Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Three Case Studies of Experiences in Community Development. Volume I
Liou, N., Davis, L., & Ards, S.

Executive Summary
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contracted with Optimal Solutions Group LLC (Optimal) to develop three in-depth case studies that examined selected Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) participating in the HUD HBCU grant program. These case studies were to discuss the local community development context of the area, the HBCU’s history of participation in the grant program and other community development activities, the creation and integration of grant activities over time, and the specific operationalization of a single HUD HBCU grant (the subject grant) awarded between 1999 and 2005.1 The results of this research are presented in a two-volume report. Volume I summarizes the successful strategies and lessons learned from the three HUD HBCU grant recipients studied and the grant program in general. Volume II contains the full in-depth case studies of Benedict College, LeMoyne-Owen College, and Texas Southern University.

HBCUs and the HUD HBCU Grant Program
The Higher Education Act of 1965 defined an HBCU as “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association…or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.” The first HBCU was founded in 1837 and as of August 2007, there were 103 HBCUs in the United States. The majority of the nation’s HBCUs are located in areas of high poverty and low economic wellbeing. HBCUs in these communities tend to be more than simply educational institutions, but regarded as community anchors that provided cultural, recreational, and learning centers for local residents. The HUD HBCU grant program provides funds “to assist HBCUs expand their role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in their localities.”3 Between 1998 and 2005, HUD awarded 138 HUD HBCU grants to 71 different HBCUs totaling $61,960,685. The grants ranged in value from $100,000 to $600,000.4 Using the grant funds and other leveraged funding sources, program participants successfully implement