Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP): Expansion of a Portable Cybersecurity Education Teacher-Focused Model | DHS 22 CISA 127 NC001

Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 22 CISA 127 NC001

The Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP) opportunity, titled "Expansion of a Portable Cybersecurity Education Teacher-Focused Model," is a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) initiative aimed at strengthening the nations long-term cybersecurity workforce by investing in K-12 cybersecurity education that can scale across the country. The grant sits within CISA's Cyber Defense Education and Training (CDET) Branch, which focuses on building a pipeline of future cybersecurity professionals by improving awareness, expanding access to cybersecurity learning, and supporting educator readiness. The overall premise is straightforward: if more students understand what cybersecurity is, see realistic career options, and get hands-on exposure early, more of them will pursue cybersecurity-related study after high school and eventually enter the workforce in roles that help protect government systems and critical infrastructure.

At the center of the project is the creation and expansion of a Cyber-Integrated Curricular Model (CICM). This model is meant to be teacher-focused and portable, meaning it is designed not as a one-off program limited to a single site, but as a repeatable package of curriculum, training, and implementation guidance that can be adopted by educators and school systems across State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) contexts. The intent is to provide ready-to-use, engaging tools that integrate cybersecurity concepts into K-12 learning in a way that works for elementary, middle, and high school settings. The emphasis on portability also includes practical elements such as recruitment approaches, logistics, and templates so that other schools and districts can replicate the program without having to reinvent it from scratch.

The opportunity lays out several connected goals. First, it seeks to expand national awareness of cybersecurity education and workforce needs by exposing students across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories to cyber-integrated learning experiences while also giving educators a clearer understanding of the scope and depth of cybersecurity education. Second, it aims to encourage students to enter cybersecurity academic programs and careers by connecting classroom learning to real job pathways. That includes introducing career options aligned to the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, explaining job roles and responsibilities in plain terms, and giving students contact with real-world cybersecurity professionals who can describe what the work actually looks like and how people enter the field through both traditional college routes and alternative pathways. Teachers are a key lever in this approach, so the program also prioritizes professional development that builds teacher confidence and equips educators with materials to teach both cybersecurity concepts and cybersecurity career awareness.

A major requirement is measurement and long-term tracking. CETAP is not only asking for curriculum and training, but also for a structured way to measure impact over time, including tracking outcomes over a five-year period. The grant calls for defined metrics such as the number of teachers trained, the number of students reached, the extent to which the curriculum is used in classrooms, and whether students later pursue cybersecurity-related STEM disciplines, credentials, or careers. The program also expects feedback loops where teachers report back to DHS/CISA about how they are using the curriculum and what they observe in student readiness and interest. On the system side, the program encourages collaboration with districts and state agencies to build data-sharing approaches that can support longitudinal follow-up, potentially using pre- and post-surveys (including in connection with summer camps or extracurricular programs) and tracking pathways such as certifications, course enrollment, and postsecondary applications.

Another significant component is outreach and scaling through a comprehensive engagement strategy. Applicants are expected to draft, for DHS/CISA approval, targeted engagement strategies for elementary, middle, and high school audiences. These strategies must spell out who the program is trying to reach, what messages and themes will be used, what metrics will demonstrate progress (including projected increases in students pursuing cybersecurity), and a detailed implementation schedule. After DHS/CISA accepts the strategy, the recipient is expected to execute it. In addition to broad engagement, the program also explicitly calls for building state-level strategies for implementing cybersecurity standards, curriculum, and professional development statewide, reflecting the grant's priority on adoption beyond isolated pilots.

Equity and access are built into the scope through two additional goals. One is to develop a K-12 academic feeder approach connected to eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), while also incorporating Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The idea is to create or embed a K-12 model in specific high schools that function as feeder schools into those institutions cybersecurity degree programs, strengthening continuity from high school into minority-serving postsecondary pipelines. The other is to develop pilot programming for students with disabilities, including students who are blind or visually impaired and students who are neurodiverse, by supporting extracurricular opportunities such as partner-based activities and summer camps. This signals an expectation that the curricular and engagement approach should consider accessibility and inclusive design rather than treating these students as an afterthought.

Performance measurement expectations are spelled out in practical terms. DHS/CISA anticipates quarterly performance reporting, with program staff collecting and tracking measures and using reports as part of the conditions tied to continued annual funding increments. The opportunity sets concrete targets in several areas, including aiming for at least a five percent increase each year (over the previous year) in students pursuing cybersecurity-related degrees and careers after high school, such as two- and four-year programs. It also targets adoption at the state and district level, aiming for at least two additional states each year that either adopt at least one CICM curriculum statewide or have districts approving a CICM curriculum for district-wide use. Additional measures include increasing the number of teachers actively using the curriculum in classrooms, gathering feedback from at least 90 teachers who enroll in the curriculum regarding intended classroom use and student levels, and collecting feedback from at least 75 teachers each year who attend professional development workshops about their ability and intent to teach cybersecurity. The program also calls for collaboration with districts to collect both outputs (like enrollment in cyber courses, extracurricular participation, numbers of engagements, and fidelity of curriculum implementation) and outcomes (like changes in teacher confidence and student cyber career awareness), along with tracking retention in cyber pathways, student attainment of relevant certifications, and applications and enrollments into HBCUs, HSIs, MSIs, and other cyber-focused pathways.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning DHS/CISA expects to be meaningfully involved during performance rather than simply providing funding with minimal interaction. It is listed under CFDA 97.127 and was offered by the DHS Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division. Eligibility in this posting is limited to nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education. The award ceiling is $6,800,000, with one expected award under the opportunity. The original funding opportunity number is DHS 22 CISA 127 NC001, created July 21, 2022, with an original closing date of August 17, 2022.

In plain terms, CETAP is funding the scaling of a teacher-centered, ready-to-deploy K-12 cybersecurity curriculum model paired with professional development, career awareness content aligned to NICE, a national engagement plan, and rigorous multi-year evaluation. The program is designed to move beyond awareness campaigns by pushing for measurable adoption in classrooms and at the state and district policy level, while also intentionally expanding pathways for minority-serving institution pipelines and creating pilots that better include students with disabilities through accessible extracurricular and camp-based opportunities.

• The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division in the disaster prevention and relief sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Cybersecurity Education and Training Assistance Program (CETAP): Expansion of a Portable Cybersecurity Education Teacher-Focused Model" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.127.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 21, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 17, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,800,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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