North Charlotte Today

WASHINGTON, D.C.  - Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) lauded the Biden Administration’s launch of a grant program to expand research infrastructure in our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

The programs are enabled and funded by Congresswoman Adams’ IGNITE Act, the language of which was included in the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus spending bill signed into law by President Biden in December. The $50 million in grants are intended to implement transformational investments in research infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure, human capital development, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding.

“For years, the HBCU Caucus has worked to strengthen research infrastructure at our HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs. As a result of historical underfunding and disinvestment, no HBCU is ranked in the top tier for research capacity and infrastructure, despite the amazing work of HBCU faculty, staff, and students,” said Congresswoman Alma Adams, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “Now, with the Research and Development Infrastructure Grant Program authorized and funded by our bipartisan IGNITE Act language, our institutions have an opportunity to grow and expand their research capacity. This announcement is the culmination of years of work with legislators, stakeholders, corporate partners, faculty and staff, and most importantly, our students, and I could not be prouder of all of the HBCU advocates who made this program a reality.

“These planning and implementation grants are designed to promote transformational investments in research infrastructure at four-year HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs. However, the legislation was called IGNITE for a reason: this is only the starting point in making sure our schools have the resources and infrastructure to compete.”

“At a time when diversity in higher education is under attack, it’s never been more important to invest in our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Minority-Serving Institutions, community colleges, and other inclusive institutions,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “These grant programs represent opportunities for our nation’s most inclusive and diverse colleges and universities to expand their capacity to drive research and innovation and strengthen evidence-based supports that help underserved students successfully complete their degrees and build brighter futures. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue working to raise the bar for excellence and equity in higher education and invest in institutions committed to helping students of all backgrounds and income levels reach their potential and pursue their dreams.”

BACKGROUND ON HBCUs

While only representing roughly 3 percent of all four-year colleges and universities, HBCUs produce upwards of 17 percent of all bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans. Additionally, HBCUs enroll a disproportionately high percentage of first generation and low-income students, nearly 60 percent, and outperform their peers in supporting and graduating these students.

The incredible success of HBCUs has been achieved despite over a century of systemic underfunding at both the state and federal levels. Too often, HBCUs are forced to navigate the effects of chronic underfunding while also lacking access to alternate sources of capital available to other institutions.

BACKGROUND ON GRANT PROGRAM

Adams introduced the original IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act in 2021 with Rep. French Hill (R-AR) in the House, and Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Tim Scott (R-SC) in the Senate. IGNITE Act language was eventually included in the final version of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, also known as the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden.

The IGNITE Act language in the explanatory statement in Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 invests in research infrastructure at HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs. This legislation recognizes the contributions of these institutions in the most important way possible: by affording them the support and investment needed to deepen their transformational work.

Consistent with the IGNITE Act language in the FY 2023 Omnibus, the Department of Education has established the Historically Black Colleges or Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges or Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions Research and Development Infrastructure Grant Program.

The grant program allocates $50 million for research and development infrastructure meeting three priorities:

• Funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities' Research and Development Infrastructure;
• Funding for Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities' Research and Development Infrastructure; and
• Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions' Research and Development Infrastructure.

For this initial grant, the deadline for applications is October 2, 2023.

BACKGROUND ON CONGRESSWOMAN ADAMS

Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County). She is a senior member of the House Committee on Education & the Workforce and the House Committee on Agriculture. In 2015, she founded the first bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus in Congress. She is a double graduate of North Carolina A&T, the largest HBCU by enrollment in the United States.

Original source can be found here.