Hurricane Katrina Relief for Dillard and Xavier Universities
Southern Education Foundation
- Program Exploratory and Special Projects
- Program Area Historically and Predominantly Black Colleges and Universities
- Grant Amount $1,000,000
- Grant Period September 1, 2005–August 31, 2006
- Location Atlanta, GA, United States
- Geographic Focus New Orleans
About this grant
As a result of Hurricane Katrina, three historically black Louisiana-based colleges – Dillard University, Xavier University and Southern University of New Orleans – were forced to close. While Southern University of New Orleans is a public institution and can claim state resources for restorative purposes, Dillard and Xavier are private and primarily depend on private donors. The rebuilding task ahead of Dillard and Xavier is enormous, with estimates of damage exceeding $400 million for Dillard and $40 million for Xavier.Funding will enable the Southern Education Foundation to establish a Presidential Leadership Fund that will provide financial resources including flexible funds to help defray salaries; consultation funds to assess damages, prepare financial plans, address legal and insurance issues, and oversee construction; security, cleaning, construction and miscellaneous costs; and funds to refurbish facilities.The Southern Education Foundation, created in 1937, strives to promote educational opportunity by addressing racial and economic inequalities and promoting stringent education standards.