The phrase "to leverage those funds" means using or utilizing the available money in a strategic way to gain more advantages, opportunities, or benefits. Full definition
One advantage of margin - based trading is that you can strongly leverage the funds in your account and potentially generate large profits relative to the amount invested. (oanda.com)
But the structure of leveraged funds makes it extremely likely that investors who hold them for more than a day will lose money, even if the market goes their way. (marketwatch.com)
And it seems to challenge the assumption that rural districts can't leverage their funds effectively to get the most for their students. (rociidaho.org)