The announcement, made at a White House summit, pushes the two-year total for historically Black colleges and universities above what Congress originally approved by $612 million.

WASHINGTON — Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced a second round of federal funding for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) at the White House Initiative on HBCUs Summit, adding $174 million beyond what Congress had approved for the current fiscal year.

The additional money for fiscal year 2026 comes on top of the $406 million Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed into law. It was reprogrammed through a mandatory funding mechanism, according to the announcement.

It's the second consecutive year the administration has boosted HBCU funding beyond the congressionally approved level. Last year, it added $439 million on top of that year's $406 million allocation. Combined, HBCUs have now received $612 million more than Congress originally approved across the two fiscal years.

A "great return," UNCF says

Leaders of the United Negro College Fund welcomed the announcement.

"I want to commend the president and the secretary of education for prioritizing HBCUs," said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF's president and CEO. "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. The needs on HBCU campuses are too severe; but this investment will surely yield a great return. Our grateful community is appreciative, and we look forward to investing the funds well into our campuses, programs, and most importantly, our students."

Lodriguez Murray, UNCF's senior vice president for public policy and government affairs, pointed to the broader economic role HBCUs play.

"HBCUs are the most excellent institutions in the country in terms of educating students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and getting them to and through college," Murray said. "HBCUs infuse about $16 billion into our economy annually, and hire and fire, collectively, like a Fortune 50 company. A class of HBCU graduates will earn $146 billion over their lifetime."

"HBCUs have long deserved this kind of investment, and it is high time an administration took note to make it happen," Murray added, thanking Trump, McMahon and officials at the White House and the Departments of Education and Labor for the announcement.