PRESENTER: Presenter
Jennifer Gates, Grants Coordinator
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SUBJECT: Title
Approval of a resolution; ratification for the submission of a grant application to the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division’s 2025 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program - Governance and Planning objective to request funds to create and implement a cybersecurity incident response plan for the Information Technology department; and authorization for the City Manager to act on behalf of the City in all matters related to the grant if awarded.
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DEPARTMENT: Information Technology
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COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
New Braunfels’ City Council strategic priorities include using a variety of funding sources for operational and capital needs. As such, Staff recently submitted a grant application to the Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office, Criminal Justice Division’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program - Governance and Planning objective for Fiscal Year 2025 to request funding on behalf of the Information Technology for the development and implementation of a cybersecurity incident response plan.
If awarded, the grant will provide funding to obtain assistance from a qualified third-party company to create and implement a defined cyber incident response program for the City. As cybercrime continues to evolve, it is critical to pre-plan the response to any incidents before they happen, so when they do impact an environment, steps for remediation can quickly and easily be carried out to minimize the effect on City operations. The City does not currently have a cybersecurity team with the capacity to create and implement an incident response plan but after its development, the plan will be managed by experienced members of the City’s Information Technology department.
City staff recently submitted a grant application for a total amount of $35,000, of which the granting agency will be reimbursed for up to $31,500 in funds, and the City will contribute no more than $3,500 to fulfill its 10% grant match requirement.
If approved, the grant will be awarded by September 2024.
Staff is also requesting City Council approval of a resolution, as required by the granting agency, that will authorize our City Manager to act as the authorized official on behalf of the City in all matters related to this grant. The designated authorized official is given the power to apply for, accept, reject, alter, or terminate the grant on behalf of the applicant agency.
ISSUE:
Submission of the grant application described above supports the City’s Strategic Priorities as follows:
Use a variety of funding sources for operational and capital needs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The granting agency requires a 10% match in funding therefore, of the total requested amount of $35,000, the grant will provide $31,500 in funds, with a City match of $3,500. The matching funds will be included in the FY 2025 Information Technology Budget.
Recommendation
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of a resolution; ratification for the submission of a grant application to the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division’s 2025 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program - Governance and Planning objective to request funds to create and implement a cybersecurity incident response plan for the Information Technology department; and authorization for the City Manager to act on behalf of the City in all matters related to the grant if awarded.