The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced $3 million in new funding under the Cybersecurity for Small Businesses Pilot Program. The grants will be awarded to state agencies to provide training, counseling, and other tailored cybersecurity services for startups and emerging entrepreneurs.
"With small businesses accounting for 99.9 percent of all American businesses and employing nearly half of the private workforce, any cyber threat to our small businesses is a threat to our country’s overall economy," said SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. "The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to strengthening our nation’s cybersecurity and equipping small businesses with the tools they need to strengthen their cyber health and prevent costly attacks that disrupt their businesses."
Applications will be accepted from July 2 to August 2, with awards ranging from $1,000,000 to $1,045,000 for a performance period ending in September 2026. Eligible applicants include state and territorial government agencies aiming to provide training, counseling, and other tailored cybersecurity services for startups and emerging entrepreneurs.
The competitive funding opportunity aims to support efforts by state governments to educate emerging small businesses when they are most vulnerable to cyber threats and help them develop robust cybersecurity measures.
Since 2022, the SBA's Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program has awarded nearly $9 million in funding. Proposals must be submitted via Grants.gov under "Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot" by 11:59 p.m. EDT on August 2.
In addition to the grant program, the SBA offers other cybersecurity resources through its Resource Partners, including both in-person and online training. More information can be found at www.sba.gov/cybersecurity.
Cyberattacks pose a growing threat to small businesses and the U.S. economy. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, cybercrimes against the small business community cost $2.9 billion in 2023. An SBA survey indicated that 88% of small business owners felt vulnerable to cyberattacks but often lack professional IT solutions or knowledge on where to begin.
This pilot program empowers state governments to expand existing services, innovate new resources, and scale solutions aimed at assisting more small businesses while focusing on underserved communities.
The U.S. Small Business Administration continues its mission of supporting American entrepreneurship through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations.
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