Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez Announces Cybersecurity Grant Award to City of Sanibel

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. – Today, Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez visited Sanibel to announce the city’s award as part of Florida’s Local Government Cybersecurity Grant Program. 

The $30 million grant program, funded by appropriations in Florida’s 2022-2023 budget, equipped 194 local governments with solutions that enhance their cybersecurity capabilities and integrate with state cybersecurity operations. 66 of Florida’s 67 counties were represented in applications received by the Florida Digital Service, which administered the program. 

“When natural disasters strike, it is critical that local governments focus their efforts on response and recovery,” said Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “I’m proud to champion this unprecedented investment in cybersecurity at the local level and ensure that partners like City of Sanibel and Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office can assist residents knowing their networks and data are protected from bad actors.” 

“Southwest Florida is extremely grateful for Governor DeSantis’ and Lieutenant Governor Nuñez’ continued commitment to our recovery from Hurricane Ian,” said Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson. “Awarding this grant and visiting our city furthers our resilience and reminds us that they are still working hard for our area.” 

“The Local Government Cybersecurity Grant Program operationalizes key elements of sound cybersecurity policy: proactive coordination, information sharing, and breaking down silos to detect and respond to threats early,” said Department of Management Services Secretary Pedro Allende, who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “From small towns to the largest state agencies, Florida’s security posture is strong than ever, and I look forward to building on that success in this year’s grant program.” 

Florida’s 2023-2024 budget, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, increased the grant’s funding to $40 million. The Florida Digital Service is preparing to launch the program in the coming months.

About FL[DS]

Following Governor Ron DeSantis’ call to modernize state government, the Florida Legislature created the Florida Digital Service (FL[DS]) in 2020 to develop and implement the state’s enterprise-wide cybersecurity, data interoperability, and cloud-first initiatives to support Florida’s government and the constituents who access its critical services. 

FL[DS] manages Florida’s first State Cybersecurity Operations Center, leads data sharing between state agencies, and leverages the state’s purchasing power to deliver taxpayer savings in technology procurement. FL[DS] is administering the Local Government Cybersecurity Grant Program, a program to provide funding for cybersecurity solutions and services to local Florida governments to improve their cybersecurity posture and resiliency.

About DMS 

The Department of Management Services (DMS) is the primary business, workforce, and technology services provider to Florida Government. DMS is proud to serve those that serve Florida, working every day to create efficiencies, value, and sustainable cost savings for Florida taxpayers. DMS staff takes pride in providing excellent customer service and supporting agency priorities through innovation and technology. For more information about the Florida Department of Management Services, visit www.dms.myflorida.com.

###