Factors That Facilitate and Hinder Historically Black Colleges and Universities Faculty Research Success

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have made a substantial impact on their students, surrounding communities, and on the local, regional, and national economies. Despite their long-standing commitment to educating and training Black students, HBCUs face continual financial challenges that often impede their ability to execute the mission and vision of the institution. HBCU faculty are tasked with training and developing the next generation of scientists, and having the resources needed to succeed is paramount. Despite their significant impact, faculty at HBCUs face numerous challenges in obtaining external research funding, especially from federal funding sources. This exploratory qualitative study seeks to identify the facilitators, barriers, and successes encountered by faculty researchers specializing in health disparities and inequities at HBCUs. Additionally, it examines the support provided by institutional administrators to these faculty members in submitting federal grant applications and managing federal awards. We interviewed 25 participants from 16 different HBCUs to understand experiences in the grant submission and management processes. Four overarching themes emerged as key facilitators of success: 1) research support resources; 2) efficient and effective institutional support; 3) consistent mentoring and training; and 4) establishing and maintaining reciprocal relationships. Three themes emerged as barriers to receiving external funding: 1) competing work demands; 2) misalignment of research priorities; and 3) inefficient and ineffective institutional infrastructure. Findings from this study lead to recommendations for facilitating research success for HBCU faculty. HBCUs are uniquely positioned to lead federally funded research studies, especially those addressing health disparities and inequities in historically marginalized communities.