@akareilly doesn't it depends what the grant is for? If it is for Research and Development, then the funder's position is understandable. If you think that more money needs to be sent towards maintenance of existing code, that needs requests to go at senior level in the organisation to refocus priorities. Also consider semantics. Perhaps you could 'repurpose' code instead of maintaining it? Maintenance costs as part of overheads on R&D grants?