Welcome to the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund! 


The Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund is a Google initiative to help more students pursue careers in the high-demand field of cybersecurity while protecting critical U.S. infrastructure - such as hospitals, municipalities, nonprofits, schools, and utilities - from cyber attacks. In collaboration with the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics and Tides, Google.org is investing in the development of a network of cybersecurity clinics based in universities, colleges, and community colleges across the country.   

Cybersecurity clinics at higher education institutions engage students in hands-on, real world training as they actively work to support and strengthen the digital defenses of critical public infrastructure. The clinics supported by the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund will help to strengthen the U.S. cybersecurity ecosystem through a collective effort to serve 900 critical public infrastructure and community organizations and train 6,300 students in preventing cyber attacks on these organizations by 2030.   

The Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund is launching an open call, inviting higher education institutions including colleges, universities, and community colleges, or their collaborating organizations, to apply for an award to establish a cybersecurity clinic on their campus. University, college, and community college-based clinics will be awarded multi-year grants, participate in the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics and receive mentorship from existing cybersecurity clinics, and have access to no-cost Google offerings such as Google Cybersecurity Certificate student scholarships, Google.org cybersecurity clinic volunteers, and Titan Security Keys to protect clinic, student, and client data. Tides Center has partnered with Google and the Consortium to implement and administer the open call. 


Below you will find the link to apply. 

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Submit to Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund

The Opportunity:

This open call will offer six-year grants of up to $1,000,000 USD to 10 U.S. postsecondary education institutions or supporting organizations to design, launch, and sustain the operation of cybersecurity clinic programs on their campuses.

New Clinics' Impact and Grantee Activities:

Grantees selected from this open call will use funds to design, launch, and sustain the operation of a new cybersecurity clinic program on their campus, through which students provide pro bono digital security assistance to critical public infrastructure and community organizations, including non-profits, hospitals, municipalities, local government agencies, and small businesses. Grantees will take measures to develop long-term sustainability plans to continue this important work after their grant from the Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund ends. 

Over a six-year period, each grantee launching a new clinic will:

  • Contribute to the cohort’s collective goal to train 4,200 students in preventing cyber attacks on critical public infrastructure.
  • Contribute to the cohort’s collective goal to provide cybersecurity training and assistance to 600 critical public infrastructure and community organizations
  • Engage as a member of the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, which includes sharing knowledge within the Consortium network and participating in Consortium activities as possible.
  • Submit an Impact Report to Tides Foundation and Google.org annually over the six-year grant period, sharing impact, progress towards outcomes, and use of grant funds.

Selection Criteria

The Google Cybersecurity Clinics Fund seeks to support a diverse set of organizations to design and launch new clinics.  Nonprofit or public higher education institutions of all sizes, structures, and types are welcome and encouraged to apply. When reviewing applications, we are looking for:

  • Designs for cybersecurity clinics that support students in learning through doing and reflection with the supervision and guidance of faculty, instructors, or other field-experts. The class model of a clinic often fits this well, however we are open to other models that meet these criteria.
  • Plans that demonstrate thoughtfulness, foresight, and institutional and community support to build clinic programs that are not only sustainable but set up for growth.
  • Plans that are supported by a strong lead and team to navigate the ambiguity, innovation, project management and relationship building that accompany the launch of a new clinic.
  • We will also look at the final set of selected applications to ensure that there is a diversity of geographies, student populations, and critical infrastructure client organizations that are served by the overall cohort. 

Use of Funds and Expected Grant Terms

These awards are intended to help launch and sustain the operation of cybersecurity clinics at higher education institutions; supporting staff, students, and the organizations they will assist. This may include applying grant funds towards activities such as faculty and instructor support; teaching assistants, post-docs and graduate student researchers; student support (including student stipends); equipment (software and hardware); and clinic-related travel. Please be sure to review the funding conditions, expected grant terms, and policies related to this proposal and award opportunity here.

Proposal Timeline

  • October 18, 2023: Application Open
  • March 1, 2024: Proposal Submission Deadline (3:00 pm Pacific Time)
  • March - April 2024: Proposal Review, Follow-Up Outreach if needed, and Finalist Selection