The White House
Office of Media Affairs

President George W. Bush will propose an increase in funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to ensure educational freedom, opportunity and access for every American.

The President's fiscal year 2004 budget will increase funding by 5 percent for the following programs: $224 million for HBCUs, $53 million for Historically Black Graduate Institutions and $94 million for HSIs, totaling $371 million.

The Administration is committed to enhancing equal opportunity and strengthening the capacity of these institutions to provide excellence in education. The President has proposed funding increases for these programs for the past two fiscal years.

Background:

• The Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) program makes grants to 99 eligible institutions to help strengthen infrastructure and achieve greater financial stability, supporting activities such as construction, community outreach and student services.
• The Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGIs) program makes 5-year grants to 18 eligible institutions to expand institutional capacity for providing graduate-level education. Funds support activities including scholarship aid, construction, purchase of educational materials and other student services.
• The Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) program makes competitive grants of up to five years to eligible institutions (those with a full-time population of at least 25% Hispanic students, at least 50% of which are low-income individuals). This funding provides Hispanic and low-income students with faculty and academic program development, community outreach and other student services.

For more information, please contact Dan Langan 202-401-1576