Former New York City mayor and philanthropist Michael Bloomberg has pledged a $20 million investment to forge new partnerships between HBCUs and public charter schools. The initiative—launched jointly by Bloomberg Philanthropies and City Fund—aims to open and support K–12 public charter schools affiliated with HBCUs, creating seamless pipelines from elementary and middle school through to higher education and career opportunities.
Each organization will contribute $10 million to the initiative. In addition to the financial support from Bloomberg Philanthropies and City Fund, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has joined to provide guidance and support for the partnership.
Leaders behind the effort say the idea is to leverage HBCUs’ long history of educating Black students—and their deep community ties—to build more culturally responsive, high-quality public-school options. In a statement release, City Fund CEO Marlon Marshall mentioned that the desire for high-quality public school options is coming directly from the students and their families as well as educators. He also added that HBCUs are “natural partners” due to being known for innovation and their deep connection to their communities.
Under the plan, the first two schools are already underway in Alabama: Stillman College in Tuscaloosa is hosting the newly opened I Dream Big Academy, while near Tuskegee University, a second institution, D.C. Wolfe Charter School, will reopen as a charter school in fall 2026. I Dream Big Academy will serve as the city’s first tuition-free charter school.
“We’re proud to partner with City Fund and UNCF on this innovative initiative that brings together the proven success of HBCUs with the strong results of public charter schools,” said Howard Wolfson, who oversees Bloomberg Philanthropies’ education portfolio.
Through these flexible partnerships, the models could include shared campuses, dual enrollment, teaching fellowships, and direct admission pathways to the partnering colleges.
This latest partnership builds on a growing wave of philanthropic investment in HBCUs. Over the past year, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to HBCUs and to the United Negro College Fund. Beneficiaries of her giving include Virginia State University, Morgan State University, Howard University, Norfolk State University, and Winston-Salem State University—part of a broader effort to strengthen the capacity, stability, and long-term impact of HBCUs nationwide.
