Albany State University

Albany State University, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) located in Albany, Georgia, is a state-controlled institution of higher learning that serves as a minority-serving educational institution. The university has established itself as a significant recipient of federal contract and grant awards, demonstrating considerable capacity to administer complex federal funding across both contracting and grant mechanisms. Albany State University focuses its federal award activities primarily on strengthening STEM education, conducting research with broader societal impacts, and providing support services designed to enhance educational outcomes for underrepresented and low-income student populations.

Through federal prime contracts, Albany State University has primarily received cooperative agreement awards from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the administration of the Accelerated Research Training Experience and Mentorship in STEM (ARTEMIS) Precollege Summer Institute (PSI) Scholars Program. The university has received two consecutive cooperative agreements—one valued at $70,312.96 (awarded June 6, 2022, with completion by February 14, 2024) and a subsequent award of $425,000.00 (awarded June 11, 2023, with completion targeted for June 10, 2028)—to provide authentic STEM engagement opportunities to high school students from traditionally underrepresented populations. Both awards were issued without set-aside designations and specifically support residential summer camps for grades 10–12 students, incorporating NASA missions and research methodologies into curriculum designed to increase STEM identity, skills, and knowledge while building connections to university faculty mentors and STEM professionals. Additionally, Albany State University has served as a subcontractor to Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation for Department of Defense initiatives, receiving sub-awards dated December 14, 2022, and February 24, 2022.

Albany State University's grant portfolio is substantially more expansive than its contract work, encompassing federal investments exceeding $8 million across multiple funding agencies and program areas. The university has received significant grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) supporting STEM education initiatives, including awards for data science curriculum infusion ($400,000), nanoparticle delivery system research ($363,934), novel teaching methodologies using artificial intelligence-driven graphic novels ($299,998), and foodborne pathogen decontamination research ($299,998), among others. The NSF has also funded broader STEM workforce development efforts, including citizen science programs to increase STEM teachers in rural Georgia ($1,486,640) and scholarship programs for low-income STEM students through its "It Takes a Village" initiative ($1,499,993). The U.S. Department of Education has awarded substantial grants through its Office of Postsecondary Education, including Title III Part F institutional aid funding ($1,457,947 for fiscal year 2025–2026) and multiple grants supporting HBCU graduate programs and undergraduate education enhancements. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences has funded fundamental research on estrogen-related receptor alpha binding mechanisms relevant to breast cancer therapy development. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded a grant ($145,430) enabling Albany State to apply behavioral science and economic experimentation to improve conservation program delivery. Additional federal partners include the Rural Utilities Service (distance learning infrastructure), the Community Oriented Policing Program (law enforcement de-escalation training), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (digital inclusion and broadband expansion), and the Office on Violence Against Women (campus safety initiatives). As a subgrantee, Albany State has partnered with Georgia State University Research Foundation, the University of Georgia Research Foundation, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Florida A&M University, Montclair State University, and other institutions to contribute specialized services ranging from professional development delivery and stakeholder engagement coordination to research support and program evaluation across education, environmental sustainability, and social welfare initiatives.