Cybersecurity Education and Training

Objective

Section 2220 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. § 665f) establishes the CETAP within CISA. The statutory purpose of CETAP is to support CISA’s efforts in building and strengthening a national cybersecurity workforce pipeline capacity through enabling elementary and secondary cybersecurity education. This includes providing foundational cybersecurity awareness and literacy, encouraging cybersecurity career exploration, and supporting the teaching of cybersecurity skills at the elementary and secondary education levels. To fund such cybersecurity and infrastructure security education and training programs and initiatives, Section 2220 authorizes CISA to provide financial assistance to non-federal entities to carry out the statutory CETAP purposes and enhance CETAP to address the national shortfall of cybersecurity professionals. CISA awards financial assistance under the CETAP through cooperative agreements with non-profit organizations to develop cybersecurity curriculum and professional development opportunities for K-12 students, educators, administrators, and student caregivers and conduct outreach to increase cybersecurity awareness within that K-12 community. The objectives of CETAP financial assistance are to: (1) create cyber training pathways for K-12 students and educators by providing an adaptable cybersecurity curricular model; (2) promote awareness of national cybersecurity education opportunities; (3) develop partnerships and increase stakeholder engagement to maximize outreach efforts and the impact of cybersecurity education across the K-12 community; and (4) increase awareness of all CETAP tools and resources.

Who Can Apply

• Nonprofit with 501C3 IRS Status (Other than Institution of Higher Education)

Nonprofit organizations, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofit organizations are eligible applicants under the CETAP. A “nonprofit organization” means any organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; (3) uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the organization’s operations; and (4) is not an institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. § 1001. A nonprofit organization may or may not have an effective ruling letter from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service granting tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Who Benefits

• Education (0-8)
• Education (9-12)

K-12 students, their caregivers, K-12 educators, K-12 administrators, school districts, public and non-profit elementary and secondary schools, and non-profit organizations The individuals and organizations that are intended to experience the benefits of the CETAP cooperative agreement awards include K-12 students, their caregivers, K-12 educators, K-12 administrators, school districts, and nonprofit organizations (such as an after-school program) that create, maintain, and/or support cybersecurity curriculum development and K-12 classroom implementation. There are some elements of the scope of work under a cooperative agreement award that will benefit these individuals and organizations in all states and territories (such as cybersecurity curriculum) and other elements that will benefit individuals and/or organizations in a specific geographical area (such as partnering with a specific school to assist with the inclusion of cybersecurity education in that school’s curriculum)

Assistance Types

• Cooperative Agreements

Program Contact

Education@cisa.dhs.gov
202-809-0622