Budget Governance and Oversight
Budget processes, governance and timelines
The university follows multiple budget timelines throughout the year, each designed to support different aspects of financial planning. These timelines ensure that operating needs, capital priorities, financial oversight and long-term strategies are managed in a coordinated and sustainable way.
Operating Budget Capital Budget Financial Oversight Campus Reserves Cost Recovery
The operating budget process
The budget is an annual planning document for SFSU. The budget allows the University to ensure a solid financial position for SFSU to maintain its current service level, to prevent the extension of base operations beyond current revenue capacities and to maximize the University's ability to respond to favorable variances.
General guidelines
Current fiscal year operating budget planning documents
| Month | Task | Date | Responsibility | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February – April | Publish Assumptions, Guidelines, and Instructions | Friday, April 3, 2026 | BAO | Budget Manual |
| Enrollment | Budget Assumptions | |||
| Academic Resources | AA: check with AR for additional budget planning instruction | |||
| April | Budget Call | Monday, April 13, 2026 | BAO | Budget Call Memo |
| April | HRMS Roster upload in SF_PBCS | Friday, April 3, 2026 | BAO | Upload of HRMS Roster in SF_PBCS in preparation for the budget |
| Continually during the budget process training | Training and Q&A sessions | April to May | BAO | These sessions will provide training to our Campus Budgeting Collaborators on the Fiscal Year 2026 – 2027 (FY 2026) budget process in PBCS and clarify campus units' specific questions. Visit our EPBCS Training page to view the schedule. |
| April-May | Planning Units Budget Development | Monday, April 6, 2026 | Planning Units develop the budget and forecast | Units review, update, and present budgets to Dean/VP for approval. Dean/VP is ultimately responsible for ensuring the consolidated cabinet/division budget in PBCS and submission accuracy related to units’ strategy and goals. |
| Last Week in April | Cabinet FY 2026-27 Base Budget | Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | Cabinet (Planning Units) | Divisions realign the known changes and commitments during FY 2025 and record divisions’ internal budget changes that have no net effect on the unit's overall budget. The unit must plan at the FY 2025 budget level (first snapshot). |
| Third Week in May | Cabinet FY 2026-27 Planning to Target | Tuesday, May 26, 2026 | Cabinet (Planning Units) | Divisions record additional adjustments (increases or decreases) per additional instructions from the Presidents and CFO offices. FY 2026 Operating Budget Planner Submission due in PBCS (second snapshot). |
| June | Budget due in SF_PBCS | Friday, June 26, 2026 | Cabinet (Planning Units) | Additional instructions due to the final allocation B-memo from CO, the divisions' record budget adjustments. FY 2026 Operating Budget Planner Submission due in PBCS (third snapshot). |
| July | Base Budget Review | 2 weeks | BAO | Review submitted materials, follow-up with questions to Cabinets |
| May – July | Meeting with the President and CFO | TBD | Planning Units Business Managers and VPs meet with CFO and President | VPs will present their budget plan for President’s review and approval. The process of new initiative requests at the cabinet level. |
| July | Budget Decision Meetings | TBD | TBD | The President cabinet decisions are entered into PBCS, and FY 2026 Operating Budgets get finalized. Upload the base budget by July 31, 2026. |
| July – August | Multi-Year Plan Training | 4 weeks | BAO | Multi-year plan training for SELF_SUPPORT units (Current Year budget plan and 4 yrs. forecasted plan). Multi-year planning assumptions from BAO will be provided for required units. The storyline template is provided on the BAO website. |
| July | Multi-Year Plan Due in PBCS | Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | Cabinets/Planners | Multi-year budget snapshot due in PBCS, narrative template, and reserve and carry-forward planning. |
The Capital Budget process
The capital budget’s core function is to help control expenditures. Spending limits are set by the University through the adoption of the capital budget and through the authorization for individual capital projects.
Capital Budget timeline
| Month | Task | Date | Responsibility | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | Call letter to the departments and schools for project proposals for next fiscal year’s Capital Budget | Beginning of February | Capital Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) | Call letter for the SF State Capital Budget |
| February – March | Prioritize requests and identify funding sources in the project request submission | End of March or the beginning of April | Departments and schools | Project request submission to CPDC |
| April – May | Receive and consolidate the submission | End of May | CPDC | Consolidated project requests |
| June | Review and prioritize the consolidated submission | End of June | CPDC | Draft Capital Budget submission to BAO |
| July – August | Review the draft Capital Budget submission | End of July or the beginning of August | BAO | Final Capital Budget submission to CFO for approval |
Financial oversight
CSU policy–and sound business practices–require the campus to perform timely, financial reviews to inform campus decision-makers of conditions affecting our campus budget and financial performance. Each Fiscal Year we will conduct periodic financial reviews, typically in Fall, Winter and Spring.
- Operating Budget Financial Review Timeline
- Capital Projects Financial and Status Review Timeline
The expectation is to provide reasonably realistic and practical projected expenditures/revenues for the remainder of the fiscal year. Any significant changes to the budget plan should be highlighted in the Certification of Financial Actions with detailed documentation to support the changes.
