CyberSecurity Core Curriculum
Active
- Assistance listing
- 12.905
- Agency
-
National Security Agency
Department of Defense
- Grant awards
- 3 $44,315,630 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- CAE Grant Program
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury accounts
-
- 97-0400-0-1-051
- 97-0100-0-1-051
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The National Security Agency within the Department of Defense funds higher education institutions to develop cybersecurity workforce talent and tools through the CyberSecurity Core Curriculum program (CFDA 12.905), with the most recent grant award disbursed on September 30, 2025. The program supports skill development initiatives and typically funds 12–24 month stand-alone projects; institutions must reapply for additional funding unless an option is awarded in their grant. The NSA Contracting Office partners with subject matter experts from DoD and Federal agencies to review proposals against published criteria, with final award authority held by the CAE Program Office.
The program demonstrates active recent funding. Three Project Grants totaling $44.3 million in federal dollars obligated were awarded between mid-August and late September 2025, representing a 2025 cadence of three awards per year. The Office of the Secretary of Defense provided all funding across this portfolio.
Recent awards illustrate the scope: the Department of War Cyber Institutes at Senior Military Colleges received $35.1 million (Award HQ00342510038, completion August 2028) to develop new academic, experiential, and infrastructure programs supporting military and civilian cyber workforce talent pipelines; the Cyber Workforce Community National Center received $7.2 million (Award HQ0034251E002, completion September 2028) to spearhead collaboration among designated institutions with administrative support, extended under a modification to establish the AI4WARD Initiative; and a third award for $2 million (Award HQ0034251E015, completion September 2026) supported regional workforce development initiatives. Award sizes range from approximately $2 million to $35 million.
The program solicits proposals periodically; no open opportunity is currently listed. The most recent posted opportunity (Solicitation HQ003425NFOEASD07, due July 23, 2025) solicited private higher education institutions to lead Senior Military Colleges in continuing DoD Cyber Institutes development, with an anticipated award ceiling of $16 million. The CAE Program Office may release multiple solicitations in a given year addressing different project opportunities, with deadlines clearly identified in each solicitation. Institutions should monitor NSA and DoD grant platforms for upcoming cycles.
Objective and description
- Objective
To meet future national security challenges, the NSA (and other DoD and Federal Agencies/Components) partner with institutions of higher education to develop the cybersecurity talent and tools need by: • Funding skill development programs like summe
- Description
See objectives.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
CAEs must be in good standing with the CAE Program Office as well as the CAE Grant Program Office. They must be current on all reporting requirements and show past performance in executing such grants. CAEs must also submit a proposal in response to any published solicitation by the due date with all required forms and documentation to be considered. All recipients of grant funding must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident of the United States. Additional eligible requirements will be provided in the solicitation/application .
- Beneficiary eligibility
Must be a U.S. college or University, a public or private school or school system, or a not-for-profit educational institution. The principal investigator and program staff must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Program eligibility will be determined by NSA's College of Cyber.
- Uses of assistance
Grant funds must be used for allowable costs necessary to conduct the proposed project.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Assistance funds are available for a period of up to 12 to 24 months, unless an option has been proposed and accepted for 12 additional months. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Funds are released upon receipt of an acceptable invoice (SF-270 + documentation) by the Finance and Accounting Office, in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-110 and General Provisions for NSA Grants and Cooperative Agreements attachment, which is provided with each awarded grant.
How to apply
- Application procedure
The CAE Grants Program Director in conjunction with the NSA Contracting Office will award grants covering the required funds.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Subject matter experts from DoD and Federal agencies as well as potential peer CAEs will review the proposals against published criteria. Each proposals may receive three independent reviews, with the scores tallied/averaged and then rank ordered. The CAE Program Office has final decision authority.
- Award procedure
The CAE Grants Program Director in conjunction with the NSA Contracting Office will award grants covering the required funds.
- Deadlines
The CAE Program Office may release multiple solicitations in a given year that address different project opportunities. Each solicitation will have the deadline clearly identified.
- Time to approval or disapproval
These dates will be determined the solicitation due date and will be clearly identified in the solicitation
- Renewals
Unless an option is awarded in a based grant, CAEs will need to reapply to any future solicitation for additional funding. Typically, these grants support a 12-24 month stand-alone project.
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| DoD Cyber Academic Engagement Office Senior Military Colleges (SMC) | Closed |
Grant awards
| Award | Recipient | Federal obligations | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cyber workforce community national center will spearhead collaboration among designated institutions and provide… | University Enterprises Corporation At Csusb | $7,239,622 | |
| Regions investing in the next generation resonate | The University Of Alabama In Huntsville | $1,999,976 | |
| This award will develop the DOD cyber institutes. | Norwich University | $35,076,031 |
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwich University | $35,076,032 | 79% |
| 2 | University Enterprises Corporation At Csusb | $7,239,622 | 16% |
| 3 | The University Of Alabama In Huntsville | $1,999,976 | 5% |
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $3,808,978 |
| FY2025 | $40,506,652 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 12.905?
Assistance Listing 12.905 is CyberSecurity Core Curriculum, a federal grant program run by National Security Agency (Department of Defense).
What is the CFDA number for CyberSecurity Core Curriculum?
Its CFDA number is 12.905: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 12.905 awarded?
3 grant awards under 12.905 have obligated $44,315,630 in federal funds to 3 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 12.905?
The recipients obligated the most under CyberSecurity Core Curriculum are Norwich University ($35,076,032), University Enterprises Corporation At Csusb ($7,239,622) and The University Of Alabama In Huntsville ($1,999,976).
How much did 12.905 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 12.905 obligated $40,506,652 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 12.905?
No opportunity listed under 12.905 is open now. The latest, DoD Cyber Academic Engagement Office Senior Military Colleges (SMC), was posted on June 23, 2025.
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