Hood College Lands $2.5M Federal Earmark for Biotech Research Center
March 12, 2026 · 2 min read
Jared Klein
Hood College in Frederick, Maryland will receive $2.5 million in FY2026 congressionally directed spending to construct its Biomedical Research and Training Center — a project that illustrates how smaller regional institutions can tap federal earmarks for research infrastructure that traditional competitive grants rarely cover.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congresswoman April McClain Delaney, and Senator Angela Alsobrooks visited the campus March 11 to announce the funding.
What the Money Builds
The $2.5 million will fund construction and equipment for two new laboratory spaces outfitted with biotechnology teaching equipment, two classrooms, and additional student spaces, offices, and meeting areas. The center is part of the Maryland Tech Council's BioHub Initiative, positioning Hood College as a regional hub for biotech workforce development.
The facility won't serve only Hood students. The center will offer courses, internships, workshops, and apprenticeships to students from other regional schools, mid-career employees from area companies, and middle and high school teachers — a workforce development model that spans the traditional academic pipeline.
The Earmark Pathway for Research Infrastructure
Congressionally directed spending — earmarks — returned to the appropriations process in 2021 after a decade-long moratorium. For institutions that lack the size or research track record to compete for NIH or NSF construction grants, earmarks offer an alternative route to laboratory infrastructure funding.
The process requires cultivating relationships with members of Congress and submitting detailed justifications during the appropriations cycle. Hood College's success demonstrates that a focused proposal tied to regional workforce needs and anchored by a recognized industry initiative (the BioHub program) can clear the bar.
Smaller colleges and universities considering infrastructure projects should begin engaging their congressional delegations now for the FY2027 cycle. Tools like Granted can help identify both earmark opportunities and complementary federal grants to build the full funding stack.