18
States found to be
short on funding
short on funding
A Federal Promise · Unpaid Since 1890
Fair Funding
"Ensuring fair and equitable funding of land-grant
— Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover
1890 universities is our top priority."
The case for equity at America's 1890 land-grant universities.
$12B+
Owed over the
last 30 years
last 30 years
135+
Years since the promise
was written into law
was written into law
Source: Joint U.S. Dept. of Education & U.S. Dept. of Agriculture report
About Us
Education has long been a cornerstone of African American progress. Yet equitable funding and resource allocation remain significant challenges, resulting in decades of disparate treatment of the colleges and universities that serve Black students. The most blatant example of this inequity is the underfunding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
$12 Billion
shortchanged in three decades.
A recent joint report from the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that 18 states have collectively shortchanged their land-grant institutions by more than $12 billion over the last 30 years alone — chronic underfunding that continues to threaten the very promise the Morrill Act of 1890 was designed to fulfill.
Chief among our efforts is closing the unjust funding gap that still exists between the 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities created under the Morrill Acts.
Fair Funding is an organization committed to ensuring compliance with the Morrill Act of 1890. We seek to raise awareness of the Act's requirement for equitable funding, promote compliance by the states it covers, build collaborative partnerships with those states, and support judicial intervention where necessary — so that this historic commitment to fairness and opportunity is not forgotten, overlooked, or ignored.
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963. Photo: Marion S. Trikosko, U.S. News & World Report Collection, Library of Congress.
The Morrill Act
Two laws. One promise. A century of unfinished business.
The Morrill Acts redefined the landscape of public higher education — the states drew the lines around who would benefit and by how much. Here is how the promise was made, and how it was left unpaid.
1862First Morrill Act
It recognized the importance of providing higher education in agriculture and technology to students across the nation. By granting federal land to states to establish and support colleges, the Act laid the foundation for the nation's land-grant university system.
Sponsored by Representative Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, the law granted each eligible state 30,000 acres of federal land for every member of its congressional delegation, with the proceeds set aside to endow the new colleges. For the first time, higher education reached beyond the privileged few — opening the door to farmers, tradespeople, and working families, and reshaping access to opportunity across the country.
Signed into law by President Lincoln · July 2, 1862
1890Second Morrill Act
Created in response to the strict Jim Crow laws that denied Black students access to the universities established in 1862, the second Morrill Act required states accepting federal land-grant funds to take one of two actions: integrate their existing universities, or establish separate institutions of higher learning for Black students. Most southern states chose segregation.
The law carried a critical mandate: states were obligated to fund these newly established Black land-grant institutions on an equitable basis with their white counterparts — a dollar-for-dollar match meant to guarantee parity in opportunity, facilities, and funding.
TodayThe legacy
In practice, the second Morrill Act relied on voluntary compliance and lacked enforcement mechanisms or penalties for violation. That loophole enabled states to chronically underfund the 1890 institutions for more than a hundred years.
Decade after decade, funding for historically Black land-grant universities fell short, producing persistent disparities in resources, research capacity, and student support compared with their 1862 counterparts. The legacy of inequitable funding still shapes higher education today — underscoring the urgent need for accountability and reform.
The Funding Gap
The match was promised.
The match was promised.
The remaining balance is still due.
The 1890 Act required states to fund their Black land-grant institutions on par with the 1862 universities. For more than a century, that parity never arrived.
What's left is a measurable gap — an obligation written into federal law and carried, unpaid, on the public ledger.
Funding parity, illustrated
1862 vs. 1890 land-grant universities
Illustrative comparison based on the documented shortfall.
The Federal Record
The promise was federal.
The promise was federal.
The states chose not to honor it.
The shortfall is on the record.
It was a joint report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Education that put the figure at more than $12 billion. The USDA administers the 1890 land-grant program — the very institutions that gap leaves behind. The promise is etched in federal law; the payment by the states is long overdue.
How to Get Involved
More than a legal requirement - a moral imperative
The promise of equitable funding cannot remain on paper; it must be honored through action. Closing the gap is not the work of institutions alone, but a shared responsibility we all carry. Together, we can honor the law, uphold justice, and secure a fair future for every student.
Talking points — when you carry this issue forward
- The Morrill Act of 1862. Recognized the importance of providing higher education in agriculture and technology to students across the nation. By granting federal land to states to establish and support colleges, it laid the foundation for the nation's land-grant university system.
- The Morrill Act of 1890. Expanded opportunity to include formerly enslaved people and Black students, mandating access. States taking federal land-grant funds had to integrate or establish separate institutions for Black students.
- Transformative Impact. The 1890 Act ranks alongside the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments — ensuring not just freedom, but education and opportunity.
- Separate, but Promised Equal. States that opposed integration were required to create universities for Black students — and to fund them fairly and equitably alongside their counterparts.
- Unfinished Business. More than 135 years later, most 1890 institutions still face funding gaps compared to their 1862 counterparts — proof the promise of equity has not yet been fulfilled.
- The New Movement in Civil Rights. Today's fight for fair funding is the next great civil rights movement — the greatest change for Black students since the Morrill Act was signed into law.
Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover
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Meet Our Founder
Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover
Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover is a CPA, attorney, visionary leader, and passionate advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As the recently retired president of her alma mater, Tennessee State University, she made history as the institution's first female president, leading more than a decade of growth, national recognition, and transformative progress.
A respected voice in higher education, she has been a leading advocate for institutional excellence, helping shape national conversations on the future of HBCUs and higher education. Her legacy of resilience, innovation, and empowerment continues to inspire generations of students, educators, and leaders while advancing opportunities for communities across America. Her leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment to student success have left an indelible mark on higher education and continue to influence the future of higher education.
A federal promise requires
state accountability
Honor the law. Close the gap.
Secure a fair future for every student.
Get in touch
Whether you're an institution, a legislator, an alumnus, or an advocate — there is a place for you in this mission. Tell us how you would like to help.
Our MissionEnsuring compliance with the Morrill Act of 1890.
Who We ServeThe 1890 Land-Grant Institutions
and HBCUs nationwide.
and HBCUs nationwide.
Founded ByDr. Glenda Baskin Glover