Building partnerships through collaboration.
Annual Resource Planning Process
Utilizing a strong Annual Resource Planning Process (ARPP) helps to support and expand UB’s world-class impact. The ARPP provides a framework for us to review our financial capacity, evaluate our current activities and identify and assess potential areas for new investment that will continue to elevate the university.
Announcements
Download the ARPP Infographic
Launching the Process
Updated 09/30/2025
Phase 1 — Three-Year Plan Information Collection
Key Outcome: Share guidance based on the university’s financial position to assist units in providing their input and needs through the Three-year Plan workbook
| Date | Topic | Action | Coordinating Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
Mid Sept 2025 | Tuition / Fees | Board of Trustees meeting to include final rulemaking for 2025-26 tuition rates | SUNY |
Late Sept 2025 | Information / Guidance | Provost and VPFA sends ARPP Kickoff memorandum with 2026-27 ARPP Calendar & Resource Planning Guide. Resource Planning will follow up with units directly to provide additional materials and guidance. | Resource Planning |
Oct 2025 | Facilities / Space | Instructional Facilities Part I - A lead from Facilities works with the Space Utilization and Pedagogy & Design Committees on a 3-year instructional facilities plan (2028, 2029, 2030). The plan is presented to the AVP of Facilities & the Director of IT for approval - draft is due to Resource Planning by 10/31. | Resource Planning & University Facilities |
Oct 2025 | Multi-year Financial Plan | Multi-year Financial Plan preparation & update (Part 1) | Resource Planning & Financial Management |
Oct 2025 | Reporting | 1st Quarterly Forecast Review 2025-26 | Resource Planning & Units |
Oct 2025 | SUNY | SUNY Budget Due to NYS | SUNY |
Oct 2025 - Jan 2026 | Enrollment | VPEM meets with units to discuss enrollment plans | VPEM |
Oct 8, 2025 - Jan 9, 2026 | Workbook Review | Resource Analyst meets with the UBO – ARPP check-in | Resource Planning & UBO’s |
Oct 9, 2025 | Information / Guidance | 2026-27 ARPP Q & A Session – Zoom | Resource Planning |
Nov 2025… or when SUNY Requests | Tuition / Fees | Units consulted on proposed 2026-27 Specialized Tuition Rates | Resource Planning |
Nov 2025 | Tuition / Fees | Delivery of reconciled summer share of tuition revenue above base | Resource Planning & OIA |
Nov 2025 | Facilities / Space | Summer 2027 Classroom Renovations – submit advanced work orders for summer 2027 projects to Senior Leadership for review & approval | Resource Planning & University Facilities |
Nov 2025
| Tuition / Fees | Fall Student Consultations for 2026-27 Broad-Based Fees | Student Life |
Nov 1, 2025 | Tuition / Fees | Units will submit final actual summer costs to Resource Planning | Units |
Nov 1, 2025 - Mar 31, 2026 | Tuition / Fees | SUNY Budget Office and campuses discuss proposed 2026-27 tuition rates | SUNY |
Nov 3, 2025 | Information / Guidance | Deans/Vice Presidents/Unit Business Officers meeting on 2026-27 Annual Resource Planning Process & University Financial Plan | Resource Planning |
Dec 2025 | Tuition / Fees | University and Service Center Fee requests due to Financial Management | Units |
Dec 2025 | Enrollment | Unit Graduate Enrollment Managers submit final enrollment targets for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 to VPEM for consideration | Units |
Dec 2025 | Facilities / Space | Instructional Facilities Part II - The 3-year instructional facilities plan (2028, 2029 & 2030) is presented to the Executive Committee for approval for inclusion in the ARPP | Instructional Facilities Steering Committee |
Dec 2025 | Tuition / Fees | Senior Leadership approves 2026-27 housing rates | Resource Planning |
Jan 9, 2026 | Information / Guidance | Units submit BBF material to the Resource Planning Resource-Planning-ARPP@buffalo.edu | Units |
Jan 2026 | Facilities / Space | Instructional Facilities Part III – The 3-year instructional facilities plan (2028, 2029, 2030) is submitted as part of the ARPP | Instructional Facilities Steering Committee |
Jan 2026
| Enrollment | VPEM sends headcount enrollment data to Resource Planning | VPEM & Resource Planning |
Jan 2026
| Reporting | 2nd Quarterly Forecast Review 2025-26 | Resource Planning & units |
Jan 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Student Life submits 2026-27 housing rates to Senior Leadership for approval | Student Life, Campus Living |
Jan 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Student Life submits 2026-27 campus dining rates to Senior Leadership for review | Student Life, FSA, Campus Living |
Jan 16, 2026 | Information / Guidance | Units need to submit materials by deadline as UPlan system will be closed for unit analysis prior to budget meetings | Units |
Phase 2 — Analysis, Discussion and Decision-Making
Key Outcome: Gain a shared understanding of the unit’s position and needs so as to inform the resource planning decisions of Senior Leadership
| Date | Topic | Action | Coordinating Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
Jan-Feb 2026 | Information / Guidance | Resource Planning analyzes unit input and projections and develop briefing documents for unit budget discussions | Resource Planning |
Early Feb 2026 | Information / Guidance | Senior Leadership provides feedback to units about topics to include in unit+ presentations | Resource Planning |
Feb 16, 2026 – Feb 27, 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Spring Student Consultations for 2026-27 Broad-Based Fees | Broad-Based Fee Stewards |
March 2-6, 2026
| Information / Guidance |
