InformEd States: Higher Education Policy Initiative

Public Data Source: click here

The InformEd States project provides four detailed datasets on U.S. public higher education funding.

The Community College Local Funding Dataset (FY2017–2021) includes data from 28 states, detailing local tax sources and revenue types, surpassing the granularity of IPEDS.

The State Financial Aid Dataset (FY2004–2020) offers data on need-, merit-, and combined-based aid, including eligibility criteria, award amounts, and recipient numbers.

The State Funding Mechanisms Dataset (FY2004–2020) categorizes how states allocate funding to public colleges—base-adjusted, enrollment-based, or performance-based—at the sector or system level.

Lastly, the Performance-Based Funding Policies Dataset (FY1997–2020) tracks PBF policy adoption, implementation, metrics used, equity components, and actual funds tied to outcomes, enabling longitudinal analysis of state accountability strategies.