The Federal Communications Commission has unveiled the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program, dedicating $200 million to the cause.

Schools and libraries are some of the most vulnerable cybersecurity targets, largely because they often lack the budget to employ the necessary professionals to protect their organizations from threats. The FCC is hoping to address that situation with its Pilot Program.

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Modeled after the FCC’s Connected Care Pilot, the Pilot Program will evaluate the effectiveness of using Universal Service funding to support cybersecurity services and equipment to protect school and library broadband networks and data in order to determine whether to fund them on a permanent basis.

The program will allow participant schools and libraries seek reimbursement for eligible cybersecurity expenses.

Pilot Program participants will be eligible to seek reimbursement for a wide variety of cybersecurity services and equipment, subject to an overall cap. Eligible services and equipment include: Advanced/Next Generation Firewalls; Endpoint Protection; Identity Protection and Authentication; and Monitoring, Detection, and Response

The FCC said it will prioritize facilities based on the populations that are most in need of cybersecurity support.

To facilitate the inclusion of a diverse set of Pilot projects and to target Pilot funds to the populations most in need of cybersecurity support, the FCC will award support to a combination of large and small and urban and rural schools, libraries, and consortia, with an emphasis on funding proposed Pilot projects that include low-income and Tribal applicants.

Once schools and libraries are accepted into the Pilot Program, they will receive a letter informing them of their inclusion and can begin submitting reimbursement requests.

Applicants selected to participate in the Pilot Program will be announced by Public Notice. The Public Notice will provide additional information regarding next steps, including the process for soliciting bids and procuring desired cybersecurity services and equipment. After participants complete a competitive bidding process, they will submit requests for services and, upon approval, they will receive a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) approving or denying their funding requests.

Once an FCDL is issued and the delivery of services has started, participants and service providers may submit requests for reimbursement from the Pilot Program. If necessary, participants can request reimbursement and request certain changes to their funding requests from the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the Pilot Program administrator.

Given the rise of cybersecurity threats targeting non-commercial entities, the FCC’s Pilot Program is sure to help provide a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable organizations.