"Discretionary funding" refers to money that can be spent or allocated based on personal judgment and choice, rather than being predetermined or mandatory. Full definition
Under the new rule, members will receive the same amount of discretionary funding, with a potential 25 percent bump for districts that have the highest levels of poverty. (politico.com)
Last year, state lawmakers received nearly $ 148 million in discretionary funds, also known as member items or «pork,» to distribute in their districts. (bronxnewsnetwork.org)
In an economy where people have less discretionary funds for spending, this kind of thing matters. (kaitnolan.com)