September 12, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

I'm excited to announce the UM Flagship Fund, a fund from which we will use to invest in the good ideas of the UM community as we seek to translate UM's Vision into action.

Our employees historically have generated some of the most promising ideas for moving UM forward. The Flagship Fund, which currently is funded through philanthropic support, will allow us to invest in ideas that will propel UM into the future while delivering on its promise to foster inclusive prosperity.

Last year, we identified new investments through the Strategic Enrollment Planning (SEP) process. Employees from all over campus pitched, honed and assessed their ideas for enrollment growth. This year, the Office of Strategic Planning and Implementation will expand that process through the Flagship Fund to invite ideas that impact not only enrollment but also other aspects of UM's Priorities for Action.

Next week, the Office of Strategic Planning and Implementation will send out a call for proposals for Flagship Fund investments. Proposals will be invited in two categories:

• Investment funding for a single year to address a specific need or solve a particular problem.
• Investment funding for one or more years for revenue-generating ideas that become self-sustaining.

Successful proposals will demonstrate not only a commitment to UM's Vision and Priorities for Action but also an awareness of the need to partner across offices and units as we build UM's future.

Please watch for the call for proposals and for more information about this new opportunity. We need your good ideas as we build UM's future!

Seth