On September 16, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity grant program specifically for state, local, and territorial (SLT) governments across the country. This State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, made possible thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provides $1 billion in funding to SLT partners over four years, with $185 million available for FY22, to support SLT efforts to address cyber risk to their information systems. With this funding, SLT governments will be better equipped to address cybersecurity risks, strengthen the cybersecurity of their critical infrastructure, and ensure resilience against persistent cyber threats for the services SLT governments provide their communities.
With the release of a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), DHS has opened the application process for the grant program. Applicants have 60 days to apply for a grant, which can be used to fund new or existing cybersecurity programs.
This program is the latest example of a unified approach across DHS, which brings together CISA's capabilities with a FEMA-administered program to accomplish the Department's goal of increasing state and local cyber defenses.
The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program will play a critical role in helping these organizations build their capability and capacity. We encourage all eligible entities to apply for grant funds to protect our critical infrastructure and communities from malicious cyber activity.
The grants will significantly improve national resilience to cyber threats by giving state, local, and territorial governments much-needed resources to address network security and take steps to protect against cybersecurity risks to help them strengthen their communities.
There will be two funding opportunities for this program. The funding opportunity announced on September 16 is for state, local, and territorial governments. As part of this NOFO, local governments are eligible sub-recipients through their respective states and territories. A separate tribal grant program will be released later in the fall.
For more information and helpful resources on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, visit CISA's webpage (cisa.gov/cybergrants).