The Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHELP) seeks to enhance leadership and policy of higher education in California and the nation, with an emphasis on community colleges in recognition of their importance in providing an educated and diverse citizenry and workforce.  Based at California State University, Sacramento, the Institute conducts policy-relevant research and communicates it to policymakers, practitioners and educators.

Since its founding in 2001, the Institute has produced many policy reports addressing key issues of higher education policy: transfer, governance, accountability, performance, and finance.  Its "Shared Solutions" report highlighted the role of state funding, institutional efficiencies, and tuition revenue in ensuring college access for the next generation of students.  The Institute also produces a California-specific analysis of California's higher education performance as reported in the biennial "Measuring Up" report, a state-by-state report card by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

Among other projects, the Institute is studying finance policies for the California community colleges in order to reframe finance policy to provide incentives for colleges to promote student success, in addition to institutional needs and enrollment growth.

Web site: http://www.csus.edu/ihe/