An analysis of the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund by the Auditor General has found that the fund was significantly over-committed.

"Commitments made out of the Good Causes Fund effectively bound funds well into the future, to the possible detriment of other deserving causes," the Auditor General said.

The analysis by the National Audit Office indicated that honouring all commitments entered into between January 2011 and March 2013 that are plausibly or actually due by 2013 and 2014, will entail the utilisation of practically all of the money available to the fund up to end 2014.

The analysis also found instances where the funding parameters were not respected and the thresholds for grants out of the fund were surpassed. 

Reasons for approval of funding outside of the parameters established by the fund's guidelines were not always clearly indicated in the Board’s report.  

Data relating to the fund, although maintained, was fragmented, with no one comprehensive source that included all the relevant information for each application. 

The auditor made suggestions intended at regulating how the total of commitments not yet settled should be administered, including gradual outlay and a  time limit on commitments

The Report may be accessed through this link to the NAO website, or by visiting www.nao.gov.mt

The analysis was made at the request of the Minister of Finance.