// definition
US appropriations
Federal spending authority
Short definition
Legal authority for a federal agency to incur obligations and make Treasury payments for specified purposes. An appropriation defines the scope and period of funding availability. A contract creates a legal commitment; the subsequent payment is a separate stage. A continuing resolution can provide temporary funding authority.
risk atlas
Knowledge map
Related analyses
Primary sources
- Congressional Budget Office, Common Budgetary Terms ExplainedDecember 2021: budget authority, obligations, outlays and continuing resolutions.