Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence

The Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence (IC CAE) Program is codified in the National Security Act with the intent to increase the pool of applicants for Intelligence Community (IC) organizations by expanding awareness of the IC mis

The IC CAE Program's purpose is to develop a cadre of qualified intelligence professionals to carry out America's long-term national security initiatives by creating a competitive, knowledgeable, and diverse workforce through the provision of single and multi-year grants to colleges and universities. The program encourages eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) to submit proposals that support curricula and programs designed to create, attract, and sustain a robust, knowledgeable, and diverse talent pool in multidisciplinary areas of interest to the IC. Schools selected as grant recipients are known as IC CAE Program Schools. Students who participate in IC CAE Program school-funded curricula and programs are aware that these efforts are funded by the IC and are given the opportunity to work towards becoming an IC CAE Scholar, an elite status achieved by meeting certain milestones. This association propels students toward becoming a talent pool of choice for the IC. Any acceptably accredited four-year IHE in the United States (including its Territories and the District of Columbia) is eligible to apply as a Lead Institution. If the IHE falls under one of the four Minority Serving Institution (MSI) categories-HBCU, PBI, HSI, or AANAPISI-as designated by the U.S. Department of Education, a consortium partner is optional but not required. If applying without a consortium partner, the IHE is considered to be the Lead Institution. However, if the IHE does not belong to one of the four MSI categories, then the application must include at least two IHEs, one of which must belong to one of the four MSI categories listed above. Schools designated under any of these four MSI categories may serve as the lead applicant or a consortium partner, or these MSI categories may make up the entire consortium. IHEs with minority-serving designations other than the four listed may serve as the lead applicant or a partner, provided that at least one member school from the four named MSI categories is also a partner. Acceptably accredited two-year IHEs in the United States (including its Territories and the District of Columbia), such as community colleges, are eligible to apply as consortium partners, but not as Lead Institutions.

Any acceptably accredited four-year Institution of Higher Education (IHE) in the United States (including its territories and the District of Columbia) shall be eligible to apply as a Lead Institution. If the IHE is one of the four Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) categories-HBCU, PBI, HSI, and/or AANAPISI-as designated by the U.S. Department of Education, a consortium partner is optional but not required. If applying without a consortium partner, the IHE will be considered the Lead Institution. However, if the IHE does not belong to one of the four MSI categories, the application must include at least two IHEs, with at least one being from one of the four MSI categories listed above. Schools designated as any of these four MSI categories may be either the lead applicant or a consortium partner, or these MSI categories may make up the entire consortium. IHEs with Minority-serving designations other than the four listed may be either the lead applicant or a partner, provided there is at least one member school from the four named MSI categories also serving as a partner. Acceptably accredited two-year IHEs in the United States (including its territories and the District of Columbia), such as community colleges, shall be eligible to apply as consortium partners but not as lead institutions.

Assistance may be used to build an IC CAE program as described herein.

The last FOA was posted in March 2024, and six new awards issued in the fourth quarter of FY24. The grants issued for a period of nine years (one-year base period, four one-year optional periods, and four optional "sustainment" periods). Funding will generally be provided as a lump sum annually unless it is determined that the awardee should receive funds on a quarterly basis. All recipients shall provide a Federal Financial Report SF-425 quarterly if required. Anticipated there will be no FOA, no funding for the optional periods in FY25 and no funding for sustainment periods in the future.

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. The merit review of proposals is anticipated to take two months but may be extended based on the number of proposals received.

The criteria for selecting proposals will be detailed in the FOA. These will include the eligibility of the applicant and will correlate to the nine objectives listed earlier in this notice.

The grants will be competitively awarded through a merit review process. The Merit Review Panel (MRP) will review the proposals and document findings. Final selection will be approved by a Selection Official (SO). The ODNI Grants Officer (GO) will issue the Federal financial assistance.