State, local, and territorial (SLT) governments are in line to receive $279.9 million in grant funding in fiscal year (FY) 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) according to an agency announcement on Sept. 23.
The FY2024 marks the third year of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) grant program which was established by the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 to provide cash and shared services to local governments for a “whole-of-state cybersecurity approach.”
SLCGP will provide approximately $1 billion in funding over four years to support SLT governments as they “develop capabilities to detect, protect against, and respond to cyber threats.”
Eligible government entities will have from Sept. 23 until Dec. 3, 2024, to apply for funds from the FY2024 grant total.
“In the modern threat landscape, every community can – and too often does – face sophisticated cyberattacks on vital systems like hospitals, schools, and electrical grids,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “The Department of Homeland Security’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program empowers key intergovernmental partners with the tools and support necessary to increase resilience and better secure critical infrastructure.”
“Our message to communities everywhere is simple: do not underestimate the reach or ruthlessness of nefarious cyber actors. Through initiatives like the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program we can confront these threats together,” he said.
Recipients can use funding for cybersecurity improvements and capabilities, cybersecurity planning and exercising, hiring cyber personnel, and improving “services that citizens rely on daily,” DHS said.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly administer the program – with CISA providing guidance on cybersecurity and FEMA managing the grant award and allocation process.
“These cyber grants are an investment in the security of our nation’s infrastructure, helping to ensure that communities across the country have the tools they need to defend against cyberattacks,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said in statement. “CISA is proud to offer the SLCGP, helping governments lay a solid foundation for building a sustainable and resilient cybersecurity program for the future.”
“FEMA is committed to helping our partners address and withstand cybersecurity threats to both infrastructure and systems,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “Thanks to funding from the Biden-Harris Administration, state, local, tribal and territorial governments will be able to build their capacity to better protect themselves from evolving cyber threats.”
