To successfully implement Executive Order 13779, The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the White House Domestic Policy Council, the Initiative and federal agency partners convened to explore how the federal sector can best expand the overall impact of HBCUs on the principal missions of agencies. This resulted in the first Federal HBCU Competitiveness Strategy (Strategy) to build the internal federal scaffolding required to safeguard HBCU success for years to come and to continuously strengthen their role in delivering on agency goals and objectives.

This Strategy fortifies the Initiative’s resolve to evolve the federal government from a collection of disparate efforts serving HBCUs to a cohesive and comprehensive government-wide plan that will improve conditions for HBCUs to compete for federal investments. Moreover, beyond guiding federal focus, actions, and investments, this Strategy serves as a valuable “North Star” for nonfederal, state, local, and private sector engagement on the national goal to support HBCU competitiveness.