Lowell, Tyngsborough, and Dracut to be awarded funds to improve cybersecurity measures

(BOSTON—07/18/2024) The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS’s) Office of Grants and Research (OGR) is awarding nearly $7 million in federal funds to communities throughout the Commonwealth and state agencies under the Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and State Share Cybersecurity Grant Program. These programs, funded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Administration (CISA), seek to reduce the impact of cyberattacks. 

In the First Middlesex Senate District, Lowell, Tyngsborough, Dracut, and the Nashoba Valley Technical School District have received grants adding up to $287,980. The funds are much needed to improve cybersecurity measures. The awards for the First Middlesex Senate District will be distributed as follows:  

• Dracut – $10,000 
• Lowell – $79,100 
• Tyngsborough -. $99,000 
• Nashoba Valley Technical School – $99,880.22 

In April of 2023, the City of Lowell was the victim of a cyberattack which took the city several months to recover from and affected many government services. Tyngsborough High School was also the victim of a cyber attack in October 2020, which disrupted classes for a week. State Senator Ed Kennedy stated that the EOPSS cybersecurity awards will hopefully reduce the likelihood of similar attacks in the future. 

For more information on the Municipal Local Cybersecurity Grant Program visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/municipal-local-cybersecurity-grant-program.