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DALLAS — A Christian university with connections to North Texas has announced it must delay its planned expansion due to cuts in foreign aid.
The Trump administration’s ongoing reduction of USAID funding, aimed at reducing government spending and advancing the “America First” agenda, has forced the university to reconsider its expansion efforts.
The university, Livingstone International University in Uganda, had planned to expand its facilities, but those plans are now on hold due to recent cuts to USAID.
Background: Livingstone International University was founded in 2012 in eastern Uganda, stemming from a collaboration between several churches and ministries, including some from North Texas. The university began with a goal to offer higher education in the region, and it currently enrolls about 340 students.
What We Know: Craig Stone, the university’s co-chair, explained that the university’s mission is to provide higher education, offering everything from associate’s degrees to bachelor’s degrees, along with religious instruction. A portion of the university’s funding comes from USAID.
USAID had awarded a grant to partially fund the university’s campus expansion, but Stone said the federal government recently notified them that the grant had been suspended.
“This is a multi-wing building we’re trying to construct, with plans for three wings in total,” Stone said. “The grant was supposed to cover about half of the cost for the first two wings, so this is a significant setback.”
What’s Happening Now: USAID, a target of the Trump administration’s budget cuts, has faced growing criticism, with the president recently accusing the agency of corruption and fraud in a Truth Social post, demanding it be shut down.
Despite the administration’s rhetoric, Stone emphasized the importance of the university’s work. “Providing a college education has the power to lift not just an individual, but an entire family, out of poverty,” he said.
Stone remains hopeful that the federal government will reconsider the suspension within 90 days, allowing the university to move forward with its expansion plans. If the funds are not reinstated, Stone says they will find other ways to proceed.
“We believe God is behind this mission,” he said. “It might not happen according to the original timeline, but we are confident we will get it done.”
Further Context: The university was originally awarded a USAID grant for the expansion during President Trump’s first term, but construction was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, with the project back on track in 2024, the grant would have covered part of the $2.5 million cost. The university had planned to begin construction in April, with the new wings designed to provide more classrooms and office space.
