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Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Logo Budget Development and Planning

The Budget Process

Budget Cycle

Delaware's annual state budget process:

  • July – New fiscal year begins; agencies begin executing the most recently approved budget, and OMB issues budget development guidelines.
  • August – Agencies submit "door opener" requests for additional needs (e.g., program expansions or mandatory cost increases).
  • September – Target meetings are held between OMB and agencies to set spending ceilings aligned with projected revenues.
  • October – Agencies formally submit their detailed budget proposals to OMB.
  • November – OMB conducts public hearings where departments justify their requests; citizen input is welcomed.
  • December – Governor's Office, in coordination with OMB and guided by DEFAC revenue forecasts, finalizes the recommended budget.
  • January – Governor formally releases the recommended operating and capital budgets to the General Assembly.
  • February–March – Joint Finance Committee (JFC) holds hearings and performs mark‑up sessions, reviewing and adjusting the governor's budget line-by-line.
  • April–May – The JFC continues mark‑up, including hearings on the Bond Bill
  • June – General Assembly passes the final operating and Bond Bill budget; the governor signs it before FY ends on June 30.

This cycle ensures continuous fiscal planning, public transparency.


For information and past budgets see our Budget Page



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