This seems like massive mis-management of money. Paul Allen contributed $50M to build the array. Whoever was managing that project should have thought about sticking back 30% or so for running it after it got built. Didn't have enough to build all the scopes? Build a few at a time.
Presumably this is what happens when you don't have clear goals and objectives laid out - and oversight to make sure you don't screw it up.
Pretty sad. They should be asking for new leadership and $20M to run it for 10 years.
With donations you don't always get to allocate money in the most appropriate manner. The $50M could have been directed for construction only or it might have had a fixed split attached (e.g. 75% construction, 25% maintenance).
My understanding (via astronomer scuttlebutt) is that the SETI institute fell massively short of the private fundraising goals it set at the outset of the project. (In fairness, this was during the economic crisis.) Paul Allen's funds were intended to start the hardware off, and then the privately raised funds would yield the operational/expansion budget.
So, not so much mismanagement as overoptimistic budgeting.
(Building a few telescopes at a time is likely a false economy, given the costs of paying engineering/fabrication costs over a longer period.)
All that said, it's going to be harder to get private donors to contribute towards telescopes in the future...
It makes me wonder how much Paul Allen was involved with it besides the money grant. You'd think he'd actually enjoy geeking out on some of the details and be involved enough to either a) prevent mismanagement or b) have enough confidence in what they are doing to continue to commit funds to it.
Presumably this is what happens when you don't have clear goals and objectives laid out - and oversight to make sure you don't screw it up.
Pretty sad. They should be asking for new leadership and $20M to run it for 10 years.