Frequently Asked Questions

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    Budget Management FAQs

    How do I request a Budget Transfer?

    Budget Transfers cannot cross funds and for grants the transfers cannot cross projects.

    Send budget transfer request to BudgetOffice[at] matcmadison [dot] edu.  In the email requesting a transfer include:

    • Dollar amount of transfer.
    • Indicate full chartfield for both sides of the transfer: FROM (budgetary decrease) and TO (budgetary increase).
    • Indicate if transfer is a one-time (current fiscal year only) or permanent (current and next fiscal year).
    • Email must be received from division that has budget management authority for the source of the transfer.
    • If transfer request is for a grant, in some cases the transfer cannot occur until prior authorization or an official budget modification to the funding agency has been approved.

    Notes: If the transfer request crosses appropriations, there may be additional requirements or information that needs to be provided before a transfer can be completed. There are also transfer requests that cannot be processed unless they come through another approved review and approval process. Example: Adjustments or transfers to the Non-controllable Salary and Fringe appropriations are only made for changes approved through the annual District Budget Process or the Online Position Requisition Process.

     

    Budget Office role in Grants at Madison College

    (Covers activity in funds 201, 205, 301 and 701)  

    Please note, this is not a representation of the grant process from beginning to end and is intended to represent the role of the Budget Office in terms of grants and projects (fund 201, 205, 301, and 701 activity). The information below excludes any detail of the processes handled by the Grants Office, the principal investigator (PI), the supervisor to the PI, the VP office, the VP grant review and approval process, the contract review/signing process, the accounting and audit process or the process by which the indirect rate is set.

    First point of contact to Budget Office related to a grant:

    The Budget Office provides salary and fringe cost estimates upon request (requests made by email or phone from Grants Office). Requests are made while the Grants Office works on a grant proposal which includes a proposed budget. NOTE: as of July 2011, the Budget Office will require grant budget proposals for review to be submitted on the new Grant Budget Development Tool. Specific instructions and training will be provided and review time lines and expectations will be detailed. After initial training has been completed, instruction and  training materials will be posted on the Budget Office website and the tool will be made available to specific personnel on a secured shared drive.

    After the Grants Office prepares grant proposal and the proposed budget is submitted to the Budget Office for a review: Requests for reviews must be made by the Grants Office to the Budget Office with requests submitted electronically to: BudgetOffice[at] matcmadison [dot] edu.

    In the review process, the Budget Office reviews what is submitted for the following:

    • Salary and fringe calculations are accurate (appropriate for position type and range; future year escalations are appropriate; hourly rates appear appropriate; incumbent salary and fringe election are correct).
    • Expenditures proposed are allowed per grant (can only do this if grant RFP provided to Budget Office – if not provided this cannot be verified).
    • If Grant RFP is provided at time of budget review request we also verify the following:
      • Expenditures proposed are allowed per grant
      • Match Required - Y/N
      • Match written into grant: Y/N. If yes is it equal to, under, or exceeds amount required?
      • Determine if Match is new or existing. If existing, verification that match exists and provide detail of match (position #, chartfields)
      • Determine if Indirect allowed
      • Determine if Indirect Exclusions exists
      • Determine if Indirect Calculation was done correctly
      • NOTE: all items above can only be done if RFP provided and adequate time for this review.
    • Summary of Budget Office review emailed to Grants Office.
    • Summary of Budget Office review placed on file for use during contract review and signing process if requested by VP.

    After grant is submitted and approved, Grants Office forwards approval letter to Budget Office.This acts as request to establish budget authority for grant. Budget will not establish a grant budget without award letter received from Grants Office. Sometimes the Grants Office schedules a grant "hand off" meeting to include Grants Office staff, PI & supervisor, member of Budget Office and member of Accounting. The Grants Office schedules and runs the meeting when they occur.

    Budget Office establishes project & budget authority in PS Finance (assigns project #, writes combo edit, runs build, posts budget detail in following ledgers: Standard Budget & Detail within Commitment Control). Note: Budget Manager assigned and per labor contracts budget manager must be an Administrator. Budget Manager on grant may not be same person as Principal Investigator assigned on grant proposal.

    Budget Office notification of grant budget establishment (and chartfield detail). Notification of budget establishment goes to: PI, PI supervisor/budget manager of grant, Grants Office and Accounting. Email includes query that provides full chartfields and budget detail for grant.

    Budget Office reviews grant funds to set fund 2 tax levy and reviews mid-year to determine if budget modifications needed to comply with Wisconsin Technical College System Financial Accounting Manual (FAM) rules related to overall budgeted revenues and expenditures by Fund and Function. Initial board approved budget for special revenue aidable includes known and anticipated grants - always reconciled midyear to determine if changes required and board approved budget modification is needed.

    If formal Grant Budget Modification is proposed by PI or PI Supervisor, the Budget Office is contacted and asked to review modification.This review conducted is same review as initial review referenced earlier. Budget transfers are not processed until notification received that granting agency approves of modification.

    Post Close Out Notification, Budget Office closes that specific grant budget after being notified by Accounting that close out is final. Budget closes budget by setting budget definitions and budget attributes for all chartfields related to that specific grant.

