Southface Institute, an Atlanta-based nonprofit for sustainable building science, with support from the Sustain Our Future Foundation, has launched the “Building Improvement Toolkits for Resilient HBCUs” initiative, a three-year pilot program to improve campus sustainability and enhance climate resilience on historically Black college and university campuses, beginning with Clark Atlanta University, Morgan State University in Baltimore, Spelman College in Atlanta, Texas Southern University, and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Each participating HBCU will receive a $150,000 grant to support climate action projects and operational improvements. A total of 25 students from across the five institutions will receive year-long, paid fellowships, providing them with hands-on experience in sustainability research.
Students and faculty at the participating HBCUs will also benefit from professional consulting from experts in climate action planning and will receive access to Southface Institute’s Building Improvement Toolkit, which will allow researchers to track performance and implement sustainability practices in energy, water, and waste management. Additionally, the program will include collaborative projects with 25 affordable housing complexes to drive measurable improvements in efficiency, waste reduction, and indoor air quality.
“This initiative positions HBCUs as sustainability hubs that extend their impact far beyond campus boundaries,” said Yinka Bode-George, founder and CEO of the Sustain Our Future Foundation. “By enhancing building energy efficiency and fostering student workforce development, we are creating a model for climate action that strengthens local resilience and ensures all communities benefit from a sustainable future.”
The program will begin implementation in the upcoming spring 2026 semester, with plans to expand to additional HBCUs across the country in the years to come.
