grubstake

noun

1. Money, materials, tools, food etc. provided to a prospector in return for a share in future profits.

   “I've been through hell. The other three are all at work and healthy, getting grub-stake to prospect up White River this winter.”

2. An amount of money advanced to someone starting a business in return for a share of the future profits.
3. Money, necessities stockpiled to sustain an effort for a period of time.

   “No one however should go to this country intending to mine without taking with him a year's supplies commonly known as a grub stake or its money equivalent about $1,000.”

   “However, each of these words might, on occasion, be used in a different sense, [...], "grub-stake" to denote one's food supply, regardless of how obtained.”

   “The resulting income, the firm hopes, will provide it with the grubstake it needs to move on to the big prize: titanium.”

verb

1. (transitive)To supply such funds to.

   “"Nobody grub-stakes me," was the answer. "I stake myself, and when I make a killing it's sure all mine. [...] "”