State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program

The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is a federally funded program made available in Florida through the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Digital Service. The program is separate from Florida's state-sponsored Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and is designed to help state, local, and territorial governments manage and reduce systemic cybersecurity risks. For the FY 2025-26 program, Florida was allocated $11,997,340 in federal assistance. The program is intended to enhance existing cybersecurity programs or support the establishment of foundational cybersecurity capabilities, helping Florida local governments protect critical services, infrastructure, operational resources, information technology resources, and data from cyber threats. Florida identifies Critical Infrastructure and Law Enforcement as its principal SLCGP priority areas, with additional priority given to projects in rural areas. Critical Infrastructure projects include cybersecurity hardening for supervisory control and data acquisition systems, industrial control systems, operational technology, and associated information technology infrastructure. Law Enforcement projects include cybersecurity risk mitigation initiatives for local law enforcement agencies. Rural projects are prioritized because of federal funding requirements. The one-pager defines rural areas, based on the Notice of Funding Opportunity, as regions with fewer than 50,000 residents. Applications must align with one or both of the stated priority areas to be eligible for funding. The funds are described as non-recurring and are intended to enhance existing cybersecurity programs or establish foundational capabilities. Applicants are encouraged to begin preparing early by identifying project needs, obtaining budget estimates, and planning project timelines. The grant requires a 20% recipient match. The required match may be provided as a Hard Match using cash or as a Soft Match using in-kind contributions. The one-pager gives the dollar value of salary and benefits for positions associated with the project as an example of an allowable in-kind contribution. The supplied sources do not state an individual minimum award, individual maximum award, or number of awards. Eligible applicants include Florida local government entities. The accompanying program-page information further identifies eligible local governments as counties, municipalities, cities, townships, local public authorities, school districts, intrastate districts, regional government agencies, Indian tribes or authorized tribal organizations, rural communities, and unincorporated towns. Nonprofit organizations and private corporations are identified as ineligible. Applicants must ensure that their proposed projects satisfy Florida's cybersecurity priorities, and the one-pager specifically states that applications must align with one or both of the identified priority areas to qualify for funding. Eligible Florida local government entities must apply through the FDEM Grants Portal to complete the application process. The one-pager directs applicants to FDEMPortal.com/Grants and states that a DEMES account is required; applicants without an account must register. Applicants are directed to the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program page and related Preparedness Grants resources for the application and submission guide. The supplied program information states that applicants may identify their own budget items and that the application requests a budget describing the initiative and intended purchases. No separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating step is stated. The application window was October 15 through December 15, 2025. The evaluation period was scheduled for December 16, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Successful applicants were to be notified following evaluation, after which grant agreements and supporting documentation would be issued for signature before funds were released. As of August 27, 2026, the stated application window and evaluation period have passed. Importantly, the official FY 2025-26 one-pager expressly describes these funds as non-recurring, so the opportunity is treated as no longer accepting applications rather than as a recurring grant with an anticipated next cycle. The Florida Division of Emergency Management is located at 2489 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32311. The general telephone number supplied on the program page is 850-815-4000, and Florida Relay Service is available by dialing 711 for TDD/TTY service. No individual program contact or program-specific email address is identified in the supplied materials. Applicants are encouraged to prepare early by identifying project needs, obtaining budget estimates, and planning timelines, while ensuring that their applications demonstrate alignment with the program's Critical Infrastructure or Law Enforcement priorities.

Begin preparing early by identifying project needs, obtaining budget estimates, and planning timelines; clearly demonstrate alignment with one or both eligible priority areas; address Critical Infrastructure or Law Enforcement cybersecurity needs as applicable; rural projects receive priority under federal funding requirements.