How funding regimes maintain the status quo

Rather like some of the consequences of social policy itself, funding structures have inadvertently colluded with widening the gap between those who bid successfully and those who do not. Some recipients have become very skilled at securing funding, while other providers have struggled to benefit from available finances. This is often no reflection on the quality of the work delivered, simply a function of the capacity to produce decent funding applications.

For many years I was chair of the National Voluntary Youth Organisation (NVYO) grant scheme for Wales, which was one of the functions of the Wales Youth Agency. The agency both supported organisations in their applications and distributed the grants. That funding more than doubled over 10 years. There were lots of opportunities, especially as, during that time, the National Lottery had one round of funding that prioritised "youth issues".