The Australia-India Council receives its program funding from the
Australian Government in the form of an annual grant-in-trust administered by
the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Council received new program
funding in 1998-99 of $750 000, and also carried over from the previous
financial year a significant amount of funding that had largely been committed
to specific projects but not spent. The Council finished the 1998-99 financial
year with virtually full expenditure of available funds. The greater part of
the Council's expenditure was on projects, with lesser amounts spent on
Council administrative expenses.

During 1998-99, the AIC spent $1 108 414 on a range of projects
either initiated by the Council, or initiated by individuals or organisations
which sought and obtained funding under the Council's competitive funding
application process.

The effective value of activities which received AIC funding was far
greater, as many of the activities involved substantial co-funding and in-kind
support from other organisations and individuals in both countries. The
Council's experience has been that AIC funding has generally attracted
contributions from project participants, or other individuals or
organisations, at two to three times the level of Council project expenditure.

The Council considered 55 applications for funding during 1998-99,
providing funding for 41 of the projects represented by these applications.
The amounts provided for specific projects ranged from $550 to $97 210.

The Council gave priority in funding to selected program areas including
agribusiness, the environment, law, medicine and public health, mining and
energy, technology, heritage conservation, performing arts and arts
management.

During 1998-99, a total of 142 people, comprising 18 Indian women, 16
Indian men, 36 Australian women and 72 Australian men, travelled between
Australia and India in connection with projects supported by the Council.