U.S. Department of Commerce Awards Clark Atlanta University Nearly $500,000 in Minority Business Development Agency Grant

12/10/2018

ATLANTA, GA – December 10, 2018 – Clark Atlanta University (CAU) has been awarded a grant totaling $499,497 from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), to develop a STEM entrepreneurship curriculum that increases student interest in the innovation economy at three Atlanta University Center Consortium campuses.

Clark Atlanta University was selected as one of four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to receive a grant award this year, including Howard University, South Carolina State University, and Tougaloo College. The grant will fund development of a STEM entrepreneurship curriculum that increases student interest in the innovation economy at three Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUC) campuses.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced grant awards of nearly $2 million to four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In June 2018, MBDA invited HBCUs to propose projects that will achieve one or more of the following objectives: increase their ability to compete for and receive Federal research and development funds; establish partnerships with Federal laboratories and other technology resources; increase Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) entrepreneurship; and compete for Federal contracts.

The Minority Business Development Agency is expanding its former use of the Broad Agency Announcement approach to fund projects in these Departmental priority areas that, in turn, promote and ensure the inclusion and use of minority enterprises. Businesses, nonprofits, state and local governments, Indian Tribal governments, as well as educational institutions were all eligible to receive awards.

For a full listing of MBDA’s 2018 grant awards, visit www.mbda.gov/news.

About the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)

MBDA is the only Federal agency dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Our programs and services better equip minority-owned firms to create jobs, build scale and capacity, increase revenues and expand regionally, nationally and internationally. For nearly 50 years, MBDA has been a dedicated strategic partner to all U.S. minority-owned businesses, committed to providing greater access to capital, contracts, and markets. For more information about MBDA visit www.mbda.gov.

About Clark Atlanta University

Established in 1988 by the consolidation of Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869), Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is one of the Nation’s foremost research institutions, offering students from around the United States and several foreign countries the opportunity to engage in 38 exciting areas of study at bachelors, masters and doctoral levels. Located in the historic heart of Atlanta, one of the world's great international cities, CAU’s nearly 4,000 students enjoy access academic and co-curricular experiences, from forensic debate, to on-air broadcasting, to cancer research with world-renowned investigators. From the arts to zoology, CAU combines nearly 300 years of tradition with a solid focus on academic excellence to produce leaders who will shape the future of the global community. Visit www.cau.edu to learn more about Clark Atlanta University.