Assembly Member Gipson's proposal to establish the Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions Grant Program creates a $75 million competitive grant initiative supporting academic resources for underserved Black, African American, and other underserved students at California State University campuses and community colleges.

The program, administered by the California State University Statewide Central Office for the Advancement of Black Excellence, requires institutions to dedicate all grant funds toward academic support services for targeted student populations. A governing board reviews applications annually and determines grant awards, with $25 million allocated for CSU campuses and $50 million for community college districts over fiscal years 2026-27 through 2031-32.

Recipients must submit detailed annual expenditure reports by June 30 each year until funds are fully expended. The managing entity provides yearly updates to state leadership each September 15 beginning in 2027, documenting total awards, recipient institutions, and summaries of fund utilization. The program allows up to 3% of funds for administrative costs and can accept additional contributions from public and private sources beyond the initial state appropriation.

The initiative builds upon California's existing Black-Serving Institutions designation program, which recognizes campuses demonstrating excellence in supporting Black and African American students. This grant component provides dedicated funding to expand academic resources at designated institutions while maintaining oversight through established governance and reporting structures.