Security grants available for HBCUs that received bomb threats

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that have recently experienced a bomb threat resulting in a disruption to the learning environment are now eligible to apply for grant funds under a new program, Vice President Harris and the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday.

The Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program will provide short-term funding to local educational agencies and institutions of higher education “to assist in restoring a safe environment conducive to learning,” the press release said. 

The project will build off of the $5.8 billion the Biden-Harris Administration has already delivered to HBCUs, the White House said in a statement. 

“HBCUs were founded to educate Black people in an America that refused to accept them as full human beings and prevented them – because of racial discrimination – from attending other colleges,” the White House said. “Threats to the education and well-being of Black Americans and HBCUs are an unfortunate part of American history.”

“The bomb threats that we witnessed in January, each week in February – Black History Month, and this month are reminiscent of the attempts during the Civil Rights Era to intimidate and provoke fear in Black Americans,” it added.

The department will also provide HBCUs with a collection of resources available across the federal government to aid with long-term improvements to campus mental health programs, campus safety and more. 

“Today’s announcement will improve access to Project SERV grants for HBCUs as these institutions work to address students’ mental health needs, shore up campus security, and restore learning environments so that they can get back to doing what they do best—educating the next generation of great leaders,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said. 

The announcement comes after a series of bomb threats were received by HBCUs in the past three months, which led to campus lockdowns and police investigations.