The Lowell Plan, Inc. is a private, non-profit economic development corporation founded in 1979 to assist the city in advancing various economic and community development projects. Privately funded, it has raised over $7 million since its inception, investing those funds in a variety of ways to help stimulate economic, cultural, educational and quality of life initiatives, often in cooperation with city, state and federal partners. A key role of the Lowell Plan is to provide a regular forum for private and public sector representatives to discuss and develop consensus on strategies for revitalizing Lowell. Its broad mission allows for a quick response to city-wide priorities like implementing a marketing plan, advocating for a new high school, or proposing a change in the traffic pattern for downtown. A thirty-four member Board of Directors governs the agency.