College Access Challenge Grant
The College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) program fosters partnerships among federal, state, and local governments and philanthropic organizations through matching challenge grants that are aimed at increasing the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
The CACG accomplishes this by providing funding for projects that:
- provide information to students and families regarding postsecondary education and career preparation;
- promote financial literacy and debt management; conduct outreach activities;
- assist students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA);
- provide need-based grant aid;
- conduct professional development for guidance counselors at middle and secondary schools, financial aid administrators, and college admissions counselors; and
- offer student loan cancellation or repayment or interest rate reductions for borrowers who are employed in a high-need geographical area or a high need profession. (Funds may not be used to promote any lender's loans.)
The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) has been serving as the designated administering agency for the State's CACG program since 2008.
2010-2011 CACG Grant Program
In September 2010, the U.S. Department of Education awarded New York $7.6 million in CACG funds for 2010-2011. The grant will assure funding similar to the 2008-2010 grant for New York. Like the first grant, the funds are distributed through a competitive sub-grant process to schools, agencies and community-based organizations across New York.
Regional services and activities provided through the sub grantees include:
- College readiness, academic skill building and tutoring programs;
- Stay-in-school support programs for college students at risk for dropping out;
- College admission application and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion assistance;
- Training for college advisors and counselors serving some of the highest need, low-income and educationally at risk students in the State;
- Family workshops on college financing, completing FAFSA and applications;
- Debt management and financial literacy workshops;
- Extra curricular and summer residence opportunities.
List of sub-grantees.
In addition, HESC is partnering with the State University of New York (SUNY), the City University of New York (CUNY), the New York State Department of Education (SED), and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (cIcu) to deliver much needed services to CACG-qualified students and adults across the State of New York.
Learn More
For additional information about the CACG program administered by HESC, contact George Kazanjian at
gkazanjian@hesc.org.
For information about the overall CACG, including program abstracts from each state that received an award, visit the
U.S. Department of Education web site.
