The party can then spend these unrestricted funds, known as soft money, to help candidates.

And then the last type is an unrestricted fund, where they give us the money and they say, "You know the needs of the community over time."

In fiscal 2001, 82 percent of the unrestricted funds in the state budget came from the petroleum industry, which is also a major employer.

Since founding in 1998, Aberdeen Future Fund has raised over £2.5 Million of unrestricted funds, thanks in large part to alumni.

As of the end of 2009, the foundation's total assets were $27 million, split equally between unrestricted and donor-designated funds.

Heald said, "We used to have almost all of our funding from four sources, general unrestricted funds.

Another regulation permits national candidates to help state parties raise unrestricted funds that will assist in federal election campaigns.

"My bequest is designated as unrestricted funds," I said.

Traditionally, the unrestricted funds have been used when annual giving was not sufficient to cover operating needs, but those funds are apparently exhausted.

State money and other unrestricted funds would have continued to pay for abortion counseling.