Frontline Cybersecurity Workforce Institute

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Executive Summary

Frontline Cybersecurity Workforce Institute is a nonprofit in Georgia that trains adults for jobs in cybersecurity and helps them get hired. Our three-track program covers IT fundamentals, cybersecurity operations and cloud security, leading to industry-recognized certifications such as CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+, Google Cybersecurity and AWS Cloud Practitioner. Every learner gets a Wrap-Around Navigator who helps with a loaner laptop, an internet stipend, transportation, child care connections and any other barrier that stands between a person and finishing the program. We pay certification exam fees directly to testing providers, never as cash, and we connect graduates to employer partners who have signed a commitment to interview every qualified graduate.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing fields in the country, with many unfilled positions, and most of those jobs do not require a four-year degree. At the same time, the people who could fill them, including people with no college background, people who are returning from incarceration, people who are unemployed or underemployed and veterans, often cannot get in the door because they cannot afford the certification exams, a laptop or the time away from income it takes to train. Programs that exist are often expensive, short on wrap-around support, or teach content that does not lead directly to a job.

With this grant we will enroll about 70 participants in Year 1, opening in about Month 3, and about 110 in Year 2. Our goal is that at least 49 earn at least one industry-recognized certification in Year 1, that at least 46 are employed or in a higher-level program within 90 days of completion, that at least 80 percent of completers from underrepresented groups are placed and that no participant pays for a certification exam or a loaner device. We do not promise any participant a job, a salary or a passing score on any exam.

Our Year 1 budget: about $593,500, growing to about $931,000 by Year 5. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 7 paid staff in Year 1 and 11 by Year 5. Government workforce and cybersecurity contracts and employer partner sponsorships add steady support, so grants fall from about 78% of our income in Year 1 to about 61% in Year 5.

We are asking the Digital Defense Workforce Foundation for $95,000 for one Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitator, certification exam and courseware fees paid directly to testing providers and supportive services paid directly to vendors. Government contracts, other grants and employer sponsors cover the rest, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Marcus Webb, the Executive Director, a Navy veteran, a CompTIA Security+ certified professional and a former IT manager at a regional hospital. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Frontline Cybersecurity Workforce Institute is a nonprofit organization in Georgia. We are a 501(c)(3) public charity (or a program of one, through a fiscal sponsor), governed by a volunteer board of directors. We will provide our IRS determination letter, board list and most recent financial statements with this proposal.

Our mission. To open the door to cybersecurity careers for people who have the talent but not the access.

What we believe. A career in cybersecurity should not be limited to people who can afford a boot camp or a four-year degree. The field is desperate for talent, and a person who is motivated, trained and certified can do the job. The biggest barriers are cost, equipment and time, not ability. Wrap-around support is not a nice-to-have: it is what keeps a person in a program when life gets in the way. We serve adults of every background, including veterans, people returning from incarceration, single parents, career changers, people with a disability and people whose first language is not English.

How we started. Frontline Cybersecurity Workforce Institute began when a group of IT professionals and a workforce development nonprofit noticed that employer partners were struggling to fill entry-level security operations center positions, while people in the same city had the aptitude and interest but could not afford the certifications. They ran a six-person pilot with donated laptops, a borrowed classroom and volunteers as instructors. All six passed CompTIA Security+. Four were hired within 60 days. Two employers asked whether they could refer more people. This proposal asks for support to grow that pilot into a full program.

What we offer:
- Three tracks. IT Fundamentals and Cybersecurity Essentials (eight weeks, for those new to the field), Cybersecurity Operations (twelve weeks, leading to CompTIA CySA+ or equivalent), and Cloud and Security Foundations (ten weeks, leading to cloud certification with a security focus). Learners may complete one track or stack them over time.
- Live, instructor-led training and labs. Classes are held in the evenings and on Saturdays, so participants can keep working while they train. A cyber range gives participants hands-on experience in a safe, realistic environment.
- Paid certification exams. We pay for each qualifying participant's first attempt at a recognized certification exam directly to the testing center, and a second attempt where budget allows.
- Wrap-around support. A Navigator helps with loaner laptops, internet stipends, transportation vouchers, child care referrals, and any other barrier. Supportive items are paid directly to vendors, never as cash.
- Career coaching and employer connections. A Career Coach helps with a resume, LinkedIn, interview preparation and a job search plan, and introduces graduates to employers who have signed a hiring commitment.
- Mentoring. A match with an industry professional for at least six months.
- Alumni network. Graduates who are hired are invited to return as mentors, instructors and job referrers.

