Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is offering a funding opportunity under the RAMPS Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development program, aimed at fostering community partnerships to address local workforce needs in cybersecurity. Eligible applicants, including accredited higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, and local governments, are encouraged to form multistakeholder partnerships that include educational institutions and local employers facing skill shortages in the cybersecurity sector. This initiative is critical for developing a skilled workforce to meet industry demands and enhance cybersecurity education across regions. NIST plans to award up to sixteen cooperative agreements, each providing up to $200,000 over a two-year period, with applications due by July 1, 2025. For further inquiries, interested parties can contact Misty L Roosa at nofo@nist.gov.
Eligible Applicants
Eligibility for the RAMPS Program listed in this NOFO is open to all non-Federal entities. Eligible applicants include accredited institutions of higher education; non-profit organizations; for-profit organizations incorporated in the United States; State, local, Territorial, and Indian Tribal governments. Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO. Additionally, foreign public entities and foreign organizations are not eligible to apply under this NOFO. Although Federal entities are not eligible to receive funding under this NOFO, they may participate as unfunded collaborators. Applicants must demonstrate, through commitment letters from project partners, that at least one of each of the following types of organizations is committed to being part of the proposed multistakeholder workforce partnership: o at least one institution of higher education or nonprofit training organization (that is not the applicant), and o at least one local employer or owner or operator of critical infrastructure (that is not the applicant). Participation from academic institutions in the Federal CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program, the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Program, or Advanced Technological Education programs, as well as elementary and secondary schools, training and certification providers, State and local governments, economic development organizations, or other community organizations is encouraged.