Writing blank checks? How government funding affects interest organisations' advocacy behaviour in a multi-layered context. Issue 6 (3rd June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Heylen, Frederik; Willems, Evelien
• Is Part Of: Journal of European public policy. Volume 26:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 863
• Page End: 882
• Publication Date: 2019-06-03
• Subjects: Discretion -- government funding -- interest organisations -- multi-level strategies -- resource dependency; European Union countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Political planning -- European Union countries -- Periodicals; Politique publique -- Pays de l'Union européenne -- Périodiques; Pays de l'Union européenne -- Politique et gouvernement -- Périodiques; 361.61094
• DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2018.1495250
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-1763

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article analyses how government funding affects the interactions interest organisations initiate with governments in a multi-level context. Governments rarely write blank checks, but rather specify eligibility and spending requirements when funding interest organisations. Our primary argument is that these requirements do not only impact organisations' interactions with their benefactors, but that they may also impact interactions with governments at other levels. We analyse this expectation drawing data from a recent survey of a representative sample of Belgian interest organisations. Our results demonstrate that organisations dependent on funding from the subnational and European level are less prone to interact with the national government. Whereas, organisations dependent on national government funding are not less likely to contact the subnational level of government. This variation is explained by the various ways these respective governments implement discretion.