HBCUs get 178 times less funding from foundations than Ivy Leagues: Study

A new study has highlighted the disparity in funding received by HBCUs from the nation’s largest foundations compared to Ivy League universities.

According to the study, which was conducted by philanthropy research nonprofit Candid and the Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE), HBCUs were given “178 times less funding from foundations” than Ivy League schools in 2019, per BET. Nearly 100 HBCUs only received a total of $45 million, while eight Ivy League schools received $5.5 billion from the nation’s 1,000 largest foundations.

“We were not surprised by the findings because philanthropy generally funds Black-led nonprofit organizations disproportionately less than other similarly situated organizations,” Susan Taylor Batten, president and CEO of ABFE, said in a statement. “However, we were surprised by the data that indicated the enormity of the disparate funding between Ivy League colleges and HBCUs.”

Despite the lack of funding from foundations and philanthropic organizations, HBCUs have managed to thrive and produce the majority of the nation’s Black judges, lawyers, and doctors.

“HBCUs have thus far been successful with limited resources, underscoring their value, power, and potential, the study stated.

The authors of the report hope it will serve as an entry point for foundations to enact change.

“By committing to funding HBCUs, developing long-lasting relationships with them, and increasing HBCU capacity, foundations will strengthen HBCUs to continue —and build upon— the remarkable impact they have had on Black communities and the nation,” the study reads.

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