Intervention for College Attendance Program
Intervention for College Attendance Program (ICAP) grants provide funding to programs offered to encourage college attendance of historically underserved students, bridging the gap between K12 education and the student’s first year of postsecondary education. The Office of Higher Education administers ICAP, which was established by the Minnesota Legislature in 2001 under Minnesota Statutes 136A.861.
This grant program runs on a 2-year cycle. The application deadline for 2025 has passed. We anticipate it will open again in 2027.
Grant proposals may be submitted through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education's Grants Management System.
Application Timeline:
- ICAP Request for Proposal posted on the OHE website: March 4, 2025
- Request for Proposal workshop (2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT): March 6, 2025
- Grants Management System Technical questions due no later than 4:00 p.m. CT: March 24, 2025
- Proposals due no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon) CT: April 7, 2025
- Committee begins review of proposals: April 14, 2025
- Committee recommendations submitted to OHE for review: May 2, 2025
- Applicants notified of award decisions: Delayed to the week of June 2, 2025
- Grantees publicly announced: Delayed to the week of June 16, 2025
- Mandatory grantee orientation (2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CT): Delayed to the week of June 16, 2025
- Project Period: July 30, 2025 through August 31, 2027
Application Materials:
Eligible applicants include the following organizations, located in Minnesota, that provide eligible services to eligible participants:
- Public and private postsecondary institutions
- School Districts
- Professional organizations
- Community-based organizations
The following are eligible services established in statute 136A.861.Grants must be awarded to programs that provide precollege services, including, but not limited to:
- Academic counseling
- Mentoring
- Fostering and improving parental involvement in planning for and facilitating a college education
- English as a second language services
- Academic enrichment activities
- Tutoring
- Career awareness and exploration
- Orientation to college life
- Assistance with high school course selection and information about college admission requirements
- Financial aid and literacy education/counseling
Eligible students are in grades six through 12 who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Are counted under section 1124(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Title I);
- Are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch Act;
- Receive assistance under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Law (Title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996); or
- Are a member of groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
Eligible undergraduate students, for the purpose of this program, are considered those who met the student eligibility criteria as sixth through 12th graders and are soon-to-be entering into their first semester of college or are currently in their first year of college.
A grantee can receive up to $120,000 for a biennium; $60,000 per year. Grantees are required to match the grant dollar-for-dollar either through cash or in-kind contributions.
In fall of 2023, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education awarded $2,700,480 ($1,350,240 per fiscal year) among 26 grantees.
- Achieve Twin Cities, Minneapolis
- American Indian OIC, Minneapolis
- Augsburg University, Minneapolis
- Banyan Community, Minneapolis
- Bemidji State University, Bemidji
- Breakthrough Twin Cities, Saint Paul
- Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), Saint Paul
- Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Twin Cities, Minneapolis
- Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount
- Faribault Public Schools, Faribault
- Metro Youth Diversion Center, Saint Anthony
- MIGIZI Communications, Minneapolis
- Minnesota African Women’s Association (MAWA), Brooklyn Center
- Minnesota State University Mankato, Mankato
- Minnesota State University Moorhead, Moorhead
- New Century School, Saint Paul
- Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI)
- Relentless Academy, Brooklyn Center
- Saint Paul College, Saint Paul
- The Blake School, Minneapolis
- Trustees of the Hamline University of Minnesota, Saint Paul
- Urban League Twin Cities, Minneapolis
- Wallin Education Partners, Saint Paul
- White Earth Tribal and Community College, Mahnomen
- Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE), Saint Paul
- YMCA of the North, Minneapolis
- Dual Training Grant
- Dual Training Grant: Legal Cannabis Industry
- Hunger Free Campus Grants
- Inclusive Higher Education Grant
- Intervention for College Attendance Grant
- Emergency Assistance for Postsecondary Students (EAPS) Grant
- Concurrent Enrollment Grant
- Student Parent Support Initiative Grant
- Student Loan Debt Counseling Grant
- Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Research Grant
- Tomassoni ALS Research Grant
- Previous Competitive Grant Programs