Advocacy Glossary
Fiscal year
What does fiscal year mean?
A fiscal year is the 12 month budget period a government uses. The federal fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30. Most states, including Florida, start theirs on July 1.
Why it matters for advocates
Budgets are named for the year they end in, so federal fiscal year 2027 starts October 1, 2026. That October date is the deadline Congress rarely meets for its spending bills.
For advocates, the fiscal year sets the calendar. Funding asks have to land months before the year starts, while bills are still being written.
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