Summary
States must meet maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirements or obtain a waiver from the Department of Education (ED) to receive funding under the College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) program. On October 21, 2013, ED announced those states that qualified for MOE waivers for federal fiscal year (FY) 2013. A total of 33 jurisdictions applied for a waiver, with only six receiving approval. An additional eight states did not meet the MOE requirements but did not apply for a waiver. States that applied for, but were not granted, a waiver will not receive CACG funds unless the state makes additional appropriations for higher education to satisfy the waiver requirements. To date, only $61 million of the $142 million available for CACGs in FY 2013 has been released. This Issue Brief provides background on the MOE requirements for the CACG program and the status of funding and waiver determinations in FY 2013.