Who we are and what we do

We are the national partner in the largest, dispersed higher education network … with 34 state and regional fundraising associations and their approximately 626 member private colleges and universities with 1.5 million students.

We believe our greatest strength is in the size and diversity of our network, which raised over $50 million last year.

Our network enters into partnerships with corporate and philanthropic entities…helping them to efficiently and effectively achieve their goals in giving.

Our network is a partner with other associations serving private higher education…the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and National Association of Independent College and University State Executives (NAICUSE).

Each association has a distinct mission, but we partner together on behalf of our common cause – private colleges and universities and their students.

We are collaborators…using our network to form collaborations to address challenges, increase efficiency, and better serve students.  Over the past decade, the partners have supported the formation of countless innovative collaborative efforts involving hundreds of private colleges – within states, in regions, among groups of colleges, among association partners -- all across the nation.

We are venture philanthropists…using our UPS Educational Endowment Fund (created by United Parcel Service) to provide challenge/matching/competitive grants to encourage innovative and collaborative programs among our partners.

We are scholarship providers and managers…managing gifts from donors to award scholarships to deserving and needy students.

We are a professional association…working collaboratively with our 34 state partners to provide services to the state executives, staffs, and boards.

To see examples of some projects managed by FIHE, click here.