by the students, but also the hardships of the colleges themselves.
“A 2018 Government Accountability Office report documented extensive capital project needs across HBCU campuses and significant structural barriers to accessing financing for modernization,” the UNCF reports. “This year, Congress is drafting the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills—a critical window to advance federal investment in HBCUs. UNCF has submitted formal appropriations requests across multiple subcommittees including Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Commerce, Justice, Science, Defense, Interior and Housing and Urban Development.”
Murray concludes, “HBCUs have been doing extraordinary work for over 180 years with whatever they had. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act is the moment we match their proven strength with the investment they have always deserved. We are calling on the entire HBCU community— students, alumni, educators, parents, elected officials and partners—to make their voices heard. Congress needs to know that this community is behind this legislation and ready for them to act.”