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Promoting Excellence in Government

State Budget

Preparation, deliberation, and execution of the budget is a continual process managed by the department. This process regularly involves the Legislative and Executive branches, with occasional counsel from the Judicial branch. The annual budget process serves as the foundation for the State’s financial planning and control.

Recent News

General Fund Receipt Memos

General Fund Receipts Memo, February 2023

Gross General Fund receipts for February 2023 totaled $769.3 million, an increase of 5.9 percent over the same period last year.  Fiscal year-to-date, gross General Fund receipts totaled $7,226.2 million.  This is $314.4 million or 4.5 percent more than last year.  The estimate for Fiscal Year 2023 is a decrease of 0.9 percent.

FY 2023 General Fund Year-to-Date Growth by Month

State Budget in Brief

Iowa Program and Budget Brief, FY 2024

This document contains the Condition of the State address, program initiatives, economic review, state financial policies, financial summaries, and information related to education, human services, corrections and others.  The budget in brief covers fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.

State Budget Reports

Iowa Budget Report, FY 2024

This document contains the recommended budget for fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.  It includes: statewide financial summaries; appropriation details for general fund, major funds and all other funds; individual department budgets; capitol projects; and associated financial documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an appropriation?

An appropriation is a legislative allocation of money from a specific fund for a specific time period. This is a budget item, not an accounting item. In the State Budget Process, this is a self-balancing set of accounts, similar to funds, which are segregated for specific activities.

What is a fund?

A fund is a fiscal and accounting entity with a self-balancing set of accounts recording cash and other financial resources which are segregated for the purpose of carrying on specific activities.

What is the general fund?

For budgetary purposes, the General Fund of the state receives those revenues of the State not required to be deposited in other funds. General Fund revenues are obtained from the payment of state taxes and from federal and non-tax revenue sources. Major tax revenues to the General Fund include the individual income tax, corporate income tax, sales/use tax, and certain other taxes and revenue.

What is the economic emergency fund?

The Economic Emergency Fund is separate from the General Fund of the State and the balance in the fund is not considered part of the General Fund. The monies in the fund do not revert to the General Fund, unless and to the extent the fund exceeds the maximum balance. The maximum balance of the fund is the amount equal to 2.5% of the adjusted revenue estimate for the fiscal year. If the amount of moneys in the Iowa Economic Emergency Fund is greater than the maximum balance, the excess is required to be transferred to the General Fund. The moneys in this fund may be appropriated by the General Assembly for emergency expenditures. However, starting in Fiscal Year 2012, there is a standing appropriation from the fund to the Executive Council to pay for performance of duty claims approved by the Executive Council. The balance in the Economic Emergency Fund may be used in determining the cash position of the General Fund of the State for payment of state obligations. Interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the Fund are credited to the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.

Iowa Code Section 8.55

What is the cash reserve fund?

The Cash Reserve Fund is separate from the General Fund of the State and the balance in the fund is not considered part of the General Fund. The moneys in the Cash Reserve Fund cannot be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated or otherwise encumbered except as provided under Iowa Code section 8.56. Interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the Fund are credited to the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. The balance in the Fund may be used in determining the cash position of the General Fund of the State for payment of state obligations. The maximum balance of the fund is the amount equal to 7.5% of the adjusted revenue estimate for the fiscal year. If the amount of moneys in the Cash Reserve Fund is greater than the maximum balance, the excess is required to be transferred first to the GAAP Retirement Account and if not needed in this account, then transferred to the Economic Emergency Fund.

Iowa Code Section 8.56

What is the base budget?

The base budget is used as teh base for new fiscal year requests. It is typically a percentage of prior year enacted budgets, or other base period (such as Governor’s recommendation for the prior year) with some adjustments for changes in funding, item vetoes, and similar items.

What is a decision package?

Decision packages are requests above or below 100% of current year funding level by appropriation or other amount as determined by the department.

What is a budget request?

A budget request is the budget at the stage in the budget cycle representing the department request. It is also known as the department request.

What is a budget recommendation?

A budget recommendation is the budget at the stage in the budget cycle representing the Governor's recommendation to the Legislature. It is also known as Governor Recommendation or Gov Rec.

What is the legislated budget?

The legislated budget is the budget at the stage in the budget cycle representing the appropriation bills passed by the Legislature. It is also known as the Appropriated Budget.

What is the adopted budget?

The adopted budget is the budget that will be passed to the financial system for initial set up of new year. It is the budget used for control purposes. It accounts for salary projections and line-item vetos. It is also known as the spending plan or enacted budget.

What are actuals?

Actuals are actual expenditures and revenues associated with past or current fiscal years.

Can the state budget be revised?

