What are Reimbursable Funds?

• A. Funds from other government agencies or the public for goods or services used to replenish the original appropriation.
• B. Funds provided by Congress with a specific purpose, time, and amount.
• C. Funds designated by law for specific purposes.
• D. Funds held by the government as a custodian for others.

Answer: (A)

Reimbursable funds are money the government receives back to cover costs it incurred delivering goods or services on behalf of another entity. The important point is that the agency spends the money upfront under an appropriation and later gets reimbursed by another government agency or by the public, which replenishes the original appropriation rather than creating a new, permanent source of funding. This mechanism keeps the budget authority aligned with the initial appropriation while reflecting the recovery of those costs through reimbursement. For example, when a department provides a service to another agency and bills for it, the reimbursement restores the available funds for that appropriation.

The other scenarios describe different funding approaches that aren’t reimbursement-based: funds provided by Congress with a specific purpose and timeframe are targeted appropriations; funds designated by law for specific purposes are restricted or mandatory appropriations; and funds held by the government as a custodian for others are custodial or fiduciary funds.