Federal Appropriations Will Fund 21 Projects Across the Five Boroughs, Including Maternal Mental Health Services, Restorative Justice and Workforce Training Programs to Prepare Students for In-Demand Careers; Projects Will Strengthen CUNY’s Role as a Public Resource Including a New Child Care Center in Queens, Public Safety Hub on Staten Island and a Database to Help New York Plan for Extreme Weather

The City University of New York received a record $25 million as part of the U.S. Congressional Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations, which will support 21 projects and programs across 15 campuses. The funding will help establish workforce development in growing industries like AI, promote public safety and expand academic programs.

The appropriations were supported by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congress Members Yvette Clarke, Adriano Espaillat, Daniel Goldman, Nicole Malliotakis, Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Jerrold Nadler and Ritchie Torres.

“We are grateful to Senate Minority Leader Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, House Minority Leader Jeffries and to the bipartisan members of New York’s congressional delegation for this funding,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Federal support will safeguard CUNY’s proven ability to provide an affordable, high-quality education that prepares students for academic and professional success in a fast-changing world.”

This year’s $25 million represents a 66% increase from Fiscal Year 2024, when CUNY received $15 million in federal earmark funding and more than double the $12 million the University received in Fiscal Year 2023.

“I am proud to have delivered $7.6 million in federal funds to support key projects across five CUNY colleges,” said Senate Minority Leader Schumer. “This support will lead to more community events at the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at City College, a new child care center at Queensborough Community College, an expansion of the Integrated Care Model for Perinatal Mental Health Initiative at Brooklyn College, a new program to help at-risk high school students enter careers in public service through the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, and a new cybersecurity education clinic at Baruch College. I won’t stop fighting for the resources to support CUNY and its students as they pursue a high-quality higher education.” 

“Medgar Evers College has been a longstanding cornerstone of opportunity for Central Brooklyn, and a strong supporter of initiatives and programs throughout the borough. I’m proud to have secured $1 million in FIPSE funding to support the school’s Advancing Scientific Research and Workforce Development Initiative,” said Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke. “This funding will expand access to cutting-edge research, strengthen STEM education, and prepare our students for the high-skilled and paying jobs of the future. When we invest in PBIs and higher education institutions, which are the backbone of our community, like Medgar Evers, we are investing directly in equity, innovation, and the next generation of leaders who will drive our economy forward here in Brooklyn and across this country.”

“I’m thrilled to have secured millions of dollars for key projects at Queens College and Queensborough Community College,” said U.S. Rep. Grace Meng. “Both are outstanding institutions in my congressional district, and this funding will go a long way in preparing students for their careers and benefiting communities in our borough. I’m excited to see these projects become realities; the childcare center at Queensborough and the Tech Incubator expansion, digital forensics and nanofabrication research at Queens College.”

“I am honored to represent the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) and excited to announce Project Impact as one of my FY26 Community Projecting Funding awards,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman. “BMCC does outstanding work to ensure that justice-impacted students have access to higher education to support their careers and reduce recidivism. Every student deserves a pathway to success and this CPF award will help strengthen key programs that do just that.”

The $25 million in federal funding will support programs and initiatives across the University, including:

The City College of New York – $5.1 million:

  • $2 million from Rep. Espaillat to expand skills-based workforce development programs for low-income New Yorkers through increased access to computer labs, instruments and career opportunities.
  • $3.1 million from Senator Schumer and Rep. Espaillat to enable the Dominican Studies Institute to renovate and expand its facility, allowing for more community-based events and workshops.

