The need to encourage shidduchim which are closer in age has been extensively addressed in this forum as well as in many others.
Many attempts were made for the Kallah. How would you proceed?
Those of you who feel that it should be done without financial motives are encourage you to do your own shadchanus for free. Meanwhile, there are not enough shadchanim, so a program which encourages shadchanim with financial incentives is a worthy idea.
2) Is it true that NASI owes people money for the earlier program? Although this would be different, because the money is held in escrow with objective oversight, it would certainly cause great concern. I have emailed this question to NASI and await a response.
Okay, before I submitted this post I got a response.