(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), in consultation with the Connecticut Cybersecurity Planning Subcommittee, is now accepting applications for the first round of funding authorized under Connecticut’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.

This newly established program was created as a result of funding Connecticut received through the recently enacted federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law). The state-administered program is providing grants to eligible entities to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats to information systems that are owned or operated by, or on behalf of, state, local, and tribal governments. Eligible entities as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the program requirements include:

A county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government;
An Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization; and
A rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity.

“Cybersecurity threats are very real and can impact any type of entity, whether you’re a private organization or a public office,” Governor Lamont said. “I strongly encourage municipal officials across Connecticut to evaluate their cybersecurity needs, and if a potential weakness is identified they should submit a grant application to the state so that we can get these funds to them and they can be put to productive use.”

The program is managed and administered by DEMHS, with partnership and consultation from the Connecticut Cybersecurity Planning Subcommittee, which consists of relevant stakeholders in the cybersecurity discipline, including the state chief information officer, the state chief information security officer, representatives from municipalities and the Regional Emergency Planning Team, institutions of public education, public health representation, and representatives of rural, suburban, and high-population jurisdictions.

“Connecticut has been at the forefront of prioritizing a whole community approach to cybersecurity,” Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Deputy Commissioner Brenda Bergeron, who oversees DEMHS, said. “Now with this grant program, eligible sub-applicants can make cybersecurity investments to build the appropriate protections commensurate with the risks. DEMHS looks forward to supporting the state’s efforts to further enhance our cybersecurity.”

DESPP Deputy Commissioner Bergeron serves as co-chair of the State Cybersecurity Working Group with Mark Raymond, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and the state’s chief information officer.

“This grant program strengthens the great working relationship we have between the state and municipalities in the area of cybersecurity,” DAS Deputy Commissioner Raymond said. “The threats from cyber attackers continue to grow regardless of the size of your government. These funds provide a great boost to respond to this threat.”

This program has a sliding cost-share match requirement that changes with each fiscal year. For the fiscal year 2022 funding, the federal share of any activity cannot exceed 90%. Connecticut has been allocated $2,680,589 in federal funds to allocate to eligible sub-entities and sub-applications.

For application information and a full overview of the program, visit portal.ct.gov/demhs/grants/state-and-local-cybersecurity-grant-program. Questions about the grant program can be directed to [email protected].

Applications for this first round of funding must be submitted to DEMHS by 5:00 p.m. on July 19, 2024.