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 - Workforce Development objective to request funds for cybersecurity training 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 - Workforce Development objective for Fiscal Year 2025 to request funding on behalf of the Information Technology (IT) department for cybersecurity training.
If awarded, the grant will provide funding for training opportunities for IT employees that will enhance their awareness and resolution of cyber security events, thereby allowing them to identify, mitigate, and hinder ever-evolving threats. Increased security will not only benefit all City employees, but it will also support residents and millions of visitors by helping the City to efficiently and effectively recover from an incident, thereby allowing faster response time for City team members to continue serving the community, and heightened protection to citizens and visitors from interruption in services and compromised personal information such as credit card numbers.
City staff recently submitted a grant application for a total amount of $21,712, of which the granting agency will be reimbursed for up to $19,541 in funds, and the City will contribute no more than $2,171 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 $21,712, the grant will provide $19,541 in funds, with a City match of $2,171. 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 - Workforce Development objective to request funds for cybersecurity training 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.