The promise of higher education is still real.
But affordability, student support systems, and transparency have not kept pace with students’ realities.
With your support, we’re building a system that delivers on that promise.
Your Support Helps Students Meet the Moment
Every year, students pursue a higher education because they believe in what a degree can unlock: better jobs, economic stability, and opportunity for themselves and their families. But too often, they face rising costs, unclear information, and systems that haven’t kept pace with their realities.
That’s where the Hildreth Institute comes in.
The Hildreth Institute is a trusted source of independent, student-centered research that helps turn the promise of college into real outcomes for students, especially those facing the greatest barriers.
Our impact is grounded in four pillars:
Access & Affordability: making sure cost isn’t a barrier to starting
Student Success & Completion: strengthening the supports students need to persist
Degree Value: ensuring degrees create lasting benefits for students and society, economic mobility, career readiness, and stronger communities
Transparency & Accountability: improving data so decisions are smarter and systems are accountable
Your gift helps fuel research, partnerships, and policy action that make college more affordable, more supportive, and more transparent, so students can thrive.
We believe that…
When adequately funded, higher education is a powerful engine of upward mobility. It’s also a great equalizer when it’s accessible and affordable.
There are powerful links between an educated nation and an increase in productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship, competitiveness, and civic engagement.
States’ renewed interest in providing tuition-free college is encouraging, but it will not counteract the inequities inherent in our educational and economic systems.
We must address the real financial and non-financial barriers currently preventing many students from accessing and obtaining a higher education credential.
Our Impact
At Hildreth Institute, we are committed to fixing this broken system by creating innovative policy solutions at the federal and state level to invest in public higher education, and strengthen the finances of our public colleges and universities while eliminating the student debt burden. We also seek to increase student protections from predatory lending institutions and collaborate on programs to improve outcomes for underserved communities.
We research, develop, and promote solutions for changes in public policies and institutional financial practices that will reduce costs to students and improve quality.
We partner with researchers, policy experts, politically diverse organizations, corporate & community leaders, and bipartisan policy makers to build support for fair and equitable higher education financing policies.
We work closely with community-based partners who will empower students and families to come together to demand change and hold policy makers and college leaders accountable.
Thank you for investing in a future where every student can see the true cost of college, get the support they need, and earn a degree with lasting value
The Hildreth Institute has received official IRS recognition of its tax exempt status under sections 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal ID number is 82-4154262. Donations will be tax deductible and may be disclosed to the IRS.
If you choose to make a donation to the Hildreth Institute, your credit card information will be used only for this transaction through our secure online payment system. The Hildreth Institute does not retain card information. Read our privacy policy.