The meritocracy ends shortly after scouts and guides, alas.

The projects with the greatest impact don’t magically get funded just because they have the greatest impact.
The most talented charity workers won’t have secure jobs because they are the most talented.
The best ideas will not spread just because they are the best ideas.
The most effective organizations will not survive just because they are the most effective.

This is true for all sectors, but it’s amplified in the charity world.

Here, there is no link between the popularity of product or service and the revenue that it generates. Here, the most important program in the world can falter if donors can’t be convinced of its importance - or worse, if the people designing the program don’t have access to donors in the first place.

The lesson? Designing the best project, doing the best job, having the best ideas - those aren't enough to guarantee success.