Project rising phoenix

The Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (CFDA 84.031, Higher Education Institutional Aid) awarded Cumberland University $608,602 under Project Rising Phoenix, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This institutional strengthening initiative supports curriculum development, faculty training, and enhanced student support services designed to benefit underrepresented and low-income student populations. The grant funds capacity-building activities aligned with the Higher Education Institutional Aid program's mission to strengthen eligible colleges and universities' management, fiscal operations, and academic quality.

As a Project Grant recipient, Cumberland University will deliver targeted institutional development activities over the 12-month performance period. The funding enables the university to implement programmatic improvements in academic offerings and student services infrastructure while building institutional capacity to serve disadvantaged populations more effectively. This award represents one of three active grants Cumberland holds under the Office of Postsecondary Education, reflecting the institution's participation in the broader Higher Education Institutional Aid program, which distributed 5,326 awards totaling $17.26 billion across the past 25 years to support similar institutional strengthening objectives at eligible public and private higher education institutions nationwide.