The Iowa Department of Education has awarded $370,622 to nine communities for Local College/Career Access Network (LCAN) activities during the 2024-25 academic year. These initiatives aim to increase postsecondary education credential attainment by addressing community-specific needs and closing education gaps, particularly for first-generation and low-income students. Each LCAN assesses the needs of its community and works to address gaps in partnership with local colleges, school districts, business groups and others. The LCAN grant series is a four-year model, with annual awards to new grantees averaging $50,000 and sustaining grants $30,000, which were awarded to five LCAN communities that recently completed their grant cycle. Eight of the nine LCANs funded for this year are returning grantees. Since 2015, over $4 million has been invested in more than 20 Iowa communities. To view the full list of grant recipients, click here.