It's also done with the aim of helping put on an effective event and supporting the community, if the grant status is unknown until weeks before, that goal is s

It's also done with the aim of helping put on an effective event and supporting the community, if the grant status is unknown until weeks before, that goal is severely undermined. I doubt the authors of this would have had a problem with being rejected 3 months before the event, at least that would be some certainty and they could cancel or seek alternative funding.