Whats the difference between the biennial budget and the annual (fiscal year) budget?
UW Tacoma has a one-year budget process. The fiscal year begins in July 1 and runs through June 30. The state, however, uses a biennial (two-year) budget. Next year, 2009-2010, is the first year of the state’s biennium and although funds from the state will be allocated for two years through the biennial budget process, this does not affect the UW Tacoma annual budget process. The Budget Planning site has links to timelines and processes for the annual budget process that are pretty much the same each year. (Due to budget reductions, we’ve had to make modifications to processes involved this year.) Because the state allocates funds on a biennial basis, every other year the annual budget process will involve some uncertainties because we don’t have final funding levels until April and sometimes later. With our fiscal year beginning in July, we have to be prepared. Planning for the second year of the biennium will usually be more predictable because a baseline for funding from the stat