Who we serve. Adults in our region who are unemployed, underemployed or in a job below their potential, including veterans, people returning from incarceration, single parents, career changers and workers in fields that are shrinking. Some government funding has its own eligibility rules, which we confirm for each funding source. We do not charge participants for any service, exam, equipment or material.

What we do not do. We do not guarantee a job, a salary, a passing exam score or a specific employer. We do not prepare or advise on VA benefit claims, which only accredited representatives may do. We do not provide legal services to participants.

How we are run. A seven-member volunteer board of directors oversees the organization and approves the budget each year. The board includes two cybersecurity professionals, a workforce development director, a human resources leader, a community college representative, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The Executive Director manages the organization, the Program Director runs the program and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from three employer partners who have signed hiring commitments, a regional cybersecurity employer consortium, a community college, the local workforce development board and a veterans' organization. We have a letter of intent for a classroom and lab space with a campus partner. Before we begin, we will have an attorney review our employer partnership agreements, student data policies and grant compliance requirements, and confirm any Georgia licensing or workforce program requirements.

Problem & Opportunity

Cybersecurity job openings have exceeded the supply of qualified workers for years, and the gap is growing. These are not mostly senior roles requiring decades of experience. Many entry-level and associate positions in security operations centers, IT support with a security focus, and cloud infrastructure management are filled by people with one or two certifications and a year or two of experience. Employers report that they cannot find enough qualified candidates, and many have said they would consider candidates from non-traditional backgrounds if they were certified and work-ready.

Meanwhile, people who could fill those roles cannot get in the door. Certification exams, such as CompTIA Security+, cost about $400 each, and a set of exams to become job-ready can cost over $1,000. A personal laptop, reliable internet and the time to study while keeping a job or caring for children are not universally available. Many free or low-cost training programs exist online, but they offer no hands-on labs, no human support when a person gets stuck and no employer connections when training ends. Bootcamps and private schools can cost tens of thousands of dollars and are out of reach for most of the people who most need the opportunity.

The consequences of the gap run in both directions. Employers cannot fill positions that are essential to protecting critical infrastructure, customer data and public systems. People who could do the work, and who live in the same communities as those employers, remain in lower-wage jobs or unemployed.

Several groups face the steepest barriers. Veterans may have relevant security and technical training that is not recognized by civilian employers, may have a gap in their civilian work history and may not know how to translate their experience. People returning from incarceration may face employer reluctance even when their skills and background checks clear. Single parents and caregivers cannot attend weekday daytime training. People without a reliable laptop or internet connection cannot complete an online program. People who did not finish high school or college may assume they cannot enter the field, and many programs reinforce that assumption with prerequisites they cannot meet.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Entry-level cybersecurity training programs vary widely in quality, and passing a certification does not guarantee employment. Employer hiring practices, economic conditions and bias can all affect outcomes in ways that are outside our control. We will measure our own results, including placement, retention and the share of underrepresented graduates who are hired, and share them honestly. We will use local labor market data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state workforce agency and CyberSeek in our final application and will not overstate them.

Products & Services

Frontline Cybersecurity Workforce Institute will run a cybersecurity and IT workforce training program with a Program Director, Cybersecurity Instructors and Lab Facilitators, a Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager, a Wrap-Around Navigator and an Executive Director, and will offer live training, cyber range labs, paid certification exams, loaner devices, wrap-around support and employer connections at no cost to participants.

