This report has done no more than flag some of the key issues concerning the impact of the National Lottery on the non profit sector. It is not intended to be prescriptive, but, rather, to provoke debate amongst various role players. With that in mind, the following four points might help focus discussion.
3.1 Empower the Distribution Agencies
Above all, and regardless of any other changes that need to occur, the funds available for Distribution need to be distributed efficiently and timeously. In the 2001-2002 funding cycle, barely half (R223 million) of the money available for distribution (R439 million) was disbursed. This is a national disgrace, and cannot be allowed to continue.
As discussed in 2.1.7 above, the Distribution Agencies have only five field officers, and are hoping to expand this to nine. This is completely inadequate. Until sufficient staff and resources are allocated to the running of the Agencies, this situation is likely to get worse, whilst continued increases in the total amount of money available in the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund are likely further to strain the administrative capacity of the Agencies.
Finally, the distribution of funds from the RDP and Miscellaneous categories has, effectively, ground to a halt. Urgent decisions have to be made as to the future of these categories, and as to how the monies accumulated in these might be distributed. As an emergency measure, the Minister should consider using existing grant-makers to help disburse funds.
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