HBCU Finance

Rice Capital Access Program, LLC, has closed more than $2.3 billion in loans for both public and private HBCU institutions. These funds have helped nearly one‐half of the nation’s HBCUs refinance outstanding debt and secure needed funding for new projects at very competitive rates.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have played a vital role in American history. Originally created to provide educational opportunities for African Americans after the Civil War, more than 100 HBCUs are still open and thriving today.

The HBCU Capital Financing Program was created by the U.S. Department of Education to help HBCUs finance important capital projects at the lowest cost of borrowing available in today’s challenging credit environment. For more than a decade, Rice Financial has proudly served as the Designated Bonding Authority for the Program through its subsidiary, Rice Capital Access Program, LLC.

Rice Financial is a major participant in the education market. We are the only minority‐owned firm in the country with a full staff of education professionals–six full‐time officers who specialize in education, all of whom are men and women of color. In both the bond market and in conjunction with the Department of Education, we provide more HBCU financing than any other firm in the country, and many of our professionals are HBCU graduates.