Fifteen historically Black colleges and universities formed a new coalition aimed at moving members toward Research 1 classification by pairing with leading research universities. The Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI) is designed to counter assumptions about HBCU research capacity and reverse funding and faculty recruitment disadvantages. The coalition will work from space within the Association of American Universities headquarters in Washington and will receive support from Harvard University. Its stated goal is to reach Research 1 status, a designation tied to greater federal research funding and improved competitiveness for hiring faculty and students. The coalition’s formation signals a more coordinated approach to research capacity building—aligning shared strategy, partnerships, and likely proposal support mechanisms across HBCUs. For the sector, the AHRI move matters as universities and systems increasingly treat research metrics as strategic levers for both funding and institutional reputation.