What does "in-kind" mean in a cybersecurity grant?

What is an in-kind grant?

In-kind means the grant arrives as a service. Cyber Grants Alliance, a nonprofit, runs five in-kind programs: a CMMC Level 1 gap assessment, a CMMC Level 2 gap assessment, cybersecurity training, and Silver and Gold CyberCert certifications. Each is delivered by a sponsor partner (Cyber Grants Alliance: Grant Programs).

Who does the work?

An approved provider. For the Level 2 gap assessment, once you are approved you are connected with an independent certified assessor who coordinates the timeline with your team (Cyber Grants Alliance).

What does a real example include?

The CMMC Level 2 Gap Assessment Grant includes:

• A full evaluation of all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls
• Gap identification across all 14 control families
• A prioritized list of compliance gaps by severity
• A clear picture of your current compliance posture

What does it leave out?

The same grant does not include a detailed written assessment report, C3PAO readiness preparation, a remediation roadmap or a Plan of Action and Milestones. Those are available as add-ons from the sponsor, Capital Cyber Compliance, after the gap assessment (Cyber Grants Alliance).

Reading the included and not included lists before you apply is the single most useful thing you can do. It tells you what you will have in hand when the grant ends.

How do I apply?

You apply once on the Cyber Grants Alliance website. CGA reviews your application and matches you with appropriate cybersecurity partners. Start the application, or read how the grants work on our grants page.