Government slashed grants and contributions to a number of organisations in the recently unveiled 2014/15 Budget.

According to the 2014/15 Budget, Government intends to spend $293.7 million in grants and contributions in the coming year — $23 million more than was budgeted in 2013/14 but around $4.5 million less than was actually spent.

However, the majority of the increase is due to the introduction of the Ministry of Tourism Development and Transport’s new Tourism Authority grant, which alone is valued at almost $23.1 million.

That Ministry also axed contributions to Promotional Services, Sports and Exhibitions and halved its contributions to the Road Safety Council.

The Ministry was one of only a small handful which is set to spend more on contributions and grants in the coming year.

The Ministry of Legal Affairs will pay out $5,000 more due to increased contributions to the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, while Non-Ministry Departments will pay out $10,000 more than last year.

Other ministries however will be cutting back on their contributions.

The Ministry of Education is expected to spend $4 million less in grants and contributions in the coming year, due in part to it’s ending of the Bermuda Economic Development Committee’s $1.6 million operational grant.

Other major funding cuts in that Ministry include the Bermuda College operational grant, which has been reduced by $1.36 million to $16.8 million in 2014/15, and contributions to Aided Secondary Schools, which fell by $1.31 million.

The Ministry expects to spend more on Government Scholarships and the Bermuda Business Development Board in the coming year, but will cut back on Mature Student and Further Education Awards.

The Ministry of Community, Culture and Sports will also pay out less in grants, ending its $50,000 annual contribution to the Bermuda National Trust Fund and the $20,000 contribution to the Bermuda Family Council.

The Bermuda Women’s Council, the Physical Abuse Centre and the Packwood Rest Home are among the other groups who will see smaller contributions from the Ministry in the coming year.

The Ministry of Public Works meanwhile reduced the Rental Assistance Grant from the $8.2 million budgeted in 2013/14 to $7.4 in the coming year, and ended its $61,000 grant to Keep Bermuda Beautiful, while the Ministry of Finance is set to end its $163,000 grant to the Bermuda Stock Exchange.