Bolivia, for example, generates far more hard currency through its cocaine crop than it receives in American aid grants.

Since then, Mr Crosbie has successfully bid for £1.25 million in urban aid grant.

If countries wish to increase their spending on safety nets, they can reallocate expenditures, raise taxes, obtain aid grants, or borrow.

The days of the billion-dollar aid grants, soft loans, and cheap arms supplies have passed.

They now argue that traditional aid grants are not necessarily the answer.

In 1987 Japan announced with much fanfare a five-year, $65 billion program to "recycle" its surpluses through aid grants, loans and investments.

Many charge tuition of about $9,000, the amount that can be covered by federal and state financial aid grants.

I'm talking about the high academic standards and aid grants based on need rather than athletic ability.

"These choices have to be made on an annual basis," he said of the local aid grants.

The Middlesex annual financial aid budget is $4.1 million and the average aid grant is $39,000.