The National Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) conference provided opportunities for HBCU faculty, staff, and students to learn about funding and grant opportunities at the federal, state, and local levels.
On Thursday, experts reflected on HBCU resiliency and their ability to do less with more, while urging HBCUs to think outside the box and get involved with emergency management programs to counter the effects of climate change.
“As we know, we in the HBCU community have not gotten our fair share of resources,” said Dr. Willie E. May, vice president for research and economic development at Morgan State University. “Over the last decade, federal funding for Primarily White Institutions (PWIs) increased 20%. At the same time, support, which was always meager, has gone down for HBCUs by 20%. [HBCUs] get less than 1% of total federal allocation for research. This administration is committed to increasing that, but there are things we can do as well.”
Dr. Willie E. May
“These are not grants,” said May. “These are more like contracts to allow us to partake in the work of the government.”
Evelyn Kent, director of the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s (OSD) HBCU/Minority-Serving (HBCU/MI) Program, wore her Southern University and A&M College colors, blue and yellow, as she explained her program’s opportunities.
“Partners in Army, Navy, Air Force work together as a team to make sure this OSD program leverages funding with service,” she said.
