Government Asks Charity to Return Grant

The U.S. Department of Labor has asked the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, in Washington, to return more than $130,000 in federal grant money that the government says the charity spent improperly, reports The Washington Times.

The federal agency audited the charity after receiving a tip. The audit raised questions about the use of grant money for a trip to Tucson and examined a $38,000 no-bid contract to a consulting company owned by a part-time employee of the charity.

The charity, which received $15.3-million in Labor Department grants, is disputing the audit that led to the request for repayment, the newspaper reports. Elias Hussein, executive vice president at the caucus, said in a written response to the audit that “unintended omissions or errors may have occurred.”

“Never in its long history [has] NCBA ever misused or wavered from its commitment to serve low-income aged individuals,” Mr. Hussein wrote.