IBM Invites K-12 Schools in U.S. to Apply For Cybersecurity Grants of $500K Apiece

  • By Kristal Kuykendall
  • 05/26/22

IBM will provide resources and staff support worth $3 million to help address cybersecurity resiliency in schools to six K–12 school districts in the United States for the second consecutive year, according to a news release.

Each district selected as a recipient will have access to teams of IBM cybersecurity professionals to help the schools bolster their network security to prevent cyberattacks, and if necessary to help respond to cyberattacks, IBM said.

IBM Security X-Force recently reported research concluding that ransomware attacks against public schools more than doubled from 2020 to 2021, with most cyberattacks taking the form of adware (33%) or ransomware (22%) attacks.

Through the in-kind grants, volunteers from IBM will help recipient schools establish cybersecurity resiliency, incident response plans, and ransomware playbooks, the company said. The work may include “updating operating systems; providing cybersecurity training for staff, students, and parents; and implementing strategic communication plans to use in response to any cyber incident.”

Last year, more than 250 U.S. school districts applied for the grant program; the selectees were from Florida, Colorado, Georgia, California, New York, and Texas, the company said. Each recipient will receive $500,000 in IBM resources and staff support, IBM said.

K–12 public school districts in the United States can apply for IBM's education cybersecurity grant at https://webportalapp.com/webform/ibm-cybersecurity. The deadline to apply is June 21, 2022.

Learn more about the cybersecurity grants at IBM’s website.

About the Author

Kristal Kuykendall is editor, 1105 Media Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


Featured

  • laptop with digital productivity and calendar symbols

    September 2025 Tech Tactics in Education Conference Agenda Announced

    Registration is free for this fully virtual Sept. 25 event, focused on "Overcoming Roadblocks to Innovation" in K-12 and higher education.

  • computer science classroom featuring a desktop setup with code on the screen, a large wall display with charts, and a labeled book on a clean desk

    McGraw Hill Expands CTE Offerings

    Education company McGraw Hill has announced a host of new career and technical education courses, designed to help learners gain professional, technical, and academic skills for workforce success.

  • red brick school building with a large yellow "AI" sign above its main entrance

    New National Academy for AI Instruction to Provide Free AI Training for Educators

    In an effort to "transform how artificial intelligence is taught and integrated into classrooms across the United States," the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), in partnership with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, and the United Federation of Teachers, is launching the National Academy for AI Instruction, a $23 million initiative that will provide access to free AI training and curriculum for all AFT members, beginning with K-12 educators.

  • ClassVR headsets

    Avantis Education Launches New Headsets for ClassVR Solution

    Avantis Education recently introduced two new headsets for its flagship educational VR/AR solution, ClassVR. According to a news release, the Xcelerate and Xplorer headsets expand the company’s offerings into higher education while continuing to meet the evolving needs of K–12 users.