Having recently received a $25 million grant, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) will be able to elevate their decades-long initiative of funding the higher education of minority students.

The multi-million dollar grant provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. is intended to increase capacity at both TMCF and its member schools, which are all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Lilly Endowment is continuing its annual commitment to supporting HBCUs, as the philanthropic foundation kicked off 2024 with a $100 million grant to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to support endowments.

“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 via the TMCF newsroom. “We’re thankful for the trust placed in us by Lilly Endowment to carry out this work.”

Dr. Williams also shared that TMCF expects to see significant improvements in the way TMCF member institutions carry out essential operations over the next five years. He explained that TMCF will focus the benefits of the $25 million on a select group of HBCUs, but it will subsequently have a positive effect on the learning environments of all HBCUs.

The grant is intended for an initiative named Project HBCU Capacity Building, which will expand upon the efforts that TMCF has been making to refine initiatives such as student enrollment and financial health since 2021.

As stated on the TMCF website, the project is slated to achieve the following:

  • 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.

Based in Indianapolis, Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation that was established 1937 by  J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. with gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. The company still finances gifts of stock, but now in a manner that is separate from the company. Lilly Endowment contributes to community development, education and religion and specializes in supporting the youth. 

TMCF has awarded over $500 million, with 98% of its awards exclusively to HBCUs, PBIs and HBCCs since its establishment in 1987. The organization has also earned the highest level of accreditation from two major non-profit review groups: Charity Navigator (4-stars) and Guide Star (platinum level participant).