How it works, step by step:
1. Outreach and application. We recruit through workforce development boards, American Job Centers, veterans' service organizations, reentry programs, community colleges, churches, libraries and word of mouth. We reach out to employers for referrals of workers they want to upskill. A short application confirms that the participant is an adult, lives in our region and is ready to commit to the time. We use the application to understand barriers, not to screen people out.
2. Intake and a plan. A Navigator meets each participant, asks about schedule, equipment, internet, transportation and child care, and sets up any support the person needs before the first class. A Career Coach meets in the first week to discuss goals, timeline and employer targets.
3. Training. Evening and Saturday classes, about 12 to 16 hours a week, in cohorts of 18 to 24. Instructors are certified in the topics they teach, and at least one holds a relevant industry certification two levels above what participants are preparing for. Labs use a cloud-based cyber range that participants can access from their loaner laptop at home.
4. Certification exam prep and payment. When a participant is ready, we register and pay for the exam directly to the testing center. Participants do not handle the payment. We provide additional study materials and a mock exam beforehand.
5. Career coaching and job search. Resume help, LinkedIn profile, mock interviews and a job search plan. The Career Coach introduces job-ready graduates to employer partners through a structured hiring event and individual introductions.
6. Employer hiring events. At least twice a year, employer partners meet graduates, conduct interviews and make offers. Employers who attend have committed to interview every qualified graduate.
7. Mentoring and alumni. Each graduate is matched with an industry mentor for six months. Graduates who are hired are invited to return as mentors or, as they gain experience, as instructors or lab assistants.
8. Follow-up. Check-ins at 30, 90 and 180 days after placement, tracking employment status, job level and any barriers that arise.

What the grant will pay for. Part of one Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitator's salary, certification exam and courseware fees paid directly to testing providers and supportive services paid directly to vendors. The rest of the budget comes from government workforce and cybersecurity contracts, other grants and employer partner sponsorships.

No pay-to-play. Employers who sponsor the program are not promised preferential access to candidates. We introduce employers to graduates based on the graduate's interest and the role, not on the employer's donation level. We tell every participant this in writing.

Why this approach is strong. A participant gets live instruction with hands-on labs, a certified instructor, a navigator who handles every barrier, a paid exam and a warm introduction to a real employer, all at no cost. We do not promise that every person who completes the program will be hired, but we design every piece of the program to make it as likely as possible.

Market Analysis

Who benefits: adults in our Georgia region who are unemployed, underemployed or ready to change careers, the employers who need cybersecurity talent and the organizations and infrastructure those employers protect.

Our primary group is adults who face at least one barrier: cost, equipment, internet, time, a gap in employment, a record, or a career path that has not included technology. We expect to serve veterans, people returning from incarceration, single parents, unemployed workers, mid-career changers and people with some IT experience who want to move into security. We will target a cohort of at least 50 percent participants from groups underrepresented in cybersecurity, including women, people of color, people with a disability and veterans. We do not charge a minimum education level, and we will confirm any credential rules with our government funders.

We will not serve a person who needs emergency help, shelter or protection at the moment of enrollment, and we will help them find the right resource first. We refer participants who need mental health, legal or substance use services, and we stay in touch.

Local data. We will use the most recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CyberSeek, the state workforce agency and local employer surveys in our final application and will not overstate them. Our pilot reached six participants and placed four. We plan for about 70 participants in Year 1 and about 110 in Year 2, growing to about 250 by Year 5 with about 11 paid staff.

Our secondary groups are employers, who gain a talent pipeline and a partner that does background work; community colleges, which gain a feeder program for certificate and degree pathways; and critical infrastructure sectors such as health care, financial services and government, which gain better protected systems.

We do not guarantee a slot to everyone, and when a cohort is full we maintain a waitlist and move to the next cohort. We do not accept payment from an employer in exchange for a referral or a candidate.

Competitive Landscape

Other options adults have for cybersecurity training in our area, and what makes us different.

