Shoestring is a slang term used to describe a small amount of money that is not enough to cover its intended use. The term often describes the budgeting process as in "shoestring budget." People or companies that live on a shoestring budget usually have limited access to additional funding.

What does on a shoestring mean?

COMMON If you do something on a shoestring, you do it using very little money. The theatre was always run on a shoestring. Newly divorced with two children to raise, she was living on a shoestring. ... The reference here is to the very small amount of money that is needed to buy shoelaces.

What is a shoestring approach?

We describe the “Shoestring Evaluation” approach which is being developed to provide tools for ensuring the highest quality evaluation possible under constraints of limited budget, time and data availability.