Hard economic times have prompted public schools to look for or accept private financial support. Education Week reported that private donations are covering $18,000 of the $225,000 annual salary paid to a school superintendent in Indiana. In Boston, public schools worked with corporations, along with pro and collegiate sports teams, to boost school athletic budgets by more than 60 percent over the next three years ($4 million to $6.5 million). Join discussion...

Institutional investors are being put off infrastructure investment because of the high fees being charged by managers, despite the asset class appealing to them as a way of diversifying their portfolios, according to one of the largest investment consultants. Join discussion...

Nearly 1.5 million jobs in the United States could be created through government and the private sector collaborating on Public Private Partnerships. An updated report released today, "Benefit of Private Investment in Infrastructure," outlines how the Administration could grow the 377,000 projected stimulus jobs to come from government investment in infrastructure to 1.5 million jobs by combining public and private investment. Join discussion...

Proposals for local government pension schemes to club together and invest in private finance initiative (PFI) schemes have been discussed by the Local Government Association. Under the plans would see council pension funds pour both debt and/or equity into PFI schools programmes to produce “a more liquid, efficient and competitive PFI investment market”. Join discussion...

Massive new opportunities are opening up for building roads, bridges and other infrastructure facilities for UK businesses in India, UK-India Business Council(UKIBC) Chairperson Patricia Hewitt said. Also Read Related Stories News Now - NHAI against staff inclusion in cadre - India changing road sector investment norms: Nath - Govt to invite bids for three mega road projects - Govt to invite bids for three mega road projects by yr-end - India Inc to hard-sell itself to the EU - Rs 19k-cr highway projects to be awarded soon Also Read Related Stories News Now - Sensex up 59pts in early trades - Higher levy fails to sweeten sugar stocks - SAIL advances on expansion plan - M&M up 2% on US entry plans - PM, Sonia pay homage to YSR More "From consultancy and legal expertise to building and operating Indian roads and other projects, the UK has world-class expertise. UKIBC will bring British businesses together to ensure that we assist in meeting India's infrastructure needs," she said. Join discussion...

Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath brings his 'roadshow' to Britain Sep 1 to attract British investment into India, which he says will build more roads than any other country over the next two years. Kamal Nath will spend two days in London Sept 1-2 talking to business leaders, bankers and investors, telling them there is money to be made investing in India's roads in the current financial climate. Join discussion...

A New Zealand fund that will use private capital to help fund public infrastructure works has signed up the state pension fund as its first investor, the manager of the fund said on Thursday. The New Zealand Superannuation fund will contribute up to NZ$100 million ($66 million) to a fund with an initial investment limit of NZ$500 million, to be managed by infrastructure investment firm HRL Morrison and Co. Join discussion...

The United States expects significant private investment in high-speed rail development in coming years, but similar participation by private companies may lag for road projects because of the recession, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Wednesday Join discussion...

Backing the Union Finance Minister’s announcement for a massive spend on financing of infrastructure projects to give a big thrust to economic growth in the country, India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFCL), which raised Rs. 10,000 crore in the last fiscal for refinancing banks for infrastructure lending, on Tuesday said the banks might avail themselves of this facility in the next six to seven months. Join discussion...

Fitch Ratings has today said that given India's ever widening physical and social infrastructure deficit, universally recognised as major bottlenecks to sustained economic growth, the expectations that the Budget for FY10 presented in Parliament today would provide a fillip to the sector were very high. Join discussion...