Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black educational institution in Texas, received a $850,000 donation from Vistra, an integrated retail electricity and power generation company. The donation is part of its $10 million multi-year commitment to grow minority-owned small businesses, enhance economic development, and improve educational opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds.
The National Institute of Health’s National Institute of General and Medical Sciences has awarded historically Black Delaware State University a two-year $1.15 million grant to research social and behavioral factors related to COVID-19 infection in minority communities. The researchers will work to develop communications strategies to increase the acceptance of testing and a future vaccine.
Hampton University, the historically Black educational institution in Virginia, has received a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish a program to strengthen Christian congregations so they can help people deepen their relationships with God, build strong relationships with each other, and contribute to the flourishing of local communities and the world. The grant is under the direction of Debra L. Haggins, Hampton University chaplain and executive director for the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference.
Historically Black Morgan State University in Baltimore received a five-year, $999,531 grant from the National Science Foundation to implement strategies and advance curricula designed to increase the number of undergraduates with degrees across the highly critical fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The nearly $1 million in educational aid will provide 30 undergraduate scholarships, establish mentorship programs, and provide personalized development plans for the university’s students
The New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science at Rutgers University received a $5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to launch outreach campaigns and expand access to COVID-19 testing for underserved and vulnerable communities in New Jersey. The project is under the director of Shawna Hudson, a professor and Research Division chief in the department of family medicine and community health at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Historically Black Howard University in Washington, D.C., receiving a $760,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop an intelligent surveillance platform for damage detection and localization of civil infrastructure. The assessment platform will provide data to timely inform decision-makers on possible damage to structures like cell towers, power grids, and other infrastructure from earthquakes, floods, and extreme weather.
Fort Valley State University, a historically Black educational institution in Georgia, received a $1.1 million grant from the Chevron Corporation to support the university’s Cooperative Developmental Energy Program.
Historically Black Norfolk State University in Virginia, received a five-year, $2,500,720 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund the university’s Student Support Servies Program. The program provides tutoring, financial literacy education, and career development services among other programs.
