Department of Education Ends $350 Million in Grants for HBCUs

The United States Department of Education has announced the cancellation of approximately $350 million in discretionary grants that were previously directed to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other Minority Serving Institutions. The move has already sparked concern across the higher education community as many of these schools rely heavily on federal support to strengthen their programs and campus resources.

The decision affects grants that had been used to bolster areas such as science and technology, infrastructure, and student services. Department officials stated that the cancellation stems from legal concerns over eligibility requirements tied to student racial and ethnic demographics. They argued that funding programs based on these thresholds could be considered unconstitutional.

Although mandatory funding approved by Congress will still continue, the loss of discretionary support could have a significant impact on how HBCUs and other institutions serve their students. Many of these campuses use federal dollars to expand academic offerings, maintain facilities, and provide programs that help students stay on track toward graduation. Without those grants, schools may face challenges in sustaining services that directly affect student success.

Leaders in higher education have been quick to criticize the decision, calling it a major step backward for equity and access. Advocacy groups emphasized that the grants not only helped minority students but improved the overall capacity of institutions that serve communities with fewer resources. They also warned that the cancellation risks slowing progress in preparing more diverse students for careers in competitive fields such as science, engineering, and medicine.

For example, at North Carolina Central University federal funding has been critical for upgrading laboratory spaces and expanding mentorship programs that serve first generation college students. At Howard University grants have supported initiatives that connect students to internships in public policy and healthcare. Smaller HBCUs such as Claflin University or Fayetteville State University often use these dollars to maintain student support services and technology upgrades that their limited budgets cannot always cover. Losing this stream of funding means those institutions may be forced to reduce offerings that directly impact student achievement.

The Department of Education has said it intends to explore new approaches to ensure continued support for underresourced students, but without using race or ethnicity as a criterion. However, uncertainty remains over how quickly those plans will be implemented and whether they will provide the same level of funding that schools have come to depend on.

For HBCUs, which have long faced financial inequities, the announcement represents another hurdle in their mission to educate and empower future generations. Many institutions are now bracing for the potential loss of critical resources as they prepare for the coming academic year.