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AB 335

The Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions Grant Program.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Gipson and 1 co-sponsor

AB 335 creates a competitive grant program (up to $750k per recipient) to expand academic and student support services at California Black-Serving Institutions using a $75 million

In committee: Held under submission.
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Bill Summary · AB 335

AB 335 — The Designation of California Black‑Serving Institutions Grant Program (Gipson)

Status: In committee — Held under submission (last action: 2025-05-23)
Introduced: January 28, 2025
Classification: Bill; appropriation

Purpose

AB 335 creates a competitive grant program to fund development or expansion of academic resources and student support services for underserved students—specifically naming Black and African American students—at campuses that hold the existing “Designation of California Black‑Serving Institutions.”

Key provisions

  • Establishes the Designation of California Black‑Serving Institutions Grant Program (Education Code §66076.5).
  • Designates the California State University Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence as the managing entity responsible for administering the program as a neutral administrative body.
  • Requires the program to be competitive; the governing board (established under the existing designation statute) must approve or deny grant awards presented by the managing entity.
  • Grant award structure:
    • Base grant: $250,000 per approved grant applicant.
    • Supplemental grant: optional, between $250,000 and $500,000 as determined by the governing board.
  • Applicant eligibility: must be a recipient of the Designation of California Black‑Serving Institutions and submit a timely application that meets application requirements.
  • Application contents (summary from bill): description of the institution’s experience serving underserved students (including Black and African American students) and a plan describing how grant funds will be used to develop/expand academic and student support services and implement the institution’s strategic plan.
  • Managing entity duties: develop application forms and processes, process and present applications to the governing board, and submit an annual report on the grant program to the Department of Finance, the Governor, and the Legislature.
  • Establishes the Designation of California Black‑Serving Institutions Grant Program Fund in the State Treasury.
  • Fiscal appropriation: appropriates $75,000,000 from the General Fund to the new fund; moneys in the fund are continuously appropriated to the managing entity to award grants upon appropriation by the Legislature.

Who is affected

  • Primary: campuses that have received the Designation of California Black‑Serving Institutions (across California State University, California Community Colleges, University of California, and eligible independent institutions where applicable).
  • Secondary: underserved students—most directly Black and African American students—who would receive expanded academic supports and services funded by the grants.

Fiscal and administrative notes

  • The bill is an appropriation measure with a specified $75,000,000 General Fund allocation.
  • The managing entity (CSU Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence) will have administrative responsibility and reporting obligations.
  • Governing board discretion: the governing board determines supplemental awards and approves grant recipients.

Legislative timeline / actions (selection)

  • 2025-01-28: Introduced; read first time.
  • 2025-02-18: Referred to Assembly Higher Education.
  • 2025-03-19–03-20: Amended and re-referred to Appropriations.
  • 2025-04-08: Referred to Appropriations suspense file.
  • 2025-05-23: Assembly committee — Held under submission.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Provides targeted one-time or short-term funding to expand supports for Black and other underserved students at designated campuses.
  • Distribution mechanics (number of awards, how many institutions can receive base + supplemental grants) will depend on governing board decisions and available appropriation.
  • Creates ongoing administrative responsibilities (application administration, oversight, and annual reporting) for the designated CSU office.

For readers seeking implementation details (application deadlines, scoring criteria, or number of anticipated awards), those specifics will be set by the managing entity and the governing board if the bill is enacted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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