Twelve nonprofit organizations from 11 countries have been awarded second-year grants to support cybersecurity and AI skills development, awareness, and job placement initiatives. The funding aims to impact over 55,000 individuals over the next two years, addressing the growing demand for skilled professionals in these critical fields.

This year, the grants have been extended to nonprofits in Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Spain, and the United Kingdom, in addition to previous recipients from the Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Japan, Poland, and the United States. To ensure deeper engagement and lasting impact, select organizations have been awarded multi-year grants, spanning up to two years.

Among the key recipients is the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), which is spearheading two major cybersecurity training programs. The Cyber Vaahini program, launched in 2024, focuses on training 100 women in tier two and three cities and supporting their job placement in cybersecurity roles. Additionally, DSCI plans to establish a cybersecurity training center in Mumbai to further expand learning opportunities.

Other multi-year grantees include Czechitas in the Czech Republic, which will provide cybersecurity training for 100 women while running awareness programs for 50,000 more and educating government officials on cyber resilience. Girl Security in the United States is expanding its Workforce Training Program to prepare over 1,000 individuals from low-income backgrounds for cybersecurity careers by 2026. Meanwhile, NPO Sodateage Net in Japan will train 1,500 young people in cybersecurity, offering internship and job placement support.

Several organizations have been awarded single-year grants to drive cybersecurity education and workforce development in underserved communities. CLACK in Japan will run the “Be Pro Cybersecurity” course for 100 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In Spain, Fundación Cibervoluntarios will offer a one-year cybersecurity training program for 5,000 young individuals. The United Kingdom-based Generation: You Employed will organize boot camps for 230 people facing career barriers in IT and cybersecurity.

Other recipients include JA Americas in Brazil and Costa Rica, which will provide cybersecurity and career skills training to 400 women and support their job placement. In Canada, JEDI will offer IT training to 50 Indigenous students in New Brunswick. The Justice Through Code program in the U.S. will run a 10-month AI and software engineering initiative for 125 formerly incarcerated individuals. Mamo Pracuj Foundation in Poland will support 40 women, including refugees, with cybersecurity training and job search guidance. Additionally, United Way Hungary will train 345 young people, including visually impaired individuals, in cybersecurity and career development.

A recent report highlights that cyberattacks remain the top challenge for organizations, while 64% of business leaders feel their IT teams are unprepared for AI implementation due to a lack of necessary skills and talent. By funding these initiatives, the grants aim to bridge the global cybersecurity and AI skills gap, empowering underrepresented communities with the knowledge and opportunities needed to thrive in the digital economy.