The initiative will focus on developing private-sector partnerships, supporting institutional development, and preparing students for high-growth industries including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and finance.
It is unclear who will lead the initiative.
“The Initiative will work to address barriers to HBCUs receiving certain Federal and state grant dollars and to improve their competitiveness for R&D funding,” said a White House spokesperson.
The order also establishes the President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs within the Department of Education, comprising leaders from various sectors including philanthropy, education, business, and current HBCU presidents.
Dr. Marybeth Gasman, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair in Education and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University, offered measured support for the initiative.
“On the surface, the Order is a positive step and follows the support of past presidents since its inception under President Jimmy Carter. Trump's Executive Order acknowledges HBCUs' essential role in shaping Black leadership, intellect, and economic mobility,” said Gasman, an expert on HBCUs and the co-author of The Power of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with Dr. Levon Esters. “However, what is missing is any commitment to new federal funding. We'll have to see what President Trump does next. Of note, the Biden Administration announced an investment of nearly $1.6 billion in funding within one week of issuing its executive order," Gasman added.
The White House highlighted that HBCUs serve nearly 300,000 students annually and generate $16.5 billion in economic impact while supporting over 136,000 jobs nationwide.
The White House said that the executive order builds on Trump's previous support for HBCUs during his first term, which included signing the FUTURE Act that secured $255 million in permanent annual funding for these institutions and increasing funding for Federal Pell Grants.
“The timing for the release of this White House Executive Order signals that the President is prioritizing HBCUs, and he recognizes that HBCUs are not DEI and DEI is not HBCUs,” said Lodriguez Murray, senior vice president of public policy and government affairs, who added that UNCF is hopeful that the President’s Executive Order will serve as a springboard for Congress, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, state and local governments and the community to increase the critically needed funding support for HBCUs.
“The executive order is like the appetizer, but the meal is the level of funding and that is what we are looking for,” he said. “We’re seeing a resurgence in students attending HBCUs. This is wonderful but it places added pressure on the infrastructures of HBCUs. The level of commitment following this executive order will be determined by the level of funding for HBCUs in the 2026 federal budget process.”
The initiative will also convene an annual White House Summit on HBCUs to foster collaboration and address key priorities for their success.
Higher education advocates said that they will be watching closely to see if additional funding announcements follow this executive order, particularly as HBCUs continue their critical work in advancing educational equity and economic mobility.
