Special Funding Requests

Special funding requests (SFRs) are created in the Budget Commitment System. These documents are routed to and reviewed by a team in LA-Finance. Requests can be made in advance of events with estimates or after an event with actual expenditures.

Some common reasons to request funding support from the dean's office with an SFR:

• Faculty Recruitment Activities
• Event Support
• Fund Swap Requests
• Dean-approved course buyouts
• Using Signature Course funds for non-instructional activities
• Ph.D. Cohort Funding Requests

From the home screen, select Create Request in the top right corner. Like other UT Direct documents, SFRs can be Verified, Approved, and sent to a specific person using their EID and For Your Approval (FYA) + Go. Once the document is created, note the DOC ID for future reference. Documents cannot be recalled, so if changes need to be made, contact LA-finance@austin.utexas.edu and reference the Doc ID.

Purpose Section

Most common Commitment Types:

• PRGS - Programmatic Support
• STUD - Student Support
• OTHR - Other
• RSCH - Research
• INST - Instructional Adjustments (meant for soft money adjustments)
• SADJ - Salary Adjustment

Select the option from the drop down menu that most closely matches your situation. This isn’t workday; it won’t be kicked back if you choose the wrong one. 

Details for your request should be entered in the Purpose Detail section including: a thorough description of what the funds will be used for, specific dates, account number(s) and balance(s), collaborative partners, departments, units, or people. The more detail provided, the faster the response time. Be sure to include what you are trying to pay for so the dean’s office can determine what funds they have available based on your request. You should indicate at least one potential account number for the transfer to speed up the approval process.

At the bottom of the page, select Create All-in-One.

Add your EID so you are notified when the document is approved.

Add Recipient Information, if that’s relevant to your request, or leave blank.

Include a PDF attachment with any relevant information, including an itemized budget, that will help people make decisions. Also please include itemized budgets for reimbursements (such as for Events, Recruitment, Faculty Retreats, etc.). These budgets help determine the type of funds that can be used depending on the types of expenditures. You can add multiple attachments.

Budget and Transfer Items

These sections are optional. In the Transfer section, you can use Add Group to indicate the account number where you would like to receive the funds. Add the number in the To Account section. Complete other details as necessary. You may also add possible account numbers for fund transfers in the Purpose Detail section if you aren't sure which to use. If you do not have an account in mind, LA Finance make the determination. Not indicating any account numbers may cause delays in response times.

Select Document Review and Verify for any errors.

FYA this document to your Chair/Director for a second approval. Put in their EID and select GO. (If you accidentally select Approve instead, it will skip the FYA command. You can’t recall so Finance will have to return it.) The document will come to the chair/director's UT Direct Inbox. Send your chair/director a link to the inbox to approve the document. Requests are then routed to LA Finance who reviews, along with Dean Stevens, for final approval. Questions can be sent to LA_finance@austin.utexas.edu.