Authorise article on Panama, for instance, and how these characters raise funds (4,3,3)

'raise funds' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'authorise article on panama for instance' is the wordplay.
'authorise' becomes 'pass' (synonyms).
'article' becomes 'the' (the definite article in English).
'on' means one lot of letters go next to another (in a down clue, letters appear on others).
'panama for instance' becomes 'hat' (Panama is a type of hat).
'pass'+'the'+'hat'='PASS THE HAT'

'and how these characters' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.

Can you help me to learn more?