Navigate the links to the Budget Process pages below to become familiar with the various aspects of campus budgeting at SF State.
Operating Budget
The budget is an annual planning document for SF State. The budget allows the University to ensure a solid financial position for SF State 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
Fiscal Year 2025–2026
Operating Budget Planning Documents
Operating Budget Planning Schedule
| 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 | |||
| March | Budget Call | Tuesday, March 31, 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 (TBD) |
| 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 & carry-forward planning. |
Annual Budget Reports
Each year, as part of our mission to create and disseminate planning information, Budget Administration and Operations compiles the budget plan for the Operating and Capital Budgets. Visit our online archive of annual Budget Reports.