Applying for research grants in Italy

Italians seem to like labyrinthine procedures for applying for research grants. It gives them more opportunity to exercise their ingenuity and political skills. In particular the more levels in the hierarchy the better. Each level can contradict the next.

Here is a quotation from a character in Agatha Christie's Crooked House, speaking about research funding:
"I doubt if endowments ever do much good. They're usually spent in the wrong way. The things that are worth while are usually accomplished by someone with enthusiasm and drive -and with natural vision. Expensive equipment and training and experiment never does what you'd imagine it might do. The spending of it usually gets into the wrong hands".