Maryland Delegation Announces Over $6.5 Million to Enhance State, Local Cybersecurity Infrastructure

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) announced $6,514,533 in U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to help strengthen Maryland’s cybersecurity infrastructure.

The federal funding, awarded to the Maryland Department of Emergency Management, comes through the FY 2023 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) which helps state, local and territorial (STL) governments manage and reduce systemic cyber risk.

“Increased cyberattacks on Maryland’s schools, hospitals and state and local government agencies have exposed our residents’ personal information and threatened our national security. The need for strong, secure cybersecurity infrastructure is greater than ever,” said the lawmakers. “This funding will help address vulnerabilities within our cybersecurity infrastructure to both better defend against attacks and prevent attacks before they happen.”

The SLCGP, made available by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, enables the Department of Homeland Security to make targeted cybersecurity investments in SLT government agencies and improve the security and resilience of critical infrastructure including technology, equipment, training and planning activities.

State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program applicants are encouraged to complete the Grants.gov application no later than seven days before the October 6, 2023, deadline. Additional information can be found here.