Its rules prohibited grants for fundraising activities. Martin said the decline had come as a total shock. He had received an enthusiastic response from the committee members who first reviewed his application, and no advice that the fundraising effort could be an issue. In the past, people attending the concert had been asked to pay a koha at the door to help cover costs. This time, in the hope of raising a decent sum for Myanmar, organisers had adopted a more formal way of collecting donations. Bowen said it was no surprise panel members had been enthusiastic, but that was no guarantee of the final outcome, and as a frequent applicant, Unions Manawatū should have been familiar with the criteria.