The U.S. Department of Education (EDU) has announced the allocation of approximately $93 million in grant awards to 20 colleges and universities that predominantly serve minority populations. The funding is intended to bolster research and development, with a particular focus on improving completion rates for underserved students at Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
According to an EDU media release, the funds are being facilitated by the Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) program. This initiative provides financial support to HBCUs, TCCUs, and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) with the aim of transforming their research infrastructure. The RDI program seeks to enhance research productivity, faculty expertise, physical infrastructure, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding. In addition, the Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) program is playing a pivotal role in directing the grant. The PSSG program aims for equitable postsecondary student outcomes, including retention, transfer, credit accumulation, and completion by leveraging data and implementing evidence-based approaches.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona stated: "The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes the urgency of this moment in higher education and that creating opportunities for students of color and other underserved students to succeed in today’s most cutting-edge fields has never mattered more." He added: "These grant awards will help many of our nation’s most inclusive and diverse colleges and universities expand their capacity to drive research and innovation, and propel more students to graduation day and fulfilling careers. This is how we Raise the Bar for college excellence and attainment in this country and close equity gaps in higher education that have no place in the 21st century."
The EDU media release also revealed that this $93 million grant follows a series of substantial investments made since President Biden took office. These include $25 billion allocated to the aforementioned institutions. Of the total grant money awarded, $18.1 billion has been designated for MSIs, $7.3 billion for HBCUs, and $474.5 million for TCCUs.