    Grant Reporting Prepared by Budget Office: The Budget Office has developed queries to generate reports (refreshed weekly) that provide budget to actuals by project (by grant) and reports are posted on shared drive that is accessible by Grants Office, PI, and all grant supervisors. Additionally, the Wisconsin Technical College System requires reporting at a fund level so grants are included in the figures reported within all state required Special Revenue Aidable reporting.

    Budget Office steps and involvement as above only represent what is done by Budget Office. For any specifics on Grants Office role, duties or related to the VP approval form and process need to be directed to the Grants Office as the Budget Office is not involved with that aspect of grants. Any questions regarding posting of actuals, correction of actual postings, draw down of funds, grant close out and reporting process, or audit questions should be directed to Accounting. Questions related to the grant activities and outcomes should be direct to the Principal Investigator assigned to the grant.

     

    Budget Planning FAQs

    Where can I find the instructions for the 2011-12 New Funding Request Form?

    The instructions are located on the first tab of the Excel Workbook. They can also be found on the Budget Office website under Links & Resources FY2011-12 New Funding Instructions.

     

    Who received the New Funding Request Form?

    The FY2011-12 New Funding Request Form was distributed to each Vice President and Executive Director (the members of the Executive Team of Madison College) on September 14, 2010. These offices will coordinate the process of soliciting Funding Requests and compiling the operational and capital equipment requests for their division and all of their direct reports. For your submission deadline please refer to your supervisor.  The completed forms from each of the VP and Executive Director Offices are due to the Budget Office on January 14th, 2011.

     

    Who should fill out a New Funding Request Form?

    Anyone that is requesting new or additional operating and/or capital funds needs to fill out this form. This includes any funding requests for the following funds: General Fund, Capital Fund (equipment only), Enterprise Fund, and Internal Service Fund. All requested new funding (excluding capital equipment for the purpose of replacing aging equipment) must be supported by your unit plan. The FY2011-12 New Funding Form has been revised to include fields from the Unit Plan database to document the relationship between a funding request and a divisions Unit Plan.

    Your division may have identified a specific person that is responsible for preparing the New Funding Request Form. Check with your supervisor to determine if you need to fill out or contribute to filling out a New Funding Request Form.

     

    What types of funding requests have to be included on the New Funding Request Form?

    Any type of new or additional operating and/or capital fund requests. This includes requests for any new position (any type); any enhancements to existing positions (such as an increase in hours); any additional or increased budgetary authority for controllable supplies; and any capital equipment requests. 

    This includes any division or department that is seeking an increase to their budget in the following funds: General Fund, Capital Fund (equipment only), Enterprise Fund, and Internal Service Fund. Note that the Special Revenue Aidable Fund follows a different process since this fund is established based on approved grants and contracts that go through Executive Team review and approval during the grant submission process. All grants reviewed and approved through the existing approval process will be included in the Special Revenue Aidable Fund Budget.

     

    What items do not need to be included on the New Funding Request Form?

    You do not need to request amounts needed for the annual salary and fringe change amounts for current permanent full time positions as these are calculated and planned by the Budget Office.

    You do not need to request fringes or annual fringe change amounts for existing pooled salary funds (existing base budget for controllable salary appropriation) as these are calculated and planned by the Budget Office.

     

    How should the New Funding Request Form be submitted?

    The completed and prioritized New Funding Form should be submitted by your Vice President or Executive Director. Forms need to be submitted electronically to BudgetOffice[at] matcmadison [dot] edu by January 14th, 2011. For information on the internal process and deadlines prior to the January 14th deadline, contact your supervisor.

     

    When is the New Funding Request Form due to the Budget Office?

    The completed forms from each of the VP and Executive Director Offices are due to the Budget Office on January 14th, 2011.

     

    What happens to the New Funding Request Form after it goes to the Budget Office?

    The Budget Office will prepare final estimated costing of salaries and fringes for all new positions and prepare an aggregated list of all requests by either Operational or Capital Equipment Requests. The aggregated lists will then be forwarded to the appropriate group for final prioritization.

    Capital Equipment Requests will go to the Capital Planning Committee.

    Operational Requests will go to Executive Team and will be considered for funding after the FY2011-12 budget inputs are finalized and the proposed budget is calculated to determine availability of new operational funds within the tax levy target established by the Executive Team.

     

    How will I be notified if my request for new operational funding has been approved?

    All new funding requests have to be prioritized and approved by the Executive Team for inclusion in the annual budget that is prepared by the Budget Office. The detail is summarized and presented to the District Board for review and approval. A public hearing must be held and the District Board must approve and then adopt the budget. Typically the public hearing and then the Board resolution to adopt the budget occurs in May or June. After the Board approves and adopts the budget an e-mail will be sent out from the Budget Office to Leadership Council with an attachment detailing all approved operational requests.

     

    How will I be notified if my request for new capital equipment funding has been approved?

    The annual budget process determines the total amount available for capital purchases. The prioritization of the capital dollars then occurs through the Capital Planning Process. This process includes the remodel and construction process managed by facilities and the capital equipment process managed through the Capital Planning Committee. All capital equipment requests need to be made through the Capital Equipment Request Form and if approved, individual budget managers will be notified directly by the Budget Office.

               

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Last Modified: October 3, 2011