By statute the General Fund covers all state appropriation, expenditure and receipt transactions, except those for which special constitutional or statutory requirements demand separate fund accounting. Most of the traditional state services are included in the General Fund.

The accounts of the General Fund reflect the major share of the state's fiscal transactions. It is the predominant element in the annual budget review and enactment from the viewpoints of both appropriations and taxes. This is evidenced by the frequent identification of the "General" Fund with the State of Michigan as a whole.

The General Fund is financed by what are defined as general purpose and restricted revenues. General purposes are self-explanatory. Restricted revenues are those resources that, by constitution, statute, contract or agreement, are reserved to specific purposes, and expenditures that are limited by the amount of revenue realized.

The current size of the General Fund is $9.2 billion (fiscal year 2007).