UNCF Applauds $100 Million Federal Investment in HBCUs

UNCF is proud to announce that 2018 represented a banner year for HBCU-related funding as passed by Congress and signed by the President. Collectively, fiscal year (FY) 2018 and 2019 spending bills represented a funding increase of over $100 million benefitting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in that calendar year alone.  FY2018 was funded in March, and FY2019 was funded in September.  The FY2019 Education Department budget represents the first time in a decade education-related funding has been approved by Congress in a timely manner.

“We represent institutions and students that need resources, and we have a product that fills a major national need—an educated, diverse workforce,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of UNCF.  “We embarked on an ambitious meeting schedule with a matching agenda. I am so pleased that the Congress and the administration heard us. They partnered with UNCF to prioritize the capital needs of our institutions and the need to better use federal funds to help low-income, first-generation college students finance their education. Programs such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work Study and the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant received increases during 2018 that were greatly needed by our students. All I can say is thank you to the bi-partisan coalition in the Congress that heard us and mobilized on our behalf.”

Click to see programmatic increases championed by UNCF during FY2018 and 2019.

“Since FY2017, HBCU-related spending by Congress is up by more than 15 percent. That represents more than $100 million. That’s monumental!” said Lodriguez V. Murray, vice president for Public Policy and Government Affairs at UNCF. “While all of Washington is focused on differences, we have been busy explaining the needs of HBCUs and the needs of the highly capable students we serve.”

See the members of Congress helpful to UNCF’s work supporting HBCUs and their talented students.

“As we move into 2019, our 75^th anniversary year, UNCF is grateful to all the members of Congress and officials at both the White House and U.S. Department of Education that made this incredible outcome possible.  Our institutions cannot wait for this desperately needed support, and our students just don’t have time to wait either.  HBCU students across the country were looking to UNCF to make sure they had a seat at the federal table, and I think we were very successful at educating Congress and other government officials about their needs,” said Murray.

“However, more work still needs to be done.  We look forward to continuing our positive working relationship with lawmakers and the administration during the 116^th session of Congress,” he concluded.

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About UNCF
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”^® Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter @UNCF.