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NGOs conduct Investigation into Lottery Funding
Four South African NGOs, namely Inyathelo – The South African Institute for Advancement, Social Change Assistance Trust, Community Development Resource Association, and Rural Education Access Programme, have launched a survey into the funding practices of the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) and the National Development Agency (NDA). The survey is aimed at, amongst other things, documenting NGOs’ experiences with the NDA and NLDTF. The findings will be used to articulate NGOs’ concerns with the two funding agencies through constructive engagement.
The purpose of the research is to assist in improving relationships between civil society organisations and the two funding agencies so that improved relationships are based on principles of mutual accountability, ethics, sound governance and effective and efficient practices. The intention is to build mutual understanding and collaboration, mutual learning towards continuously improving practice, and ultimately better service delivery to the beneficiaries of the two agencies. The research is therefore aimed at providing substantive information and knowledge that can be used by the NDA and the NLDTF to assist in identifying areas for improvement in its delivery. The research is also aimed at documenting civil society’s experiences with the two funding agencies so as to assist in articulating their concerns with the two funding agencies through constructive engagement.
Central to the research is documentation of the experiences of civil society organisations in the application process as well as in their experiences of receiving funds from the two agencies. It is also important for the research to uncover the reasons why civil society organisations don’t choose to apply to the two agencies for funding. The research is also interested in documenting the impact that funding from the two agencies as well as the funding processes of the NDA and NLDTF have had on civil society organisations. It is hoped that the information gathered through the research process will be valuable in assisting civil society organisations to better engage with the two institutions.
Click here to participate in the survey.
NGO Pulse: http://www.ngopulse.org/
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My experience has been with the NLDTF. My problems have been (1) the NLDTF does not seem to understand the nature of complex development programmes and combined ‘action research’ and research agendas. They appear to want only to fund something like uniforms for a sports team where money is spent quickly and completely on one product, rather than more complex programmes that require time and involve the complexity of community interaction and consultation. (2) It is very difficult to communicate with the NLDTF. They have said explicitly that they will not permit anyone into their offices to discuss matters or to work on plans for the future with a knowledgeable member of the donor agency. (3) They are exceptionally slow to respond and to make funding available even once they have already allocated it. In my case, this took years. My original proposal was submitted in 2003. I was told that it had been granted only in 2006, and money was only make available late in 2007. Due to delays I was only able to start in 2009, and then they wondered why the money had not been spent in 2006!
I cannot understand what is going on, and there is evidently no way to actually discover what the problem is.
The research is also aimed at documenting civil society’s experiences with the two funding agencies so as to assist in articulating their concerns with the two funding agencies through constructive engagement.