Departments may request revisions to allotments, appropriation transfers, or supplemental appropriations. The Department of Management approves revised allotments within an appropriation, subject to the Governor’s review. The Governor and the Department of Management approve all appropriation transfers. The Governor and the General Assembly act on supplemental appropriation bills in a manner similar to original appropriations. Appropriations lapse at fiscal year-end and unobligated balances revert to the state treasury, unless otherwise provided.

Is there a expenditure limitation for the general fund?

The General Fund expenditure limitation is 99% of the adjusted appropriable revenue estimate. The adjusted revenue estimate is the appropriable revenue estimate for the General Fund following fiscal year as determined by the Revenue Estimating Conference. Adjustments may be made by adding any new revenues which may be considered to be eligible for deposit into the General Fund subtracted by any revenues which are considered not eligible for deposit into the General Fund, that are determined to happen after the Revenue Estimating Conference meets. “New revenues” means moneys which are estimated to be received by the State due to increased tax rates or changes in tax structures and increased or newly created fees. For expenditure limitation purposes, only 95% of the new revenues may be added. Reductions to the General Fund estimate due to tax rate or structure changes and reduced or eliminated fees are reduced at 100% of the amount.

Iowa Code Section 8.54

Where is budget control maintained?

All claims presented for payment must be approved by the appropriate department. The expenditure must be for a purpose intended by law and a sufficient existing and unexpended appropriation balance must be available. Budgetary controls are incorporated into state accounting systems. The annual budget of the state is established through separate appropriations to individual departments for specific purposes, special outlays and/or operating expenditures. Budget control is essentially maintained at the department level except for certain grant and aid programs where control is maintained at the program level.

Staff Contact Info

Name Phone Email Duties
Brett Conner 515-281-5417 brett.conner@iowa.gov
  • I/3 Budget System
  • Agriculture & Land Stewardship, Department of
  • Budget Back-up statewide
  • Environment First Fund
  • Natural Resources, Department of
  • State Fair Board
  • Salary Model back-up
  • Underground Storage Tanks
Lori Conner 515-242-6165 lori.conner@iowa.gov

Federal Funds

David Fardal 515-281-3539 David.Fardal@iowa.gov
  • Blind, Department for the
  • College Student Aid Commission
  • Community Colleges
  • Education, Department of (includes IPTV and IVRS)
  • Governor, Office of
  • Higher Education Funding
  • Legislative Branch
  • Management, Department of
  • Regents, Board of
Michael Guanci 515-281-6577 michael.guanci@iowa.gov
  • IPERS
  • Transportation, Department of
  • Capital Budgeting & Infrastructure Finance Issues
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Pension Benefits
  • Rebuild Iowa
  • Infrastructure Fund/TRF
  • Salary Model
  • State Employee Benefits
Heather Hackbarth 515-281-7811 Heather.Hackbarth@iowa.gov
  • Cultural Affairs, Department of
  • Economic Development Authority
  • Homeland Security & Emergency Management
  • Iowa Civil Rights Commission
  • Iowa Finance Authority
  • Iowa Values Fund
  • Public Defense, Department of
  • Public Employment Relations Board
  • Workforce Development
  • I/3 Budget System Back-up
Dennis Hart 515-281-8048 Dennis.Hart@iowa.gov
  • Attorney General
  • Corrections, Department of
  • Criminal Justice Issues
  • Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
  • Judicial Branch & the Courts
  • Parole Board
  • Public Defender and Indigent Defense
  • Public Safety, Department of
Sandra Hurtado-Peters 515-281-0113 Sandra.Hurtado-Peters@iowa.gov
  • Aging, Department of
  • Human Services, Department of
  • Public Health, Department of
  • Iowa Veterans Affairs
  • Iowa Veterans Home
Joel Lunde 515-281-7072 Joel.Lunde@iowa.gov
  • Deputy Director
  • Economics & Demographics Data
  • Financial Summary Updates/Projections
  • GAAP/CAFR Issues
  • Revenue Estimating Conference
  • Revenue & Tax Issues Surveys
  • Workday
Debra Scrowther 515-281-7076 debra.scrowther@iowa.gov
  • Administrative Services, Department of
  • Auditor of State
  • Commerce, Department of
  • Drug Control Policy, Governor's Office of
  • Executive Council
  • Human Rights, Department of
  • Inspections & Appeals, Department of
  • Iowa Communications Network
  • Iowa Ethics & Campaign Finance Disclosure Board
  • Iowa Grants Project Manager
  • Iowa Public Information Board
  • Lottery Authority
  • Office of Chief Information Officer
  • Revenue, Department of
  • Secretary of State
  • Treasurer of State