Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence

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.