The University Of North Carolina At Pembroke

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, a minority-serving institution and state-controlled public university headquartered in Pembroke, North Carolina, receives federal research grants, STEM education funding, and student support grants as the prime recipient. UNC Pembroke competes exclusively in full-and-open federal grant space; it holds no contract vehicles and operates as a grant-funded academic institution rather than a federal contractor or service provider.

UNC Pembroke's federal footprint centers on education, workforce development, and basic scientific research. The institution acts as prime recipient on 95 of 108 recent awards (88%) and as a sub-recipient on 13 awards (12%), with cumulative obligations of $128.2 million across 31 federal agencies. Representative prime grant work includes a $1.999 million National Science Foundation STEM Education (CFDA 47.076) award for undergraduate scholar retention and degree completion in biology, chemistry, and environmental science (April 2026, through March 2032); a $208,666 National Institute of General Medical Sciences biomedical research and training award (CFDA 93.859) for acquisition of a thermogravimetric analyzer with evolved gas analysis for materials research and STEM education (July 2026, through July 2027); a $1.999 million NSF STEM Education award for development of six self-contained lab modules in securing self-driving networks for undergraduate cybersecurity education (February 2022 through August 2024); and a $755,720 Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education grant (CFDA 84.299) for First Indigenous Educational Leadership Development (October 2025 through September 2027). A $1.177 million National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund Grants-in-Aid award supports design documentation for facade repairs on a historic property in Pembroke, North Carolina, through May 2029.

The Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service anchors UNC Pembroke's customer base, issuing 21 awards—primarily cooperative agreements funding the Safeguarding Our Natural and Tribal Heritage Youth Program (a two-week summer enrichment program exposing high school students ages 16–18 to agriculture, natural resources, and APHIS careers) and internship opportunities for students at UNC Pembroke and other American Indian-serving institutions. The Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education issued 20 awards, predominantly TRIO Student Support Services grants (CFDA 84.042) and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education program, providing student scholarships, mentoring, academic support, and basic needs assistance. The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education issued 8 awards under the Indian Education—Special Programs for Indian Children program (CFDA 84.299), supporting teacher professional development and retention initiatives for Native American students. The National Science Foundation and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences each account for 6 awards. These five agencies represent 56% of recent awards by count.

As a sub-recipient, UNC Pembroke participates in collaborative research networks anchored by North Carolina State University and Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. Recent sub-award work includes participation in a North Carolina State University-led Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory Education Modules (MBLEMs) cooperative (NIH IPERT, awarded November 2024) where UNC Pembroke faculty and graduate students participate in summer workshops on molecular biotechnology curriculum development and serve on graduate student committees. UNC Pembroke also serves as a sub-recipient under Utah State University's "Using Smart Foodscapes to Enhance the Sustainability of Western Rangelands" project (April 2025 and January 2024) and participates in North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University's Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NC-LSAMP) program (March 2024), focusing on activity-based science and math learning for disadvantaged students.

Activity grew from 8 awards in 2023 to 13 in 2024, then declined to 10 in 2025, with 3 awards in 2026 and 1 award in 2027 (as of October 2026). Seven awards face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months and may face recompete or continuation decision points. UNC Pembroke's institutional profile as a minority-serving, Native American-serving, primarily undergraduate institution in a resource-limited rural region in southeastern North Carolina shapes its mission alignment with federal student support, Native American educational equity, and STEM workforce development priorities, particularly within Department of Education, NSF, and NIH grant programs targeting underrepresented populations.