Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced on June 16 the first recipients of the state’s Cybersecurity Remediation Grant Program, a $1 million statewide initiative to help municipalities and school districts strengthen cybersecurity protections and reduce cyber risk.
The program is led by the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security in partnership with the Community Compact Cabinet, according to the press release. It provides targeted funding to local governments and school districts to address cybersecurity risks identified through the Office of Municipal and School Technology’s Cybersecurity Health Check Program.
“Cybersecurity threats are becoming more sophisticated and continue to evolve, and every community deserves the tools needed to protect public systems and sensitive data information,” said Healey. “This investment will help municipalities and schools modernize their technology infrastructure, strengthen their defenses against cyberattacks, and better protect the people they serve.”
Grant awards are intended to support cybersecurity defenses for communities and schools across eight Massachusetts counties. A significant portion of funding supports the replacement of aging hardware, highlighting the widespread need for cybersecurity modernization across local public-sector organizations.
It also supports cybersecurity governance improvements, including Active Directory reviews, network architecture assessments, policy development, and strategic consulting services designed to improve operational maturity and reduce risk.
The program also establishes a framework for future statewide cybersecurity planning by identifying recurring needs across municipalities and school districts, regardless of geography or size.
Award recipients include:
- Braintree Public Schools
- City of Lowell
- City of Northampton & Northampton Public Schools
- City of Waltham
- Foxborough Regional Charter School
- Frontier Regional and Union 38 School Districts (Whatley, Sunderland, Deerfield, Conway)
- Granby Public Schools
- Hadley Public Schools
- Martin Luther King Charter School of Excellence (Springfield)
- Medford Public Schools
- Norwood Public Schools
- Oxford Public Schools
- Town of Auburn
- Town of Dedham
- Town of Eastham
- Town of Lee
- Town of Mashpee
- Town of Medfield
- Town of Sutton
- Wellesley Public Schools
