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Why Harvard is Deepening its Partnership With HBCUs

Harvard University is giving a $1.05 million grant to launch a new HBCU coalition, a major investment in collaboration and capacity for historically Black colleges and universities. The funds will cover early development, resource growth, partnership building, and support for student success and long-term sustainability.

“Through this three-year grant to AHRI, the H&LS Initiative is deepening our commitment to developing enduring partnerships with HBCUs,” said Sara Naomi Bleich, vice provost for special projects at Harvard. “We are honored to leverage our expertise in research infrastructure and capacity-building to help further HBCU research excellence.” 

The new funding reinforces Harvard’s commitment to building partnerships with HBCUs. It also enhances their ability to attract top research talent and funding associated with the R1 research classification, the highest level under the Carnegie Classification. Howard University was the first HBCU to earn the R1 designation and remains the only AHRI partner institution with that status.

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Collaboration Beyond Funding

Technical support and guidance will come from Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) and Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) to help ensure the coalition succeeds. Their role includes strengthening research administration and compliance, and supporting lifecycle grant management. They will also host HBCU administrative staff on campus and participate in key programming, such as the inaugural AHRI symposium.

“The launch of AHRI represents an important inflection point for HBCU research institutions. The 15 universities in this coalition collectively account for 50 percent of all competitively awarded federal research funding among HBCUs—underscoring the scale and strength of our research, doctoral education, and innovation,” said Tomikia P. LeGrande, president of Prairie View A&M University and vice chair of AHRI. 

“As Carnegie-classified institutions spanning R2 and R1 designations, we are aligning that strength through AHRI to amplify impact, accelerate discovery, and define the future of research while firmly establishing HBCUs as central to that future.”

Leaders say the coalition will create a unified network that amplifies the collective strength of HBCUs and tackles persistent challenges in funding, infrastructure, and access. By combining Harvard’s resources with the expertise and legacy of HBCUs, the initiative seeks a more equitable and innovative higher education landscape.

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More About The H&LS Initiative

AHRI formally launched on April 29 at Howard University in Washington, DC, with a national press conference and its inaugural symposium titled “Expanding the Research Mission of HBCUs.” 

The H&LS Initiative backs HBCUs beyond the new AHRI grant. It trains the next generation of leaders through Harvard’s Seminar for New Presidents. The program uses a collaborative cohort model for HBCU and non-HBCU presidents.

The initiative also builds capacity through the HBCU Digital Library Trust. The Trust has helped more than 90 HBCUs digitize high-priority collections on one platform and run professional development programs. 

For students, the initiative funds research opportunities like the Du Bois Scholars Program. The summer research internship at Harvard brings undergraduates from 21 research-intensive HBCUs to campus.

Main Image: HBCU presidents and leadership gathering at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research in September 2023. Image Credit: Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer

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