Mission
The Imagine Fund exists to ensure access and expand equal opportunity to higher education for students based on their race, color, sex, ethnicity, national origin, and/or other cultural characteristics.

Vision
The Imagine Fund envisions a Michigan where every motivated, academically prepared high school graduate has the opportunity to attain a college degree, not limited in any way. In support of this vision,

The Imagine Fund will:

• Join with other organizations across the state that are also facilitating the successful pursuit of higher education by all Michigan residents.

• Contribute to Michigan’s economic recovery and on-going vitality by working

with local, state, federal governments and private efforts to facilitate college awareness, preparation, affordability, enrollment and success by vulnerable student populations. As the number of graduates from diverse backgrounds increases, their employability will be bolstered, earning power multiplied, and the possible strain on taxpayers will be averted.

• Maximize synergy with K-12 pipeline programs that facilitate college readiness and encourage college going among vulnerable student populations through the exchange of information, data and best practices and through the availability of The Imagine Fund to serve as the scholarship arm of interested pipeline programs.

• Support the efforts of donors and others who seek to proactively level the educational playing field for vulnerable populations.

• Remain vigilant in infusing relevant conversations about college access and success with insight and rigorous, high quality data regarding the demographics of, and disparities among, both students of color and women students in terms of college going and completion rates and fields of study.

Values
The Imagine Fund’s values are reflected in every aspect of the organization including: service delivery; the composition of its board, staff, graduate interns, consultants and volunteers; governance; and policy. All involved with The Imagine Fund understand that diversity matters in higher education and the workplace and as such it is the guiding principle for all efforts of the organization.

As related to Michigan higher education, The Imagine Fund is committed to the following values, its definitions are influenced by comments by Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran, President of Kalamazoo College, in her presentation at the April 2009 Equity in the Classroom Conference:

• Inclusion: The experience had in the campus community whereby the individual identity and history, voice and perspectives of every student are fully recognized and valued
  

• Diversity: The breadth of differences which make up the state of Michigan, including economic background, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, and the varied beliefs and experiences had by students which define their individual uniqueness
  

• Equity: The student learning that takes place especially in the classroom, through which each individual student has comparable opportunity and support to achieve their fullest potential
  

• Access: The student has the opportunity to pursue the higher education of their choice, attending any university to which they can attain enrollment, unhindered by financial constraints

In sum, The Imagine Fund believes that every motivated, academically prepared student in Michigan, with a high school diploma or G.E.D., deserves the opportunity to attain a college degree, not limited in any way.

The Imagine Fund values:

• Higher education as the key to enhancing individual and family lives, community stability, and the economic viability of the State of Michigan

• Individual opportunity to realize one’s goals and aspirations based on abilities, efforts, talents and qualifications

• Collaboration with college access and college success programs as a means of maximizing information sharing, program impact, research, advocacy and graduation outcomes in the state

• Good stewardship as a standard of excellence for student success, program effectiveness, organizational efficiency, and management of donor contributions