Economic Impacts of the Massachusetts Innovation Voucher Program (MIVP) – Survey Results
September 2025
The Massachusetts Innovation Voucher Program (MIVP) was established by Massachusetts General Law c. 75, § 45C and regulation 946 CMR 8.00 with the purpose “to advance the goals of job growth creation, innovation and economic development which may include, but shall not be limited to: the construction of prototypes, testing, and market research in the Core Facilities.” The program, started in FY2019, is designed to enable small and medium-sized (< 50 FTEs) businesses to access the University of Massachusetts Amherst system’s leading-edge research facilities at reduced rates, across all five campuses.
From FY2019 to FY2025, MIVP received $11.72 million in state funding, for an average of $1.95 million annually. As of April, 2025, 1,779 vouchers have been used by 401 small and medium-sized businesses across Massachusetts working in a variety of industries.
To measure the importance of the MIVP program, the UMass Donahue Institute (UMDI) administered a survey to past voucher recipients to learn about how the program has enabled them to grow their businesses. Results from the survey, detailed here, were also used as inputs to an econometric model (Implan) to estimate the total number of jobs and economic output, including multiplier effects, generated by companies who benefit from the MIVP program.
