For the biennium 2002–03, the General Conference approved a regular budget of US$544,367,250, which represented zero nominal growth. At the same time, the organization has increased financing for its programs while reducing administrative costs. US$94,091,700 was for Education; US$51,867,600 was for Natural Sciences; US$28,582,200 was for Social and Human Sciences; US$43,849,900 was for Culture; US$33,064,600 was for Communication and Information; US$32,471,200 was for General Policy and Direction; and US$201,999,000 was for program execution and administration.
UNESCO's budget is financed through contributions assessed against member states on a sliding scale. For the biennium 2002–03, these assessments ranged from a minimum of 0.01% of the total amount to 25%. UNESCO receives funds from other specialized agencies of the UN system—mainly UNDP, UNFPA, UNEP and the World Bank—and regional banks for operational assistance to member states.