I want to emphasize just how very cost-effective the court challenges program is. There are tight budgetary proceedings. You have to really tell them how you're going to spend every nickel. There is a relatively small amount of money given at each level. If you are successful in court and receive an award of costs, you have to pay them back. They also ask you, when you apply and ask for funding, how much volunteer legal time you already have contributed and how much you are going to expect.
I've been doing these cases for years; they are done on a total shoestring. In my experience, what you get from court challenges is about a third of what it costs me as a lawyer to do this work. It only covers a third of the actual cost.
So all I can say in answer to your question is that I have extremely strong doubts that this is a budgetary measure.