Excelencia in Education Analysis Explores How Some Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Are Adapting to Become Competitive for Limited Federal Funding

Contact: media@EdExcelencia.org

New Report Highlights Capacity Building Strategies to Participate in Title V Grant Programs and Intentionally Serve Latino Students

Washington, D.C. (March 23, 2023) –A new report from Excelencia in Education looks beyond Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designations to explore how HSIs successfully participate in Title V grant programs and build capacity to intentionally serve Latino students at a time when federal funding has become increasingly competitive.

The report, “Beyond an HSI Designation: Exploring Strategic Practices for HSI Grant Participation,” identifies approaches to preparing federal grant applications, leveraging federal funding to advance and sustain institutional efforts, and establishing an organizational understanding of what it means to be an HSI that goes beyond enrollment. These practices may inform efforts at other HSIs to strategize for federal grant participation.

HSIs represent a critical set of institutions enrolling and graduating Latino students. However, funding for HSIs from the U.S. Department of Education has not grown quickly enough to keep pace with the expanding number of HSIs, which has tripled in the last 27 years. In 2020, just 40% of all eligible HSIs received Title V funds.

“As more institutions hit the enrollment threshold to become HSIs, applying for Title V funds has become an increasingly competitive process,” said Deborah A. Santiago, Co-Founder and CEO of Excelencia in Education. “The opportunity for HSIs to target limited federal resources is imperative to improving access to a quality education for Hispanic and other low-income students. Our analysis demonstrates the importance of proactive planning for grant competitions, as well as utilizing funds to serve Latino students with intentionality and impact.”

Excelencia interviewed six HSIs for the report: California State University-Long Beach, California State University-Sacramento, The University of New Mexico-Taos, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Dominican University, and Hartnell College. Each secured funding through the Title V or HSI STEM grant programs in the last five years while overcoming challenges such as decentralized structures and/or personnel for applying for federal grants and a lack of institutional buy-in and sense of shared responsibility to intentionally serve Latino students.

The report identifies five strategies to participate in Title V grant programs and sustainably utilize funds:

1. Establishing strategic processes to better prepare to apply for federal funding.
2. Utilizing program grants to prioritize investment in institutional needs.
3. Planning for long-term institutional investment in grant-funded efforts.
4. Advancing data-driven practices in grant participation and self-assessment.
5. Identifying organizational opportunities for growth in grant participation, capacity building, and student-centered approaches.

HSIs graduate two-thirds of Latino students, but account for just 18% of U.S. institutions. On average, they receive 68 cents for every federal dollar spent on other colleges and universities, annually.

This report is the latest in a series of Excelencia publications focused on trends and practices among HSIs. On March 30, the organization will release its annual lists of HSIs and emerging HSIs as well as its exclusive list of HSIs with graduate programs. Excelencia has co-released lists of HSIs and emerging HSIs with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) since 2015 to ensure awareness of and promote opportunities to support HSIs.

About Excelencia in Education
Excelencia in Education accelerates Latino student success in higher education by promoting Latino student achievement, conducting analysis to inform educational policies, advancing institutional practices, and collaborating with those committed and ready to meet the mission. Launched in 2004 in the nation’s capital, Excelencia has established a network of results-oriented educators and policymakers to address the U.S. economy’s needs for a highly educated workforce and engaged civic leaders. For more information, visit: EdExcelencia.org 

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