Department of War Cyber Academic Engagement Office

In accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act, the Department of War's Office of the Chief Information Officer established a central office to manage all cyber-related academic engagement. This office provides grants to strengthen, modern

The Cyber Academic Engagement Office (CAEO) provides assistance through grants to strengthen, modernize, and expand cybersecurity curriculum, talent, and institutional capability. Its mission is to unify efforts, drive excellence, and cultivate talent by providing strategic oversight for all Department of War (DoW) cyber-related academic programs. To build a strong foundation, the CAEO collaborates with academic institutions to influence national cybersecurity curriculum standards, ensuring alignment with the DoW's evolving needs. It supports professional education opportunities to upskill the current civilian and military workforce, funds the development of robust educational infrastructure, and supports outreach programs to spark interest in cybersecurity at early ages. To develop the next generation of professionals, the office oversees a range of talent development programs, including scholarships, internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships. These experiential learning opportunities provide hands-on experience in real-world cyber environments. The CAEO also supports competitions to identify and nurture emerging talent. Finally, to foster collaboration and innovation, the office promotes applied research opportunities by giving academic partners access to real-world problem sets through joint research projects. It hosts and participates in seminars and conferences to encourage dialogue between academia, industry, and government. The CAEO is also developing a centralized data and information management infrastructure while actively partnering with academic institutions, industry, and other government agencies to achieve its mission.

This assistance listing is for designated partner institutions seeking funding to support capacity building projects. To be eligible to apply for and receive award, institutions must be in good standing, be current on all reporting requirements, and demonstrate a history of successfully executing such grants.

This program creates a wide-ranging, multi-layered ecosystem of beneficiaries designed to strengthen the nation's cybersecurity posture. The core beneficiaries are Higher Education Institutions (Universities and Colleges), which receive resources to enhance their programs, along with the Educators and Researchers who lead them. This, in turn, benefits Higher Education Students (undergraduate and graduate), who gain access to a premier education and a direct path to high-demand careers. The benefits extend to the future workforce pipeline, including K-12 Students and Educators, who engage with outreach initiatives that foster early interest in the field. The program's output directly serves the critical needs of Government agencies (Federal, State, and Local) and the Private Sector (from small businesses to large corporations), providing the qualified talent they need to protect their missions. Special consideration is given to creating opportunities for the Veterans and Military Community.

Funding awards may be used for a variety of interconnected activities that build and sustain a robust cybersecurity talent pipeline. Primarily, funds can be used by higher education institutions for program and curriculum development, including the establishment or upgrade of cybersecurity labs with state-of-the-art equipment. This support extends to educators and researchers through the funding of faculty positions, professional development, and innovative research projects. Finally, the funding supports crucial pipeline and outreach initiatives, such as organizing cybersecurity summer camps for K-12 students and providing training workshops for their educators to foster interest at an early age.

Proposals for funding will be evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria to ensure the selection of high-quality, viable, and impactful projects. Initially, applicants must meet all fundamental Eligibility requirements and demonstrate a strong history of Past Performance in managing grant funding, which establishes the institution's capacity and reliability. The core of the evaluation will then focus on the proposal's clarity and substance, requiring a clear articulation of the project's Objectives and a Sound Methodology for achieving them, including a reasonable timeline. Successful proposals must also specify plans for all required Deliverables and demonstrate the Quality & Experience of the proposed team, certifying their time commitments. If collaborators are involved, Identified Partners and their responsibilities must be clearly delineated. Where solicited, the project's degree of Project Innovation will also be assessed. Finally, the proposed Cost must be reasonable for the project's scope; in cases where proposals are evaluated as equal, cost will be a determining factor in the final selection.

The CAEO program office, in conjunction with the Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Branch, holds the final approval authority for all awards. The process for awarding assistance begins are projects have been selected. The CAEO program office and the WHS Grants Branch review the funding applications submitted by the designated partner institutions. Upon final approval, a grant or cooperative agreement is awarded directly to the institution. These Federal resources are then expended at the institutional level. The institution expends the grant funds on the approved project activities. In this manner, the assistance passes through the initial applicant for further distribution to support projects.

The application review process is a multi-stage evaluation designed to ensure a comprehensive and objective selection. Upon submission, all applications will first undergo an administrative review to verify they meet the fundamental eligibility requirements outlined in the solicitation. Proposals that pass this initial screening will then be forwarded to a dedicated review panel composed of subject matter experts in cyber from government, academia, and industry. These experts will rigorously evaluate and score each proposal against the published selection criteria, including the soundness of the methodology, team quality, clarity of deliverables, and cost reasonableness. The panel's final scores and recommendations will be provided to the program office for the final funding decision. For complete and definitive details on the review process and specific scoring rubrics, applicants must refer to the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which will provide additional guidance.