State and Local Cyber Security Grant Program (SLCGP)
Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, Congress established the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, which established the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP), appropriating $1 billion nationwide to be awarded over four years. In FY 2022, $183.5 million is available nationwide under the SLCGP, with varying funding amounts allocated over four years from the IIJA.
Montana will receive a funding allocation as determined by the statutory formula. Eighty percent of total state allocations must support local governments, while 25% of the total state allocations must support rural areas/jurisdictions; these amounts may overlap. Montana was awarded $2,427,866 for first year funding (FY 22) with Montana Disaster and Emergency Services (MT DES) being the State Administrative Agency (SAA).
The FY 2022 SLCGP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) outlines the grant objectives that the state is required to address with FY 22 SLCGP funding.
How to Apply for the FY 2022 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP):
The FY 2022 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant application period is being reopened for a second round of applications. Applications will be accepted between November 5, 2024 and December 20, 2024. Late submittals will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted in the provided PDF application form no later than midnight on December 20, 2024. To submit your completed application form, email it to mtdesprep@mt.gov.
Eligible applicants including counties, cities, towns, school districts, and special districts may only request funding for cybersecurity projects identified by the Cybersecurity Planning Committee. To meet the objectives stated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Montana Cybersecurity Planning Committee has identified four specific project areas to be funded by the FY 22 SLCGP.
Applicants have the flexibility to apply for a combination of project areas according to the needs of their organization. Funding may be requested in one, two, three, or four of the defined project areas listed here:
- End User Cybersecurity Awareness Training
- Cybersecurity Professional Training
- Behavior-Based Endpoint Protection
- Network Monitoring & Management Intrusion Detection Systems
Cybersecurity Planning Committee
Montana established the Montana Cybersecurity Planning Committee and adopted the committee charter on November 14, 2022. The committee is responsible for the following:
- Developing, implementing, and revising the State Cybersecurity Plan (including projects)
- Formally approving the Cybersecurity Plan
- Assisting with determination of effective funding priorities
On November 28, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the 2022-2024 State of Montana Cybersecurity Plan. The plan can be found in the SLCGP resources page.
Guidance and detailed program information can be found in the Grant Program Resources section below.
