Black History Month is starting off right with the latest funding coming in for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The Grio reports that 27 HBCUs have been awarded $20 million in faculty research grants and scholarships from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund-Novartis US Foundation HBCU Alliance.

The funding for faculty research grants stems from the collaborative effort that launched in 2021 as a 10-year initiative aiming to “achieve a paradigm shift over time to address longstanding, endemic, and historically based disparities.”

According to the outlet, the grants will be distributed in an effort to help improve health disparities within the Black community.

Selected HBCUs

For the need-based student scholarships, the 27 HBCUs include Tennessee State University, Hampton University, Alabama A&M University, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, and Meharry Medical College.

Each year, the scholarship recipients will be given $10,000, as well as offering a Novartis mentor and leadership development and career-readiness courses.

“And it will change lives. It will have a direct impact on the students that will benefit from this particular scholarship program,” Thurgood Marshall College Fund President and CEO Harry Williams told ABC24 Memphis. “We want to change the way things are in our community and this is one way of doing that.”

Applications will close on Feb. 28 and students can apply here.

Additional TMCF Opportunities

TMCF has also recently backed Roland S. Martin teaming up with McDonald’s to award $100,000 to HBCU students. In a joint effort with the partnership, the fund will support seven juniors and seniors with $15,000 scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year, as previously reported by AfroTech.

“HBCUs and their students are vital to the fabric of our nation and I will always champion for their success,” said Martin in a statement. “I’ve witnessed first-hand the financial struggle that impacts Black college students, especially those in their final semesters. So, I’m pleased to partner with McDonald’s and TMCF to celebrate my beloved fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, and provide a resource that will help Black students graduate.”