Sen. Pacheco announces more than $341,000 in cybersecurity grants for district

Grants will be used for priority cybersecurity projects at municipalities and school systems

Boston – Dean of the Massachusetts Senate Marc R. Pacheco is pleased to announce that the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS’s) Office of Grants and Research (OGR) is awarding communities and school districts in the Third Bristol and Plymouth District $341,623 to bolster their cybersecurity efforts.

“As our public institutions rely more and more on digital tools and technology, it is crucial that we are proactive in ensuring that cybersecurity is top of mind,” said Senator Pacheco. “These grants provide these institutions with the resources they need to see that through.”

The Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and State Share Cybersecurity Grant Program, funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration (CISA), will invest in priority cybersecurity projects at state agencies and local governments, including school districts, public utility departments, and other local agencies.

Allowable projects include implementing multifactor authentication migration to a .gov domain, the development of a written cybersecurity incident response plan, tabletop exercises, and cybersecurity awareness training.

These grants allow the Commonwealth to help communities meet their most pressing cybersecurity needs. The success of these grant programs is the result of the Commonwealth’s collaborative approach to addressing these complex issues.

The following communities and school districts have been awarded grants:

• City of Taunton: $50,000
• Town of Berkley: $22,905
• Town of Dighton: $35,945
• Town of Middleborough: $80,050
• Town of Wareham: $63,723
• Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District: $11,400
• Bristol County Agricultural High School, which serves the communities of Berkley, Taunton, Dighton, Seekonk, Raynham, and Rehoboth: $13,000
• Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School District, which serves the communities of Berkley, Bridgewater, Dighton, Middleboro, Raynham, Rehoboth, and Taunton: $34,000
• Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School serving Wareham and Marion: $30,600

“This funding will allow our local schools and municipalities to modernize and adapt to the cybersecurity needs of today and in the future,” said Senator Pacheco. “I want to thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration for distributing these grants to keep our local cyber infrastructure secure.”

Funding was made available through competitive application processes earlier this year. This marks the first time that these grants have been awarded in Massachusetts. The grant programs are guided by the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Planning Committee, which was formed as a requirement for federal funding.