young child’s life—families, teachers, doctors, caregivers, social workers, and many others—to ensure every child has all they need for healthy growth and development. For more information, visit www.smartstart.org.