Florida A&M University (FAMU) has secured over $50 million in funding appropriations from the State Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The funding will enable FAMU to ramp up efforts to improve student graduation and retention rates and recruit and retain world-class faculty. The legislative allocations also address the statewide nursing shortage with support for the nursing program, research, and facility expansion at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
“We thank the Governor, Legislature, Board of Governors, FAMU Board of Trustees, and all our stakeholders for ensuring that FAMU gets the funding we need to enhance our student success initiatives,” President Larry Robinson said.
“FAMU and the rest of the State University System are on an upward trajectory, but our work is far from complete; however, this funding will make a significant difference to our efforts.”
Among the highlights:
- $15 million | FAMU Performance-Based Funding
- $11 million | Boldly Striking for Academic Excellence Operational Enhancement
- $5 million | FAMU-FSU College of Engineering – PECO (Public Education Capital Outlay)
- $5 million | Campus Security – PECO
- $5 million | Chemical & Biological Research Center – PECO
- $1.1 million | Nursing Education PIPELINE
- $500,000 | FAMU Developmental Research School (DRS) Live Healthy Initiative.
FAMU Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost Allyson Watson, Ph.D., lauded the appropriations for Performance Based Funding (PBF) and substantial investments in the University’s engineering and research facilities. FAMU is pushing to become the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to achieve Carnegie R-1 status.
“At Florida A&M University, these funds are vital for our continuous pursuit of academic excellence and innovation, including modernization of research facilities, increased funding for specialty crop research, and support for scholarships at our 1890 institution that aligns with our mission to lead in agricultural innovation and education,” Watson said.
On May 29, the FAMU BOT, meeting in Tampa, Fla., approved the fiscal year 2025-2026 Legislative Budget Request totaling $55.5 million. The Beyond the Top 100: Elevating Excellence | Inspiring Digital Transformation operational enhancement request emphasizes further improvements on institutional outcomes on the Performance-Based Funding Metrics and other key performance indicators across all colleges and schools.
The requested funding will enable the University to strategically target resources and support areas that will have the greatest impact on increasing student success.
Following DeSantis’ signing of the state budget, Chancellor Ray Rodrigues lauded the governor’s commitment of $4.1 billion in state operating funding to the SUS through the Focus on Florida’s Future Budget, which seeks to further strengthen the state’s commitment to maintaining its status as the top higher education system in the nation.
Among, the highlights:
- The budget again invests $645 million for Performance-Based Funding to ensure students are receiving the highest quality education.
- $100 million for Performance-Based Excellence Recognition to recruit and retain world-class faculty.
- To continue their academic and research successes, the budget invests an increase of $100 million for Florida’s preeminent universities.
- To continue bolstering nursing education, the budget includes a total of $46 million for the PIPELINE and LINE Programs:
- $40 million for Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers, and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) to reward performance and excellence among nursing education programs at state universities
- $6 million for Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) to incentivize collaboration between nursing education programs and healthcare partners