BAO is always available to meet with your staff to discuss the Financial Review report process. If you have any questions, schedule an in-person or over-the-phone appointment with any of the budget analysts.
Financial review instructions
- Financial Oversight Instructions
- Financial Oversight for Auxiliary Units Instructions in PDF format
- Certifications of Financial Actions Form.docx
Operating Budget financial review timeline
| TASK | TIME FRAME | FALL REVIEW DATES | WINTER REVIEW DATES | RESPONSIBILITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training/Q&A sessions provided for the campus business partners | Ongoing through duration of financial review process | Training and Q&A sessions provided throughout duration of financial review process. | Training and Q&A sessions provided throughout duration of financial review process. | BAO & Cabinets |
| Financial Review Call | Soon after Accounting Period Close | Friday, October 9, 2026 | Friday, January 8, 2027 | BAO |
| The Current Year Projection (CYP) seeded in PBCS System | Soon after Accounting Period Close as announced by Fiscal Affairs | Friday, October 16, 2026 | Friday, January 15, 2027 | BAO |
| Continually monitor progress and provide support | Four weeks | Ongoing through duration of financial review process | Ongoing through duration of financial review process | BAO |
| Cabinet reports reviewed and changes to Certification of Financial Actions submitted to BAO if needed | Hard Close: Final Snapshot in CYP, and all CYP users access set to view only at 5 PM | Friday, November 6, 2026 | Friday, February 5, 2027 | BAO & Cabinets |
| Financial report submitted to the University President | After CFO and VPs reviews | Friday, November 13, 2026 | Friday, February 12, 2027 | BAO |
Capital Projects financial and status review timeline
| TASK | TIME FRAME | FIRST QUARTER DATE | SECOND QUARTER DATE | THIRD QUARTER DATE | YEAR-END DATE | RESPONSIBILITY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Period Close | Soon after the end of the calendar month | Oct. 14, 2026 | Jan. 13, 2027 | Apr. 14, 2027 | Jul. 14, 2027 | Financial Services |
| Preparation of Capital Project (CP) Financial & Status Reports | Soon after Accounting Period Closed | Oct. 14 - 21, 2026 | Jan. 13 - 20, 2027 | Apr. 14 - 21, 2027 | Jul. 14 - 21, 2027 | BAO |
| CP Financial & Status Reports sent to CPDC/ITS | 5 Business days after Accounting Period Closed | Oct. 21, 2026 | Jan. 20, 2027 | Apr. 21, 2027 | Jul. 21, 2027 | BAO |
| CP Financial & Status Reports submitted to BAO | 2 weeks after BAO distributes the reports | Nov. 4, 2026 | Feb. 3, 2027 | May. 5, 2027 | Aug. 4, 2027 | CPDC / ITS |
| Consolidated CP Financial & Status Report reviewed | 2 weeks after receipt of the reports | Nov. 18, 2026 | Feb. 17, 2027 | May. 19, 2027 | Aug. 18, 2027 | BAO |
| Final consolidated CP Financial & Status Report submitted to CFO | Soon after the consolidated report review | Nov. 25, 2026 | Feb. 24, 2027 | May. 26, 2027 | Aug. 25, 2027 | BAO |
Campus Reserves
Reserve are a specific fund category recognized in the accounting system and generally used for self-supporting, auxiliary activities or campus-based student fees.
Campus Reserve process
Review the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 presentation slides for SFSU campus instructions for carryforward funds. Use the carryforward template to report planned obligations.
Cost Recovery
Signed Cost Recovery Memos and Associated Documents for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
Campus Operations Cost Allocation Plan (CAP) packet includes:
- Campus Operations CAP memo
- CAP for Fiscal Year 2024-25
- Appendix A — CAP Calculations
- Appendix B — Basis of Expense by Each Auxiliary Enterprise
- Table of Fiscal Year 2024-25 by Each Auxiliary Enterprise
Service Recipient memos packet includes:
- Athletics − CAP FY
- Campus Recreation − CAP FY
- Student Health Services and Counseling & Psychological Services (SHS&CAPS) − CAP FY
- College of Professional & Global Education (CPaGE) − CAP FY
- Housing, Dining & Conference Services − CAP FY
- San Francisco State University Children's Campus − CAP FY
- San Francisco State University Parking Transportation − CAP FY
- Associated Student, Inc. (ASI) and Student Center (CCSC) − CAP FY
- SF State Foundation − CAP FY
- University Corporation, SF State − CAP FY
Risk Pool packet includes:
- Cost Recovery Risk Pool FY memo
- Cost Recovery Rate of Recovery Types for FY
Please review the updated Guidelines for CSU Funds, which outline the review and compliance requirements for activities recorded in CSU Funds 491 and 496. For more information on Cost Allocation, visit the CSU Legal Manual and view chapter 23: Cost Recovery.
Find Archived University Cost Recovery Documents by Fiscal Year
Related resources
Find tools and forms for budget related adjustments and requests.
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Budget Administration and Operations
Budget Administration and Operations manages the university’s annual budget, supports planning and decision-making, addresses budget issues and ensures reporting requirements are met. Learn more about what we do.