Is it permissible to delay giving out the zakat on gold until the end of Ramadan, in anticipation of receiving the necessary funds for zakat, knowing that it is customarily given out at the beginning of the month?

Zakat becomes due when a full year has passed, and it is not permissible to delay it beyond its due time without a valid excuse. If the zakat year concludes in Ramadan, then it should be disbursed therein. It is not permissible to delay it until Ramadan if its year concluded before that. However, if zakat became due and its disbursement became impossible due to lack of funds, or if it was impossible to sell assets from whose proceeds zakat could be paid, then there is no harm in the delay.