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Thurgood Marshall College Fund receives $25 million grant from Lilly Endowment for HBCU capacity building

By: via GlobeNewswire

Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) has received a substantial grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to increase capacity at the organization and for the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that are its member schools.

The $25 million grant will fund Project HBCU Capacity Building: Maximizing HBCU Performance Through Investments in Research, Operations and Innovation. Through strategic investments and partnerships, TMCF will work to address infrastructure needs and accelerate innovation across HBCUs. By enhancing efforts to improve student support and empowering campuses to pursue unfunded or underfunded initiatives, TMCF will foster operational excellence and increase institutional capacity.

“This monumental grant will enable the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to better serve its campuses and students, providing opportunities for funding to implement innovative projects that address unique challenges,” Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF, said. “We’re thankful for the trust placed in us by Lilly Endowment to carry out this work.”

Racquel Oden, chair of the TMCF Board of Directors and HSBC Head of Wealth, Premier & Global Private Banking, US, agreed. 

“This grant marks a transformative moment for our organization, empowering us to advance our mission and make a lasting impact on our campuses and students," Oden said. "We are deeply grateful for Lilly Endowment’s confidence in our vision and its support as we address these critical challenges.”

Project HBCU Capacity Building consists of three strategies through which TMCF will:

·       Enhance administrative systems and processes. TMCF will implement a data management system to help it and its member institutions streamline data collection and information sharing and develop tailored professional development offerings (e.g., project management, process improvement) for its staff.
·       Facilitate cohorts of TMCF member institutions for collaborative learning to share best practices and resources and provide programs and activities in areas such as enrollment, student support services and community engagement.
·       Provide grant opportunities and technical assistance directly to select TMCF member institutions. TMCF member institutions will be invited to apply for competitive grants to help them strengthen faculty research and development efforts; improve student retention and graduation rates; strengthen career services and workforce readiness that aligns with employer demands; and upgrade technology for enrollment management, academic advising and financial aid systems.

“Thurgood Marshall College Fund provides an impressive array of services and support to its member institutions to help their students thrive in college and achieve their education and career goals,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “We are pleased to be able to support efforts to enhance TMCF’s capacity and assist HBCUs in carrying out their important missions.”

“Over five years, we anticipate substantial improvements in institutional capacity outcomes across participating HBCUs,” Dr. Williams said. “While TMCF has chosen to focus some aspects of this initiative on a select group of HBCUs, the impact will extend far beyond those institutions, fostering collaborative learning to increase operational excellence and institutional capacity for the greater HBCU community.”

Since 2021, TMCF has concentrated efforts specifically on capacity-building strategies at its member schools by focusing on enrollment, student persistence, financial health and other initiatives.

About Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community. TMCF member schools include the publicly supported historically Black colleges and universities, historically Black community colleges and predominantly Black institutions, enrolling nearly 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. While the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States on an invitational basis to support these causes, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.


Clara Ross Stamps
 The Thurgood Marshall College Fund
240-931-0696
clara.stamps@tmcf.org

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