Cybersecurity grant awarded to Sanibel: ‘Furthers our resilience’

SANIBEL, Fla. – The City of Sanibel received an “unprecedented” cybersecurity grant that aims to help cities detect threats, share information, and enhance cybersecurity capabilities.

Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez visited Sanibel Wednesday to announce the award. The city was hard-hit by the near Category 5 hurricane that struck in September 2022.

“When natural disasters strike, it is critical that local governments focus their efforts on response and recovery,” Nuñez said.

The grant is part of a $30 million program to help 194 local governments improve their cybersecurity capabilities.

“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,” she continued.

Sanibel Mayor Richard Johnson thanked the lieutenant governor in a statement for her “continued commitment” in the city’s recovery.

“Awarding this grant and visiting our city furthers our resilience and reminds us that they are still working hard for our area,” Johnson said.

Department of Management Services Secretary Pedro Allende said the grant program operationalizes key elements of sound cybersecurity policy. Allende had previously served as the Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience Policy Deputy Assistant Secretary for 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,” Allende said.