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Interested in launching a Cybersecurity Clinic on your campus?
Sign up to learn more – applications go live October 2023.

Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund

Investing in America's
cybersecurity workforce

Google, in collaboration with the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, will support selected colleges, universities, and community colleges with up to $1M each to increase access and opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers in cybersecurity. In addition, recipients can access the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, Google Titan security keys, and student mentorship opportunities from Google.

Why Cybersecurity Clinics

At Google, security has always been at the core of our products. We’ve worked to protect people, businesses and governments by sharing our expertise and advancing cybersecurity tools and resources.

This fund will grow and support existing members of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, while searching for new higher education institutions to help students build a career in cybersecurity. We want to support these institutions in building a workforce with the real-world experience needed to protect critical U.S. infrastructure - in hospitals, nonprofits, schools and utilities - from cyber attacks.

Starting in October 2023, we will begin accepting applications from colleges, universities, and community colleges interested in establishing a Cybersecurity Clinic on their campus. If you are a two- or four-year institution please sign up here to be added to our applicant workshop.

What is a Cybersecurity Clinic?

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How it works

Signup for an Applicant Workshop

If you are a higher education institution interested in establishing a Cybersecurity Clinic for students, please sign up for a virtual workshop to review the application process which opens October 2023.

If you are not affiliated with a college or university but would like to nominate one, please sign up here.

How organizations apply

Check back this October, when applications go live for eligible organizations.

How organizations are selected

Google.org, along with the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics and an external panel of experts, will review and select applicants to receive funding by March 11, 2024.

Funding and support

Selected organizations will receive up to $1 million each in funding, along with access to Google’s technical expertise and certificates. Additionally, they will be extended membership into the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics where they will have access to public interest cybersecurity curriculum and mentorship from existing clinics.

Sign up now for one of our applicant workshops to learn more
about the application process which opens October 2023.

Google.org's approach to philanthropy

Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, brings the best of Google to help solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges combining funding, product donations and technical expertise to support underserved communities and provide opportunity for everyone.

We engage nonprofits, social enterprises and civic entities who make a significant impact on the communities they serve, and whose work has the potential to produce scalable, meaningful change.

FAQs

About

What is the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund?

The Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund is launching an open call to US based colleges, universities, and community colleges to submit their application to host a cybersecurity clinic on their campus to accelerate the pipeline of workforce ready cybersecurity experts. Selected organizations will receive up to $1 million each in funding, as well as access to the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, Google Titan security keys, and student mentorship opportunities from Google volunteers.

What do you mean by “Cybersecurity Clinic”?

For decades, schools of law and medicine have operated “clinics”, where students work with real-world clients and gain valuable job experience.

University, college and community-college-based cybersecurity clinics train students from diverse backgrounds to strengthen the digital defenses of under-resourced critical public infrastructure organizations, like small hospitals, non-profits, local governments, small businesses, and other community organizations. University-based cybersecurity clinics address two simultaneous needs: building cybersecurity capacity and resilience in their communities and training the next generation of cybersecurity talent with real-world job experience.

Why is Google supporting Cybersecurity Clinics?

At Google, security has always been at the core of our products. We’ve worked to protect people, businesses and governments by sharing our expertise and advancing cybersecurity tools and resources.

This fund will support existing members of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, while searching for new higher education institutions to help students build a career in cybersecurity. We want to support these institutions in building a workforce with the real-world experience needed to protect critical U.S. infrastructure - in hospitals, nonprofits, schools and utilities - from cyber attacks.

What is the Applicant Workshop?

If you are a college or university interested in applying to the fund, sign up to join one of our workshops. If you know of a strong candidate, share the link and encourage them to sign up. These workshops are designed to help interested applicants determine if a cybersecurity clinic is right for their organization, and to get support with their applications.

When is the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund open for applications?

We will accept applications from October 2023 through March 11th, 2024.

What will funding recipients receive? How big will the funding be?

Selected organizations can receive up to $1 million each in funding, as well as access to the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, Google Titan security keys, and student mentorship opportunities from Google volunteers.

What if I still have questions after reading the FAQs?

Tides Center is providing technical and operational support for the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund open call process. Please contact cybersecurityclinicfund@tides.org if you have additional questions. Use of your information by Tides Center is subject to the Tides’ Privacy Policy. You may contact Tides Center at any time to delete your application or to make updates or request deletion to your contact information.

Confidential information / IP

Who is the Tides Center?

The Tides Center supports social change leaders and ventures, connecting diverse people, organizations, and communities to create unlikely collaborations and find answers in unexpected places. Tides Center is providing technical and operational support to the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund open call process, including management of the application form and applicant data.

How will my data be stored?

Data collected in the applicant workshop form and data collected in the grant application form will be collected, and retained by Tides Center for the duration of the open call application process and will be deleted within three months of the open call window closing. The information you provide through the applicant workshop form and grant application will be used to contact you about workshops, next steps in the grant application process and to request additional information about your grant application, as applicable, in accordance with Tides’ Privacy Policy. All personally identifiable information contained in your grant application will be redacted by Tides if Tides shares your application with Google or the panel of external experts for further review.

Will details of the project idea we submit be kept confidential?

The details and ideas contained in your application will not be treated as confidential or proprietary so please do not share any confidential information as part of the open call process. Submitted project ideas contained in your application will be reviewed by Tides Center, and may be shared with Google, the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, and the panel of external experts in order to evaluate your proposal.

How do I add, update or remove my contact information? Can I make changes to other points of contact in my organization?

At any time, you may request to delete or update your contact information by contacting cybersecurityclinicfund@tides.org.