1. The process of financing capital expenditures by issuing long-term debt obligations or by converting short-term obligations into long-term obligations to finance current expenses; the process of creating a funded debt.
2. The refinancing of a debt before its maturity. — Also termed refunding.
3. The provision or allocation of money for a specific purpose, such as for a pension plan, by putting the money into a reserve fund or investments. [Cases: Pensions 48. C.J.S. Pensions and Retirement Plans and Benefits §§ 23–25, 27.]
4. The provision of financial resources to finance a particular activity or project, such as a research study.
5. The transfer of property to a trust.