May 04, 2023 “Hope, But Not Success.” Foundations Dug Deep for HBCUs in 2020, but Funding Gap Far From Closed May 04, 2023/ Mike Scutari A new report shows that after years of underinvestment, HBCUs saw a bump in support during 2020. Such schools have a long way to go toward funding parity, however, and the report’s authors are calling for lasting commitments. Read More
October 18, 2022 Education and Access: Inside a Black Wall Streeter's Emerging Giving October 18, 2022/ Ade Adeniji Frank Baker’s giving so far has focused on education and leveling the playing field both at predominantly white institutions and HBCUs. We sat down with Baker to find out more about his philanthropy to date and what’s to come.Read More
November 17, 2021 To Make Progress on Racial Equity, Philanthropy Must Not Overlook HBCUs November 17, 2021/ Jasmine Haywood, Guest Contributor Philanthropy has made some bold commitments to racial equity, but there is enormous work left to be done. In this guest post, Lumina Foundation’s Jasmine Haywood, Ph.D., says supporting HBCUs is a clear path to progress. Read More
May 20, 2021 Bloomberg’s Latest Racial Equity Move Taps a Familiar Grantee to Diversify STEM May 20, 2021/ Paul Karon Bloomberg seeks to boost diversity in the sciences with a $150 million program to support students from HBCUs pursuing PhDs. It’s an extension of massive giving to Johns Hopkins, and of a more recent commitment to racial equity.Read More
March 24, 2021 How Giving to Historically Black Colleges and Universities Finally Went Mainstream March 24, 2021/ Mike Scutari When Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin made a big HBCU gift last June, it was just the beginning. We dig into the conditions that sparked an astonishing giving surge and consider whether HBCU giving has, at long last, gone mainstream.Read More
January 04, 2021 How MacKenzie Scott Broke the Problematic Patterns of Higher Ed Philanthropy January 04, 2021/ Mike Scutari For generations, higher ed funders provided billions in restricted support to mostly affluent institutions with which they had personal or professional relationships. MacKenzie Scott threw out the rule book in a matter of months.Read More
November 02, 2020 Why Bloomberg is Investing in Black Doctors November 02, 2020/ Connie Matthiessen Forever driven by data, Bloomberg’s $100 million investment in four historically Black medical schools reflects powerful evidence that the availability of Black doctors has a significant effect on Black health outcomes.Read More
July 30, 2020 “Having Major Impact.” Unpacking MacKenzie Scott’s Historic HBCU Giving Spree July 30, 2020/ Mike Scutari Historically black colleges and universities are a refreshingly large part of MacKenzie Scott’s emerging racial justice grantmaking. We dig into her $100 million in combined gifts to six HBCUs, which helps reverse years of neglect by top donors.Read More
June 22, 2020 “A Collective Responsibility.” 6 Takeaways from Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin’s Big HBCU Gift June 22, 2020/ Mike Scutari A $120 million commitment from Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin is the largest ever earmarked for scholarships at HBCUs. Here are six takeaways from the biggest donation to racial equity so far in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.Read More
May 28, 2020 Three Things to Know About the Donor Behind the Latest Big Gift to HBCU Graduates May 28, 2020/ Ade Adeniji A year after black billionaire Robert F. Smith made a big gift to the Morehouse class of 2019, black businessman Frank Baker and family did something similar for Spelman College. Here’s what we know about the latest couple to take up the cause.Read More
October 03, 2019 In a Higher Ed Landscape Flush with Cash, Are More Big Gifts Starting to Reach HBCUs? October 03, 2019/ Mike Scutari Despite a growing focus on issues of equity and an avalanche of campus donations, historically black schools continue to struggle. But several big recent gifts, plus demographic trends, provide grounds for cautious optimism. Read More