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.
Historically Black Talladega College in Alabama has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Women’s Foundation of Alabama to advance women’s economic opportunity through education, workforce preparation, and leadership development. The new funding will support initiatives relating to job skills training and credentialing, housing stability, savings and credit-building efforts, leadership development for women professionals, and business development for women entrepreneurs.
The Howard University and PNC Center for Entrepreneurship recently received a gift from the financial data analytics company FICO. Headquartered in Howard’s School of Business, the center is a national consortium and resource hub, training aspiring entrepreneurs across a network of 101 HBCUs. The recent donation from FICO will expand the center’s programs, including its annual HBCU Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit in Washington, D.C. and the FICO Fellowship, which trains faculty and staff to integrate financial education opportunities into curricular and extracurricular opportunities.
Hampton University in Virginia recently formed a new partnership with Langley Federal Credit Union, establishing the union as the HBCU’s official credit union partner. As part of this new collaboration, Langley Federal Credit Union has pledged a $150,000 commitment for student scholarships, as well as plans to develop community engagement activities and curated financial products for the Hampton community.
Historically Black North Carolina Central University received four federal TRIO Student Support Services grants from the U.S. Department of Education. Totaling $5.44 million, the grants aim to improve student access, college retention, and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities from 2025-2030. The awards include dedicated support for students enrolled in the LCI Student Accessibility Center, as well as those pursuing degrees in the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities; the School of Business; the College of Health and Sciences; and the School of Education.
Historically Black Prairie View A&M University is part of two projects funded by over $1.2 million in grants from the Texas Department of Transportation. Led by Texas A&M University, the studies will focus on improving temporary road surfaces used during construction and advancing sustainable roadway maintenance projects. Findings from both studies will provide TxDOT with research-based guidance for roadway design, inspection, and maintenance practices across the state.
Alabama State University received $500,000 in funding secured to support the HBCU’s new mechanical engineering degree program. The new funds will be used to procure high-quality equipment needed for students to gain hands-on experience and for the program to meet accreditation standards.
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, a historically Black medical school in California, was awarded a $770,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to establish the university as a Health Equity Research for Action Coordinating Center. Bringing together a team of scholars, community leaders, practitioners, and policymakers, the new initiative will allow the HBCU to participate in community-driven, action-oriented research to identify and implement systemic solutions to health inequities.
The United Negro College Fund received a $10 million gift from philanthropists Elizabeth and Phil Gross and Adage Capital Management to expand Project ACCLAIM (Accelerating Learning in Asset Investment Management) to include Morgan State University in Baltimore and Florida A&M University. Launched in 2025 at Morehouse College and Howard University through another $10 million gift from the Gross family and Adage Capital Management, Project ACCLAIM is designed to cultivate the next generation of investment leaders, generate long-term value for participating institutions, and expand wealth-building opportunities in underserved communities. Participating students at Morgan State University and Florida A&M University will manage $4 million in investment capital, gaining hands-on experience while supporting institutional priorities and the sustainability of the program.
