New cybersecurity grant set to help small businesses and get UCCS students credentials

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A new grant totaling nearly $1 million is set to create cybersecurity initiatives that'll impact students at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and local small businesses.

Wednesday, the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC) announced a $927,236 Cybersecurity Grant awarded by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) to the state SBDC Lead Center at the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT). This is in partnership with the National Cybersecurity Center (NCC) and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).

Now, the two organizations and the university are set to develop dual-purpose programs and solutions. UCCS will work to help students gain industry-standard credentials and develop skills to deliver risk assessment. Combined, officials said UCCS students will provide assessment services to small businesses after they receive the NCC's in-person, virtual, or hybrid training formats.

"We are proud to stand at the forefront of this cybersecurity initiative,” said Brandon Eldridge, Executive Director of the Pikes Peak SBDC in a press release. “This project brings together key players in the field of cybersecurity. The partnership of our organizations reflects our collective determination to empower entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate today's digital landscape securely."