The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), announced more than $18.2 million in Tribal Cybersecurity Grant programme (TCGP) awards to assist Tribal Nations with managing and reducing systemic cyber risk and threats.
These are the first-ever Tribal Cybersecurity Grants to be awarded. The grant programme was established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the more than 30 grant awards represent the largest number of awards ever provided by the Department to Tribal Nations in a single grant programme.
Addressing digital and cybersecurity threats
“For far too long, Tribal Nations have faced digital and cybersecurity threats without the resources necessary to build resilience,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
“The Department of Homeland Security’s first-ever Tribal Cybersecurity Grant programme awards announced today, made possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help tribes and tribal communities ensure they have the tools to assess risks, implement solutions, and increase cyber defences.”
Cybersecurity challenges
Digital threats impacting American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are becoming more complex
Digital threats impacting American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are increasing and becoming more complex, and tribal sovereignty creates unique cybersecurity challenges for these communities that have been consistently underfunded and under-resourced.
This programme is another example of a unified approach across DHS. This FEMA-administered programme leverages CISA’s capabilities to support grant recipients.
Cybersecurity resilience
“With these first-ever Tribal Cybersecurity Grants, we are not just addressing immediate needs, but also reinforcing the infrastructure that supports the sovereignty and resilience of Tribal Nations,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This funding, benefitting the largest number of tribal recipients to build cybersecurity resilience in FEMA’s history, is a testament to our dedication to a safer, more secure future for all communities."
“These grants will help Tribal Nations combat the growing cyber threats they face every day and build resilience for their critical infrastructure,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said. “We’re proud to work with our federal partners to help Tribal Nations strengthen their cybersecurity.”
Tribal Cybersecurity Grant programme
The Tribal Cybersecurity Grant programme will fund efforts to establish critical governance frameworks for Tribal Nations to address cyber threats and vulnerabilities, identify key vulnerabilities and evaluate needed capabilities, implement measures to mitigate the threats, and develop a 21st-century cyber workforce across local communities.
All Tribal Cybersecurity Grant programme recipients are required to participate in a limited number of free services provided by CISA. These services are:
- Cyber Hygiene Vulnerability Scanning – Evaluates external network presence by continuously scanning public, static internet protocols (IPs) for accessible services and vulnerabilities.
- Nationwide Cybersecurity Review – A free, anonymous, annual self-assessment designed to measure gaps and capabilities of a recipient’s cybersecurity programmes.
Cybersecurity risks protection
The grants will significantly improve national resilience to cyber threats by giving Tribal Nations much-needed resources to address network security and take steps to protect against cybersecurity risks to help them strengthen their communities.
In addition, federally recognised tribes are eligible to apply for millions more in tribal cybersecurity funding that will be announced later in 2024.