Queens College – $4.1 million:

  • $1 million from Rep. Meeks for “STEM Improvement Through Authentic Research Projects,” a series of ten, 3-day teacher certification workshops for 100 elementary school teachers and 80 secondary teachers in the Metropolitan area. In collaboration with the GLOBE Program, an international science education program developed by NASA and other federal science agencies, the workshops will train and equip participants to lead students through scientific research projects.
  • $1 million from Rep. Meng to construct a cleanroom facility for nanofabrication teaching and research. The facility will provide capabilities not currently offered by any university in Queens or on Long Island and prepare students for careers in New York’s burgeoning semiconductor industry.
  • $1 million from Rep. Meng to create the Queens College Working Group for Digital Forensics, which will serve as a research hub for graduate and undergraduate students to practice, analyze and employ policies and protocols for the protection of digital data.
  • $1 million from Rep. Meng to develop a new Technology and Innovation Hub that will utilize emerging technologies to educate and empower underserved populations in Queens. Specifically, the Hub will forge strategic partnerships with anchor institutions in the borough, including corporations and hospitals; establish state-of-the-art facilities dedicated to training in emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning; and launch targeted initiatives to integrate technology into community improvement efforts.

Queensborough Community College – $3.1 million:

  • From Senator Schumer and Rep. Meng to build a childcare center on campus. The facility will include a motor playroom and new classrooms geared towards toddlers between the ages of 2 and 6 and children younger than 2.

John Jay College of Criminal Justice – $2 million:

  • $1 million from Rep. Jeffries to establish the Central Brooklyn Violence Intervention Collaborative. With the goal of reducing gun violence in Central Brooklyn, the Collaborative will enhance strategic planning with public safety stakeholders; forge partnerships with local health, mental health, substance use, housing, education and social service providers; and standardize data collection and sharing.
  • $1 million from Rep. Nadler to develop a new Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Personnel certificate course to teach students how to collaborate with each other and community partners in addressing public safety problems and violence.

The College of Staten Island – $2 million:

  • From Rep. Malliotakis to build a Public Safety Center within its library, creating a central location where students, faculty and community members can access emergency services and support resources.

York College – $2 million:

  • $1 million from Rep. Meeks to establish a STEM education program with a focus on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
  • $1 million from Rep. Meeks to advance workforce development in the field of Environmental Sciences by establishing a new, interdisciplinary training center that will offer advanced training and professional license certification.

Bronx Community College – $1.2 million:

  • From Rep. Espaillat to expand its Automotive Technology AAS program, which prepares students for careers as automotive technicians. Funding will go towards the renovation of Guggenheim Hall, which houses the program, including a new garage and classrooms.

Hunter College – $1 million:

  • From Rep. Nadler to support the acquisition of foundational data sets that will be used to determine the likelihood of flooding in various neighborhoods and anticipate the impact on infrastructure and populations.

Medgar Evers College – $1 million:

  • From Rep. Clarke, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) funding to confront environmental and public health challenges in Brooklyn through the launch a one-year pilot focused on scientific research, STEM education and community-driven workforce development.

Brooklyn College – $800,000:

  • From Senator Schumer to expand its Integrated Care Model for Perinatal Mental Health (PMH) Initiative, supporting the development and expansion of credit‑bearing courses in perinatal mental health, the first of their kind in New York State. Federal support will help recruit students working in under‑resourced communities by funding stipends for participants and will ensure greater access to specialized training and workforce development by establishing training simulation protocols, clinical partnerships and research opportunities.

Lehman College – $800,000:

  • From Rep. Espaillat to install new bleachers for the college’s baseball, softball and soccer fields. The extension will increase capacity, allowing greater attendance of college and community events.

Hostos Community College – $700,000:

  • From Rep. Torres to modernize the college’s library and ensure it meets the technological needs of current and future students.

The School of Labor and Urban Studies – $600,000:

  • From Senator Schumer to create a program for at-risk high school students that will promote civic values, community leadership and create pathways to college and careers in public service.

Baruch College – $500,000:

  • From Senator Schumer to create the Baruch Clinic for Cyber Security and Multi-Level Education (CCSME) that will prepare students for careers in cyber security, helping to prevent attacks on public infrastructure, the business and corporate sectors and community organizations.

Borough of Manhattan Community College – Nearly $400,000:

  • From Rep. Goldman to support the college’s Project Impact program, which helps students impacted by the criminal justice system. This funding will enable Project Impact to launch the Bridge to Success initiative, providing 50 incoming students with wraparound services to address their financial, social and academic needs.

– CUNY Media Relations