- Online self-study platforms. Many are free or low-cost, well-designed and lack live instruction, hands-on labs, human support, paid exams and employer connections. Many people start them and do not finish. We refer participants to use them for practice between our sessions.
- Community college certificate programs. Some offer excellent content. Most meet only during weekday business hours, do not pay for exams, do not offer loaner devices or wrap-around support and may have waitlists. We partner with them, and several have agreed to count our program as credit toward a degree.
- Private boot camps. They offer live instruction and career support, and many charge between $5,000 and $15,000. The cost is out of reach for our target participants, and income-share agreements can create debt. We offer a comparable training experience at no cost.
- Employer apprenticeship programs. A few regional employers run their own programs. They serve a small number of people and require the employer to identify the candidate first. We feed into these programs with certified candidates.
- Vendor-specific free training. Amazon, Google and Microsoft offer free cloud and security courses. They do not pay for exams, provide human support or connect graduates to employers beyond their own ecosystem. We use them as one resource within our curriculum.
- American Job Center and state workforce training vouchers. Eligible participants can use Individual Training Account vouchers at approved programs. We will seek approval for our program and help participants access any voucher they qualify for.

What makes us different.
- No cost to participants, including exams, equipment and materials.
- Evening and Saturday schedule that works around jobs and families.
- A Navigator who removes barriers before the first class starts.
- Hands-on cyber range labs that simulate real security work.
- Certified instructors who teach the topic, not just the workbook.
- Employer partners who commit in writing to interview every qualified graduate.
- Honest results, published whether they are good or not.

What we do not claim. We are new. Our track record is a six-person pilot. The American Job Centers, community colleges and national organizations have decades of experience. We plan to learn from them and share results openly.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach participants, employers and supporters once the project is funded.

Participants. We will recruit through American Job Centers and workforce development boards, veterans' service organizations and VA employment programs, reentry programs, community colleges, churches, barbershops, libraries, community health centers and social media. We will ask every enrolled participant to refer someone. Outreach materials are in plain English and will be translated into the languages most common in our community where we have capacity. We will never imply that completing the program guarantees a job.

Employers. The Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager will build relationships with cybersecurity departments at hospitals, financial institutions, government agencies, managed security service providers and technology companies. Employers sign a written commitment to interview every qualified graduate, not just to attend an event. Employers may sponsor the program, and sponsorship never buys a referral or a candidate. We tell participants about every employer sponsor in writing.

Workforce partners. We will work with the workforce development board, American Job Centers, the state workforce agency and the state's cybersecurity initiative, and we will help participants apply for any Individual Training Account vouchers or workforce scholarships they qualify for. We will not discourage a participant from seeking other funding that helps them.

Community colleges. We have letters of intent from a community college to allow our graduates to stack their certifications toward a certificate or associate degree. We will pursue articulation agreements so participants' time is not wasted.

Funders. We will report results to funders twice a year and in a short annual report, in totals and never with a participant's name. We will invite funders to attend a hiring event, with participant permission.

Donors and community. We will invite businesses, civic clubs and veterans' organizations to sponsor a cohort, an exam or a laptop. Gifts are tracked separately and acknowledged with thanks.

How we talk about participants and the field. We describe participants as talented adults who need access, not as charity cases. We do not make claims about average salaries or job placement rates that we cannot support with our own data. We follow fair hiring guidelines and do not screen based on a protected characteristic.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 to 2: Attorney review of employer partnership agreements, student data policies and grant compliance, sign the lease, hire the Program Director, two Cybersecurity Instructors, the Career Coach and the Navigator, finalize employer partnerships and set up the cyber range and secure data system.
- Month 3: Staff credentials confirmed, lab equipment set up and tested, employer signing ceremony and open information sessions. First cohort recruited and enrolled.
- Months 4 to 6: First cohort in session (IT Fundamentals track). First certification exams paid and scheduled for qualifying participants. Navigator works with the cohort on any barriers.
- Months 7 to 9: First cohort graduates, first hiring event and first job placements. Second cohort enrolled (Cybersecurity Operations track).
- Months 10 to 12: Follow-up check-ins for first cohort, second cohort in session and third cohort planning begins. Year-end report to funders.

Space. A leased classroom and lab space, about 1,200 square feet, with classroom seating, lab workstations, a whiteboard and projection equipment, and secure storage for loaner devices. Office and lab rent and utilities are about $32,000 a year in Year 1. Network drops, lab cabling and a patch panel are a one-time cost of $4,000, with a deposit and first month of rent of $5,000.

