Sponsors (8)
The bill makes it materially easier for HBCUs and their researchers to find and compete for federal research and grant opportunities through a centralized Clearinghouse and stronger interagency coordination, at the cost of added federal administrative burdens, potential diversion of staff time, reduced procedural oversight in some areas, and the risk of unmet expectations if data or funding follow-through are inadequate.
HBCUs (colleges and universities) will get a centralized federal Clearinghouse listing R&D and other grant opportunities they are eligible for, making it easier for faculty and students to find and apply for funding.
Congress, agencies, and the public will receive regular reports and increased interagency coordination, improving accountability and transparency about how federal R&D dollars and grant opportunities are distributed to underfunded institutions.
HBCU institutional research capacity should improve through dissemination of best practices and recommendations, helping these schools compete for larger grants and build sustained research programs.
Taxpayers will face higher federal administrative costs to establish and operate the Clearinghouse and to produce notifications, quarterly updates, and annual reports.
Federal agencies and staff may incur significant additional workload to coordinate, review, and report—diverting time from existing program delivery and potentially slowing grant processing.
Exempting the Clearinghouse from the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) reduces public oversight and external stakeholder input on its operations.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Creates a Department of Education clearinghouse to list federal grant opportunities, best practices, and recommendations to build HBCU research capacity and requires agency coordination and annual reporting.
Introduced April 14, 2026 by French Hill · Last progress April 14, 2026
Creates a federal clearinghouse in the Department of Education to collect and publish federal research grant opportunities, best practices, and recommendations aimed at boosting research capacity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It requires coordination with multiple research agencies, regular notification and reporting to HBCUs and Congress, and agency reviews to identify program gaps and opportunities to implement the clearinghouse's recommendations. The bill sets reporting and update requirements (annual reports to Congress and optional quarterly updates to HBCUs), assigns personnel/resources as the Secretary deems appropriate, and exempts certain procedural requirements (Paperwork Reduction Act and Federal Advisory Committee Act) for carrying out the clearinghouse functions.