5 ways to keep higher education capital plans on track

Colleges and universities face growing uncertainty. Federal policy changes, shifting enrollment, rising costs, and deferred maintenance are putting higher education budgets under immense strain. Even the most carefully designed capital plans can quickly be disrupted.

Yet, with the right strategies, institutions can turn these pressures into opportunities. By taking a proactive, data-driven approach, higher education leaders can control costs, unlock new funding, and ensure facilities are aligned with their academic mission.

In this guide, JLL highlights five proven ways to strengthen higher education capital planning:

• Optimize space usage to lower costs and avoid unnecessary new construction.
• Use data to create capital plans that align with institutional priorities.
• Leverage flexible labor models to manage complex capital projects.
• Diversify funding strategies, including public-private partnerships.
• Apply innovation and technology to track performance and extend asset life.

Across the U.S., universities and colleges are already implementing these strategies to protect budgets and deliver more resilient campuses. This guide distills best practices to help leaders make smarter capital planning decisions that sustain facilities, advance institutional goals, and protect long-term financial health.

Download the full guide to see how your institution can move beyond reactive planning and keep capital projects on track.