NLC provides update on progress of 2024/25 grant adjudications
The Commission confirmed that the system recorded 16,687 registered organisational profiles during the application window.
South Africa.- The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has released an update on the progress of its 2024/25 grant adjudication process, outlining application volumes, compliance challenges and the impact of its new online grant management system.
In a recent media statement, the Commission confirmed that the 2024/25 Call for Applications opened on December 2, 2024, and closed in December 2025. This marked the first funding cycle fully administered through the Thuthuka online grant management system, a web-based platform introduced to streamline grant applications and improve oversight.
The Commission said a total of 3,070 compliant applications were received across all provinces for the 2024/25 funding cycle. Adjudication of these applications commenced in August 2025 and is currently ongoing.
According to the NLC, the system recorded 16,687 registered organisational profiles during the application window. However, approximately 7,000 of these were deemed non-compliant due to unverifiable or incomplete registration details, particularly relating to requirements from the Department of Social Development (DSD), the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
The NLC acknowledged that many non-profit organisations continue to face compliance and capacity challenges, which affect their ability to access funding. In response, the Commission has implemented a series of capacity-building initiatives, including education and awareness sessions, financial and operational compliance workshops and targeted stakeholder engagements across the country. Details of upcoming workshops, it said, will be published on the NLC’s official social media platforms.
The statement also highlighted the broader role of the Thuthuka system in centralising the grant application and management process. The platform now handles organisational registration, application submissions, business plans and grant agreement management, replacing previously manual processes.
The NLC said the digital system forms part of its wider turnaround strategy aimed at improving efficiency, strengthening transparency and ensuring the timely processing of grant payments. It noted that a further update on the adjudication outcomes will be issued by March 31, 2026, once additional phases of the process have been completed.
