Published on: February 4, 2026
An ATIXA Tip of the Week by Emily Babb, Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance; Title IX Coordinator, Northwestern University
Establishing a new campus-based Office for Civil Rights or Title IX office can feel like building the plane while flying it. When you’re the inaugural coordinator with no preexisting budget, it can be daunting to determine what to include, how much to allocate, and how to make the case for the resources needed to ensure compliance and equity on campus.
ATIXA regularly hears from coordinators at small colleges, often solo offices serving 1,000 to 2,000 students, who face similar challenges. The 2025 ATIXA State of the Field Survey shows that while 71% of higher education institutions now have a defined Title IX budget, nearly three in ten still operate without one. Below are practical strategies to help you create a comprehensive, realistic budget that sustains operations and lays the groundwork for growth.
Start with Historical Data, Even if You Have to Build It
One of the best ways to advocate for your budget is through data. If your institution tracks prior Title IX or civil rights investigations, hearings, or informal resolutions, review the number and type of cases from recent years. Identify whether external resources were used and, if so, what they cost.
The 2025 ATIXA State of the Field Survey found that 77% of higher education institutions complete between one and five annual investigations using external investigators, and those costs can vary widely, from $5,000 to $25,000 per investigation, depending on the case complexity. Even if historical billing data isn’t available, start tracking your own now. Over time, this will allow you to forecast spending more accurately and justify budget increases when needed.
Plan for Professional Development and Training
Professional development is not optional in this field; it’s essential. Your budget should include registration and travel costs for national and regional Title IX trainings and conferences, such as those offered by ATIXA.
ATIXA’s survey results show that 86% of higher education Title IX offices allocate funds for professional development travel, and 85% cover professional association memberships such as ATIXA. These investments are key to maintaining compliance, ensuring consistent practices, and retaining trained personnel.
If your state mandates minimum annual training hours, factor that in. You may also need to arrange for training for employees outside of your office who serve as hearing officers, decision-makers, or advisors. Also, clarify early whether your office will contribute to shared contracts related to training or prevention efforts for the broader university community.
Plan for Case Management Costs
To ensure a thorough and accurate record of reports received and the office’s response, a robust case management system can provide a system of record. In fact, 84% of institutions report sharing software expenses across departments. When planning your budget, be sure to include the cost or cost-sharing for a case management system, such as Maxient, Guardian, Symplicity, or another system. An annual published report from your office can help to encourage community support for the resources needed for appropriate case management, as long as any information shared cannot be linked to personally identifying information.
Account for External Partners and Legal Costs
Even if your college has a general counsel, your office may still be responsible for paying for outside investigators, hearing chairs, or informal resolution facilitators. These services are often among the most significant and least predictable expenses.
In 2025, 58% of higher education respondents said their budgets were adequate to cover external investigators, while a similar number expressed concern about insufficient funds for hearing advisors and decision-makers. Including a clear line item for external investigations and legal consultations signals institutional commitment to fair process and reduces the risk of noncompliance. If you can, budget for costs related to responding to OCR investigations, as well. They won’t happen every year, but they will happen.
Include Core Operating Expenses
Many first-time coordinators underestimate the importance of a basic operating budget. Include funding for:
- Office supplies and printed materials: brochures, posters, and printed policies remain vital communication tools.
- Tabling materials and small giveaways: simple branded items can help increase visibility during events like new student orientation, employee orientation, or Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
- Hospitality costs: refreshments and light meals for training participants foster community engagement.
- Event support: awareness campaigns and guest speakers help elevate campus dialogue around equity and prevention.
ATIXA found that 80% of higher education institutions use their Title IX budgets for student-employee costs, while 84% allocate funding for training Title IX team members. Building in these essentials ensures that you can maintain visible, consistent outreach throughout the year.
Anticipate Shared and Hidden Costs
When building a budget from the ground up, ask questions to learn how costs are shared at your institution. It is important to confirm whether your operating budget will cover shared services, including IT, website or communications support, printing and copier use, and space rental or furniture.
In addition, your institution must provide supportive measures to parties who engage with the Title IX office. If there are institutional costs for supportive measures, such as parking, transportation, or emergency housing, work with the unit responsible for the services to either cover the costs or establish a reasonable budget for cost sharing.
Survey data show that 62% of higher education institutions share costs for disability accommodations, and over 50% share expenses for climate surveys, barrier analysis, external program reviews/assessments, and remedial response efforts. Understanding where these costs fall helps prevent mid-year surprises and allows you to negotiate shared responsibility with other departments.
Build for Growth and Justify Expansion
As a one-person office managing all civil rights complaints under Title IX and Title VI, position your budget as part of a multi-year plan. Track time spent on investigations, training, prevention programming, and administrative duties. Plan for access to experienced legal counsel, if you can find that in-house, and if not, budget for a relationship with an external subject matter expert, like those at TNG Consulting. These data points can demonstrate the workload needed to justify adding staff later, either in-house or outsourced.
With only 58% of higher education respondents reporting adequate funding to ensure comprehensive Title IX compliance, budget advocacy remains a long-term endeavor. Transparent, data-driven reporting can help shift that perception over time.
Set Your Foundation
Creating your first Title IX budget from scratch is challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to set a sustainable foundation. By anticipating visible and hidden costs, documenting external expenditures, and investing in training, you position your office to meet both current and future compliance needs.
ATIXA’s TIXKit includes downloadable templates, sample budgets, and customizable tools to help coordinators build efficient and defensible programs from the start. Access these and other practical resources designed specifically for small and mid-sized institutions at www.atixa.org.