Dr. Ibram X. Kendi at the UNCF UNITE convening in Atlanta last month.
The initiative combines $40,000 grants with low-interest loans of up to $1 million per participating institution. Reinvestment Fund has committed more than $50 million total to support HBCU financial health and sustainability.
"The HBCU Brilliance Initiative program is essential to building thriving, sustainable communities of higher education for Black students," said Christina Alexis, managing director for the HBCU Brilliance Initiative at Reinvestment Fund. "By empowering HBCUs through transformative lending and technical assistance, we not only ensure a better educational experience for Black students but also uplift the surrounding communities."
The grants will target developmental projects including campus infrastructure improvements, predevelopment and planning activities, and sustainability initiatives. The loan component offers long-term, low-interest financing for community development projects that extend beyond campus boundaries.
The initiative specifically aims to serve HBCUs where more than 70% of students are Pell Grant recipients and first-generation college students, addressing institutions that serve the most economically vulnerable populations in higher education.
Beyond financial support, the program includes leadership training, policy advocacy support, and research access for participating institutions. The initiative emphasizes collaboration between HBCUs and community stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers.
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, incoming Professor of History and founding director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Howard University, endorsed the program's broader impact.
"HBCUs have long been incubators of Black brilliance, scholarship, leadership, and multiracial democracy," Kendi said. "Investing in these institutions is not just an investment in higher education but it is an investment in an equitable, knowledgeable, and just future."
Reinvestment Fund President and CEO Donald Hinkle-Brown emphasized the initiative's role as a catalyst rather than a sole solution.
"Our goal is not for this initiative to be the sole source of support, but rather the first step in a broader, ongoing effort to advance opportunities for Black students and their communities," he said.
Georgia State Senator Sonya Halpern.
Applications for the inaugural cohort open August 25 and close September 29. Reinvestment Fund will host an informational webinar for interested institutions on August 22 at 9:30 a.m. ET, covering eligibility criteria, application processes, and selection timelines.
Since 1985, Reinvestment Fund has provided more than $3.2 billion in financing for community development projects nationwide. The organization maintains a AAA rating from Aeris for financial strength and four stars for impact management, with an AA- rating from S&P for asset and risk management systems.
Institutions interested in the program can find additional information and webinar registration at reinvestment.com/grants/hbcu-brilliance-initiative.
