Federal STEM awards give 10 HBCUs nearly $100 million to expand research capacity

Ten historically Black colleges and universities will share $97.1 million in federal funding to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics research programs and capabilities.

The awards come through the Department of Defense’s HBCU and Minority-Serving Institutions Research and Education Program. The funding is intended to help the institutions build research capacity as they pursue Research 1 status, the highest research activity classification for U.S. colleges and universities, according to an announcement from U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Georgia.

North Carolina A&T State University, Florida A&M University and Morgan State University each received $10 million. Delaware State University was awarded nearly $10 million, as were Texas Southern University and the University of the District of Columbia.

The other awards are $9.9 million for Fayetteville State University, $9.9 million for Prairie View A&M University, $9.8 million for Clark Atlanta University and $7.6 million for Jackson State University.

The grants arrive as HBCUs seek to expand their role in advanced research, including by strengthening the programs and resources needed to compete for major research opportunities. North Carolina A&T reported a record $113.3 million in sponsored research funding during fiscal 2026, according to the funding report.

Warnock said the investment recognizes HBCUs’ contributions to STEM education and is intended to expand opportunities for future scientists. The announcement also connects the grants to a broader effort to help HBCUs pursue research funding and increase their research activity.

The awards give each university resources for STEM research capacity. The announcement did not specify how each campus will use its grant, so the long-term impact will depend on the research programs and infrastructure the funding supports.