block grant

noun

a consolidated grant of federal funds, formerly allocated for specific programs, that a state or local government may use at its discretion for such programs as education or urban development.

block grant

noun

(in Britain) an annual grant made by the government to a local authority to help to pay for the public services it provides, such as health, education, and housing

block grant

A financial aid package that grants federal money to state and local governments for use in social welfare programs, such as law enforcement, community development, and health services. Block grants provide money for general areas of social welfare, rather than for specific programs. This arrangement not only reduces bureaucratic red tape (see also red tape), but also allows grant recipients more freedom to choose how to use the funds. A product of Republican administrations in the 1970s and 1980s, block grants reduce federal responsibility for social welfare. (See federalism.)

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Word History and Origins

Origin of block grant¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The vast majority of the Welsh government's funding comes from the UK government, in what's known as the block grant.

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The chancellor announced the Scottish government would receive an average block grant of £50.9bn per year over the next three years.

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The formula for spending should then apply a share of that change to the block grant passed from the Treasury to Holyrood – whether an increased share or a proportionate cut.

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To calculate how much the block grant needs to go up in total, the formula looks at the size of the Welsh population relative to the size of the population of England.

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With pay negotiations continuing in England and Wales, it remains unclear whether block grant funding from Westminster will cover the full cost of the rise.

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