TMCF ADVANCES HBCU CAPACITY BUILDING BY DR. HARRY WILLIAMS
T he Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) recently received a substantial grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that are its member schools and increase capacity at the organization. The $25 million grant will fund Project HBCU Capacity Building: Maximizing HBCU Performance Through Investments in Research, Operations and Innovation. Through strategic investments and partnerships, TMCF will work to address infrastructure needs and accelerate innovation across HBCUs. By enhancing efforts to improve student support and empowering campuses to pursue unfunded or underfunded initiatives, TMCF will foster
operational excellence and increase institutional capacity.
decades of Gallup research and surveys. TM² is supplying frontline support in strengthening administration and institutional capacity by being a source of trust and understanding for HBCUs in search of finding the right candidates to fill key roles on their campuses. To determine eligibility for funding, TMCF divided its 35 member schools conducting research into three tiers based on research expenditures in FY22, according to National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics data. Schools in tiers two and three are eligible for participation. Eight institutions will be selected to receive funding up to $2 million.
enable the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to better serve its campuses and students, providing opportunities for funding to implement innovative projects that address unique challenges,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF, said. “We’re thankful for the trust placed in us by Lilly Endowment to carry out this work.” Racquel Oden, chair of the TMCF Board of Directors and HSBC Head of Wealth, Premier & Global Private Banking, US, agreed. “This grant marks a transformative moment for our organization, empowering us to advance our mission and make a lasting impact on our campuses and students,” Oden said. “We are deeply grateful for
Project HBCU Capacity Building will help tackle critical issues to the HBCU community such as limited financial resources, declining enrollment and outdated operational infrastructures by enhancing institutional capacity through targeted investments in research, operations and innovation. TMCF will also bolster its support for HBCUs through contributions from the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Research Center (Payne Center) and TM² Executive Search (TM²), TMCF’s executive search firm. The Payne Center provides insights such as the annual Black Thriving in America report, providing useful information gained through
“This monumental grant will
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