The IC CAE Program is a congressionally mandated program designed to promote the acquisition of competitive talent in concert with the U. S. IC’s Human Capital Vision 2020. As background, the IC CAE Program began as a one-year pilot project directed by IAA for FY 2004 and initiated by the Director of Central Intelligence to meet the nation’s demand for a diverse cadre of professionals to carry out national security priorities and obligations. In 2005, following the establishment of ODNI, the program moved under ODNI management with the intent to increase the pool of applicants by expanding awareness of the IC mission and culture throughout ethnically and geographically diverse communities. From October 2011 through December 2019, the IC CAE Program was managed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) with oversight from ODNI, experiencing continued growth and maturity. In December 2019, management of the IC CAE Program returned to the ODNI.

All accredited four-year colleges and universities in the United States are eligible. Institutions who previously received an IC CAE grant prior to 2019 may apply (current FY19 IC CAE grant receiving institutions are not eligible to apply). The legislation that established the program emphasized increasing the gender and ethnic diversity of the IC workforce, therefore, the IC CAE Program is especially interested in institutions with diverse populations of talent and in geographically diverse (rural) locations. Such institutions include Alaskan Native- or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNHSIs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNIs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Also included are underrepresented institutions or institutions with significant populations of minorities and/or women that possess credentials in disciplines and specializations that meet IC core mission requirements and Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Directives.

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 applications that support curricula and programs that will create, attract, and sustain a robust, knowledgeable, and diverse talent pool in multi-disciplinary areas of interest to the IC.

Deadline: May 24, 2022