$1Bn is now available to state, local and tribal (SLT) entities to shore up their cybersecurity vulnerabilities under the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) announced on Friday, September 16th by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The funds come through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Biden in November 2021. They are intended to help SLTs strengthen their cybersecurity technology, fend off the increasing barrage of ransomware attacks, protect critical infrastructure and foster local partnerships to reduce cyber risks across SLTs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) grant administration expertise will be employed to help the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) release $185M of these funds for program development by the end of 2022 and continue over the next four years.

There is a 60-day application window ending November 15th, and the process directs that only established State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) can apply for grants under the SLCGP, with local entities receiving sub-grants through their state if selected. Local entities are expected to work with state governments and are supported by regional CISA offices to develop and submit their proposals according to the standards in the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act. Those standards, which Nossaman professionals worked on while they served in Congress and in the DHS, were originally part of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. Our attorneys and policy advisors are well versed in those standards and will continue to monitor funding opportunities such as this for our clients.