In recent years the fight for equity in higher education has intensified. Institutional leaders, advocates, and policymakers alike are seeking scalable solutions that rapidly close equity gaps among this nation's most underserved populations. Too many hardworking students still struggle to afford a college education, and historically underserved students remain underrepresented. Gaps in degree attainment, gaps in achievement, and gaps in opportunity persist. Without targeted efforts to narrow these inequities, the existing gaps will grow. While institutionally-focused stakeholders often draw on the tools closest at hand in addressing equity--pedagogical and curricular changes, stronger student support structures, more extensive research on equity-related issues--it is equally important for them to join forces with other policy focused voices to help drive improvements at scale. This push for equity-minded policy is not new, but it must be taken up by all higher education stakeholders in order to make a real difference in the lives of these students. Since its inception 25 years ago, the Institute for Higher Education Policy's (IHEP) has been one of the leading policy-focused voices working to close equity gaps and promote college access and success among the nation's underrepresented populations by working to advance policy change. IHEP continues to develop innovative policy- and practice-oriented research to guide policymakers and education leaders. Addressing equity requires that all members of the higher education community leverage each of the tools at their disposal to close these gaps. While driving policy change is IHEP's tool, it is also a tool everyone should have in their toolbox and one education leaders should wield together when the opportunities arise to advance institutional, state, and federal policies that ensure all students can reach their full potential by participating and succeeding in higher education.