Unit Resource Planning meetings with President, Provost & VPFA
| Resource Planning |
March 2026 | Tuition / Fees | VPFA submits SUNY Broad-Based Fee request | Resource Planning |
March 2026 | SUNY | SUNY 2025-26 Revenue Target – (second re-projection) | Resource Planning & Business Services |
March 2026 | Multi-year Financial Plan | § Review of Multi-year Financial Plan open items (Part 2) for current year updates | Resource Planning |
March-April 2026 | Information / Guidance | § Provost, in consultation with VPFA, review & prioritize Three-Year Plan recommendations § Provost and VPFA review Three-Year Plan recommendations with President Tripathi | Resource Planning |
April 2026 | Reporting | 3rd Quarterly Forecast Review 2025-26 | Resource Planning & Units |
April 2026 | NY State | NYS Budget is approved | NY State |
April 2026 | SUNY | SUNY reviews enacted budget for compliance | SUNY |
April 2065 | Information / Guidance | FSA/Campus Dining & Shops budget approved by President, Provost and VPFA | Resource Planning |
April 2026 | Information / Guidance | Provost & VPFA prepare Investment Proposal Outcome Letters | Resource Planning |
April-May 2026 | Tuition / Fees | System administration leadership reviews proposed 2026-27 tuition rates | SUNY |
Phase 3 — Closure of Annual Resource Planning Process
Key Outcome: Confirm unit expectations and outcomes in order to finalize Three Year Plans and implement resource planning decisions
| Date | Topic | Action | Coordinating Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
April 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Fee Requests submitted to SUNY if applicable | Resource Planning |
April 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Financial Management provides Fee Certifications | Financial Management |
April 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Delivery of reconciled winter share of tuition revenue | Resource Planning & OIA |
Mid – Late April 2026 | Information / Guidance | Investment Proposal Outcome Letters sent to units | Resource Planning |
April 22, 2026 | Information / Guidance | Deans/Vice Presidents/UBOs meeting on outcome of 2026-27 process | Resource Planning |
June 13, 2026 | Information / Guidance | Units submit a breakdown of summer allocation between Sutra and State Operating | Units |
May 2026 | Unit Budgets | Resource Planning remind units to submit budgets to UPlan by system closure - due June 15th | Resource Planning |
May 2026 | SUNY | 2026-27 Revenue Target – Initial projection submitted to SUNY | Resource Planning, OIA & Financial Management |
June 2026 | Tuition / Fees | Resolution approved by Board of Trustees / Initialize 2026-27 tuition rulemaking process (45 day public comment period) | SUNY |
June 2026 | Information / Guidance | Units confirm PI/department crediting on sponsored awards is correct to facilitate the accurate allocation of ICR funds in August | Units & Sponsored Project Services |
June 2026 | Tuition / Fees | SUNY Board of Trustees approves 2026-27 tuition rates & BBF rates | SUNY |
June 2026 | Tuition / Fees | VPFA sends tuition rates communication to Deans/Vice Presidents/Vice Provosts | Resource Planning |
Mid-June to July 1, 2026 | Information / Guidance | Internal Financial Plan closed to prepare for 2026-27 deliveries | Resource Planning & Financial Management |
Early-July 2026 | Information / Guidance | Financial Management rolls Annual Allocation from 2025-26 to Annual & Fiscal Allocation for 2026-27 - this is the starting point for the 2026-27 budget | Financial Management |
Early-July 2026 | Information / Guidance | Delivery of items designated for “July 1 budget implementation” (including 2026-27 Investments) | Resource Planning & Financial Management |
July 2026 | Information / Guidance | Finalize 2026-27 Three-Year Plans | Resource Planning & Units |
July 2026 | Reporting | 4th Quarterly Forecast Review 2025-26 | Resource Planning & Units |
July 2026 | Tuition / Fees | SUNY communicates approved 2026-27 Broad-Based Fee rates to campuses. VPFA communicates to units | SUNY |
Mid-August 2026 | Information / Guidance | 2025-26 ICR delivered | Resource Planning, Financial Management & OVPRED |
Mid-August 2026 | Tuition | Calculate new targets & enter base allocation commitment changes. Route to Provost & VPFA for review. Send email to UBOs. | Resource Planning |
Mid-August 2026 | Tuition Share | Calculate share of tuition rate increases due to units & enter in IFP | Resource Planning |
August 2026 | Tuition | Final 2025/26 tuition revenue vs targets report. Enter commitments for unit revenue share and TRSA. | Resource Planning |
August 2026 | Information / Guidance | Financial Management rolls over carryforward balances | Financial Management |
August 2026 | SUNY | Financial Management submits 2026-27 SUNY Form 1-Campus Financial Plan & Financial Management Strategies document to SUNY | Financial Management & Resource Planning |
November Launch Meeting
The ARPP officially begins with the annual kick-off presentation, held in early November. In this presentation, the provost and vice president for finance and administration will provide information relevant to the planning effort, including:
- State of the budget
- New initiatives
- Updates to the budget model, if applicable
Annual operating budgets are now submitted through UPlan, the university’s all-funds budgeting, planning and forecasting system.
The most recent Resource Planning Guide is provided to help with your planning efforts. The Resource Planning Guide is a reference for year-round and future planning, not exclusive to the 2026-27 ARPP. The guide will be updated annually as policies and programs change.