FAMU fighting for funds after pharmacy school loses $16.3M federal grant amid Trump cuts

Florida A&M University's pharmacy school is looking for much more support than usual during this year's FAMU Day of Giving after a $16.3 million grant was terminated amid the latest string of federal funding cuts .

But the university is fighting to get the funds back.

In a Monday letter ahead of the annual fundraising event Thursday morning to Friday afternoon, Seth Ablordeppey – interim dean of FAMU's College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health  – said the multi-million-dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was cancelled March 21. 

The termination of the grant, which supported the pharmacy school and FAMU's Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) program, comes after its renewal last year for a nearly five-year period that would have ended in March 2029.

"Your continuous support has become even more crucial than ever," Ablordeppey said in his message to alumni, faculty and staff. "Your contributions will directly impact our learners by providing scholarships that support many first-generation college students and provide basic support for everyday necessities previously supported by grants." 

The $16.3 million funding cut comes as President  Donald Trump  has been cracking down on federal spending after pushing out executive orders that consist of various governmental changes. In addition, the efforts came with the initial threat of pausing federal assistance altogether and include "Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing." 

Ablordeppey, who is also a professor and eminent scholar chair in biomedical sciences, was not immediately available for comment on how the terminated grant impacts the flagship pharmacy school and its students.

But FAMU interim President Timothy Beard says the university is "in the process of appealing the decision" to keep the program funded. 

Research Centers in Minority Institutions established in 1985

The RCMI program was established in 1985 under FAMU's pharmacy school through a grant from the NIH as a congressionally mandated program to support minority institutions, according to the university. In 2012, the program was transferred to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the NIH. 

"The funding was awarded to support new faculty hires and enhanced research in key areas such as artificial intelligence, bioinformatics and cancer biology," Beard said in a statement sent to the Tallahassee Democrat Tuesday. "For nearly 40 years, faculty and graduate students have relied on this center to conduct biomedical and health research." 

Through the center, faculty and students work on projects that focus on research topics such as the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer as well as colorectal cancer disparities in African Americans compared to other racial or ethnic groups. 

"The program is a critical contributor to the university's ability to produce 60% of the nation's Ph.D. graduates in pharmaceutical sciences from various backgrounds," Beard said. "The RCMI program plays a vital role in ensuring the state's success by contributing to the pipeline of highly trained professionals in the healthcare industry." 

Related news: FSU, FAMU give campus communities guidance after Trump's orders on DEI funds, immigration

While FAMU has over 900 grants, according to a university spokesperson, the most recent number of its terminated grants is unclear. As of February, FAMU's only canceled grant was a subcontract from the University of Michigan through the U.S. Social Security Administration for $2.3 million. 

"Concerning the activity around federal guidance on research funding, developments are occurring almost every day," FAMU's Vice President for Research Charles Weatherford said in a message to faculty with updates in early March. 

"For example, a federal grant involving climate studies, wherein FAMU is a subcontractor, experienced a spending freeze. Note the grant was not terminated. Several such halts have occurred and then were restarted after a short halt." 

As FAMU's Day of Giving event is approaching, it's an opportunity for the FAMU community and others to support the pharmacy school along with the university's other colleges, departments, projects and initiatives through their financial contributions. 

Ablordeppey said in his message that donations to FAMU's pharmacy school will be "directed toward advancing research in public health initiatives, such as addressing health disparities, improving health outcomes in underserved communities and preparing students to tackle global health challenges."

How to donate

• Go to 1887strikes.com .

Tarah Jean is a reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at  tjean@tallahassee.com . Follow her on X:  @tarahjean_ .

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Trump funding cuts hit FAMU pharmacy school with $16.3M grant loss