Historically Black colleges and universities will get a one-time $174 million investment in what the Trump administration has called keeping its pledge to support institutions that have played a role advancing opportunities for generations.
“For nearly 200 years, HBCUs have been engines of opportunity in communities, advancing critical innovations and uplifting local industries across the nation,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “This new investment will help ensure these vital institutions have the resources they need to continue delivering world-class education and to prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving economy.”
On Tuesday, McMahon made the announcement at the HBCU Summit. The convening at the White House brought university presidents, Trump administration officials and other stakeholders together to discuss role HBCUs play in higher education
In addition to the investment in HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities will get more than $61 million in additional funding.
“HBCUs have helped shape the story of American education, and they will undoubtedly shape the future,” said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent.
This isn’t the first time the administration has invested multimillion dollars in HBCUs and TCCUs.
In September 2025, the department allocated $435 million to HBCUs, but these funds mostly come from congressional appropriations for minority-serving institutions, including predominantly Black institutions. Between fiscal years 2025 and 2026, the Trump administration has allocated more than $612 million in new funding to HBCUs.
The department did not immediately respond to Capital B’s request for comment regarding when the first batch of funds was distributed to colleges and universities.
UNCF, a nonprofit organization that funds scholarships for Black students and general scholarship funds for 37 private historically Black colleges and universities, said it’s been making the case for more than just a one-time investment since receiving the first round of funding last year.
“All year long, I have worked with our team at UNCF to make the case that the first year of one-time funding was not enough,” said Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO at UNCF. “The needs on HBCU campuses are too severe; but this investment will surely yield a great return.”
In a release about the funding, Lodriguez Murray, the senior vice president for public policy and government affairs at UNCF, said HBCUs are more than deserving, pointing out that HBCU students pour $16 billion into the U.S. economy annually.
