Part F (Future Act) Program Activities

TITLE III: Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Part F (FUTURE ACT)

General Authorization

On December 20, 2019 President Trump signed into law the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, providing funding for the Department of Education for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2020. The bill increases the agency’s discretionary funding to $72.8 billion, up $1.3 billion from FY 2019.

Separately, the President signed into law two other education bills. The Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act makes permanent $255 million in annual funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), enables disclosure of tax return information for the administration of federal student aid programs, and increases Pell Grant funding. In this allotment, Title III Part F replaced the prior SAFRA funding allotment. The new legislative allowable activities under this part is as follows:

Title III, Part F, Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Section 371 of the Higher Education Act, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1067q), FUTURE Act (formerly SAFRA). Investment in historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions

Duration

Grants shall be made for a period not to exceed 5 years.

Use of Funds

1. Purchase, rental, or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes.
2. Construction, maintenance, renovation, and improvement in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other instructional facilities, including purchase or rental of telecommunications and technology equipment or services.
3. Academic instruction in disciplines in which Black Americans are underrepresented.
4. Purchase of library books, periodicals, microfilm, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials.
5. Establishing or enhancing a program of teacher education designed to qualify students to teach in a public elementary or secondary school in the State that shall include, as part of such program, preparation for teacher certification.
6. Other activities, consistent with the institution’s comprehensive plan and designed to increase the institutions capacity to prepare students for careers in the physical or natural sciences, mathematics, computer science or information technology or sciences, engineering, language instruction in the less-commonly