Information Security Grants (12.902)
Information Security Grants (Assistance Listing 12.902) is run by the Washington Headquarters Services, part of the Department of Defense. It awarded $31.9 million in 127 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $250,905 per award on average. 1 funding opportunity is open or forecast now.
The typical award was $164,788. Half of the 127 awards fell between $95,257 and $293,384, and they ranged from $6,558 to $2.1 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$31.9 million
- Grant awards127
- Typical award$164,788
- Awarded in FY 2025$14.5 million
- Size rank1,167 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- It is the 1167th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 61% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 36 states and territories.
What the program funds
The Department of War Cyber Service Academy was established in accordance with provisions of Chapter 112, "Cyber Scholarship Program," of title 10, United States Code, added by Public Law 106-398, The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2001. The purpose of the program is to recruit and retain qualified cyber talent within the DoW by offering merit-based scholarships to students in exchange for a period of obligated service upon graduation. Academic institutions may nominate current undergraduate or graduate students who are pursuing a cyber-related degree for scholarship consideration. Current DoW Components/Agencies may nominate their permanent civilians or active-duty military members to pursue a cyber-related degree at partnering institutions. These institutions may also apply for modest support for building their capacity for the expansion of cyber education.
Open opportunities
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
This assistance listing is for designated partner institutions seeking funding to support scholars who have been selected for the Department of War (DoW) Cyber Service Academy. To be eligible to apply for and receive an award, institutions must be in good standing, be current on all reporting requirements, and demonstrate a history of successfully executing such grants. The scholars supported by this funding are selected through separate application channels and consist of two main groups: 1. Prospective Students (Recruitment Pathway): Students at designated institutions of higher education apply using the recruitment application. To be eligible, students must: Be 18 years of age or older and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Be enrolled in a qualified cyber-related degree program. Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 for a community college program, 3.2 for an undergraduate program, or 3.5 for a graduate program. 2. Current DoW Personnel (Retention Pathway): Current DoW civilians and active-duty military members apply using the retention application. To be eligible, applicants must: Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Be in good standing with their parent organization. Be nominated by their parent organization to pursue a cyber-related degree. Additional eligibility requirements for both institutions and scholar applicants will be provided in the official program solicitation and application materials.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Recruitment Students: Tuition, books, fees, a stipend ($25,000 for community college,$29,000 for undergraduate, and $34,000), summer internship salary, professional travel, supplies, books, technology allowance, and support for security certifications. Retention Students: Tuition, books, fees, and support for on-campus course requirements. Capacity Building: Allowable costs associated with the performance of the selected project.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
DoD CSA Recruitment Student award: Average $80K DoD CSA Retention Student award: Average $30K DoD CSA Capacity Building award: Not to exceed $125K
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Awarded Recruitment Scholarships - 75 new / 120 returning Awarded Retention Scholarships - 0 new / 7 returning Capacity Building - 0 new projects
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Information Security Grants (12.902) awarded $31.9 million across 127 grant awards, an average of $250,905 per award.
Who usually wins
Colleges and universities received 97% of the money, nonprofits 2.7%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges and universities | 124 | $31.0 million | 97% |
| Nonprofits | 3 | $868,561 | 2.7% |
By state
8 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10 | $4.4 million |
| Pennsylvania | 14 | $4.4 million |
| Virginia | 10 | $2.9 million |
| South Carolina | 3 | $2.1 million |
| Maryland | 8 | $1.7 million |
| Ohio | 2 | $1.6 million |
| Florida | 8 | $1.4 million |
| District of Columbia | 2 | $1.0 million |
| Washington | 6 | $981,830 |
| Arizona | 4 | $979,199 |
| New York | 4 | $927,028 |
| Tennessee | 4 | $852,497 |
| Georgia | 4 | $723,926 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | $706,237 |
| Louisiana | 2 | $656,075 |
| North Carolina | 5 | $631,985 |
| Idaho | 2 | $627,574 |
| Colorado | 6 | $604,197 |
| Utah | 4 | $576,830 |
| Puerto Rico | 2 | $554,344 |
| West Virginia | 4 | $533,061 |
| New Jersey | 2 | $503,388 |
| Alabama | 1 | $447,778 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | $392,183 |
| Mississippi | 2 | $334,992 |
| Connecticut | 2 | $272,062 |
| Michigan | 1 | $198,809 |
| Indiana | 2 | $141,156 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $124,555 |
| Vermont | 1 | $95,017 |
| Iowa | 1 | $94,305 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $88,596 |
| New Mexico | 1 | $87,779 |
| Oregon | 1 | $75,755 |
| California | 1 | $68,106 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $6,558 |