January 5, 2026–Governor Ferguson released his 2026 supplemental operating budget on December 23, with cuts across the board to state agencies, institutions and higher education. However, embedded in his proposal is some better news for Evergreen. 

The governor’s proposal adds more cuts to higher education institutions. The additional cuts to Evergreen total $915,000, with the largest portion being a 1.5% cut to the general fund appropriation.   

Based on the legislative budget passed last year, we had been expecting our share of the sector-wide cut to be $652,000. These two cuts combined add up to a cut of $1,567,000.  Western, Central and Eastern Washington universities receive similar cuts in the governor’s proposal, with larger 3% cuts at the University of Washington and Washington State University.   

For Evergreen, these sector-wide cuts are partly offset by some better news. The governor’s proposal cancels fiscal year 2027’s $2.7 million Evergreen-specific cut that passed in the last legislative session. In addition, the governor proposes $100,000 in new funding to support the maintenance and operation of the Historic Lord Mansion.  

Governor’s staff credited Evergreen’s “powerful advocacy” with making the case for the $2.7 budget reversion. 

When the legislature convenes on January 12, the House and Senate consider the governor’s proposal as a starting budget document. If the governor’s proposal is adopted, Evergreen will still have a serious budget reduction to make. However, the governor’s proposal is a substantive improvement over the budget adopted in the last session.   

Governor Ferguson estimates a $2.3 billion gap between the state’s revenue and spending through mid-2027. In this austere budget environment, it is remarkable to see Evergreen’s two operating budget requests incorporated into the governor’s proposal. This is a good start to the 2026 legislative session which recognizes our enrollment growth over the past few years. 

We can expect to see House and Senate budget proposals in mid-February.  The legislative session is scheduled to conclude on March 12.