Equipment. We buy about $14,000 of equipment once at the start: loaner laptops, lab workstations and network training equipment ($10,000), staff laptops and office devices ($2,500) and classroom and lab furniture ($1,500). After Year 1, we set aside about $3,000 to $4,000 a year to replace and add equipment.

Staffing. In Year 1: an Executive Director, a Cybersecurity Program Director, two Cybersecurity Instructors and Lab Facilitators, a Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager, a Wrap-Around Navigator and a part-time Program Coordinator. A third Instructor joins in Year 3, a second Career Coach in Year 4 and a fourth Instructor in Year 5.

Certification and courseware rules. Certification exam fees are paid directly to the testing provider, never as cash to a participant. We buy courseware and lab access directly from vendors or publishers. A participant qualifies for an exam payment after attending at least 80 percent of classes and passing a mock exam at a set threshold. The board reviews a list of all exam payments each quarter. Certification fees are about $60,000 a year in Year 1 and grow about 12 percent a year.

Supportive services. Laptops, internet stipends and transportation vouchers are paid directly to vendors or service providers, never as cash to a participant. A participant must be actively enrolled and show need. Each item is approved by the Navigator and recorded, and the board reviews a list each quarter. Supportive services are about $30,000 a year in Year 1.

Lab and cyber range. A cloud-based cyber range lets participants practice real security tasks, such as threat analysis, incident response and configuration, in a safe environment. Lab software and range access are about $20,000 a year in Year 1. Participants access the range through their loaner laptops from class and from home.

Background checks and criminal records. We serve people with records. We follow ban-the-box practices in our enrollment process and do not screen based on a record before enrollment. We will help a participant understand how a record may affect employment in a specific field or employer and refer to legal aid for questions about record clearing. Employers who partner with us agree to evaluate each candidate individually rather than using blanket record exclusions.

Instructors. Every instructor holds a current certification in the topic they teach, at or above the level participants are preparing for. Instructors are trained in adult learning and in how to support participants who have been away from formal education. Staff credentials and training costs are about $8,000 a year in Year 1.

Privacy and data security. Participant information is kept in a locked cabinet and a secure, password-protected system, and shared only with the participant's written permission, except where the law or our funders require it. We do not share a participant's record status, immigration status or personal circumstances with an employer without the participant's consent. We report results to funders only as totals.

Crisis and safety. If a participant is in immediate danger, staff call 911. Anyone who is in crisis or thinking of harming themselves is connected right away to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and staff stay with the person until help is on the way.

Insurance and records. We carry general liability, professional liability, property and non-owned auto liability insurance, and workers' compensation once we hire. Insurance is about $10,000 a year in Year 1. Grant money is tracked separately, and an outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Marcus Webb, Executive Director. A Navy veteran, CompTIA Security+ certified professional and former IT manager at a regional hospital, with more than twelve years of experience in cybersecurity and workforce development. He leads fundraising, partnerships, finance and hiring, reports to the board and is the main contact for funders. (Replace this paragraph with your own director's background.)

Cybersecurity Program Director (full time, hired in Months 1 to 2). Runs the program day to day, manages the curriculum and instructors and oversees lab and range operations. We will seek a person with a current advanced cybersecurity certification and experience teaching adults.

Cybersecurity Instructors and Lab Facilitators (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Year 3, four in Years 4 and 5). Teach classes, run labs, monitor cyber range sessions and provide individual help to participants. Every instructor holds a current certification in the topic they teach.

Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4). Manages employer relationships and hiring commitments, coaches participants on resumes, interviews and job searches and runs hiring events.

Wrap-Around Navigator. Manages the loaner laptop, internet stipend and transportation voucher programs, meets with each participant about barriers and connects participants to community services.

Program Coordinator (part-time). Keeps records, manages the data system, tracks results and prepares reports.

Board of directors. Seven volunteers who meet every quarter: two cybersecurity professionals, a workforce development director, a human resources leader, a community college representative, an attorney and a certified public accountant. The board approves the budget and policies, reviews certification payments, support payments and results each quarter and does not receive pay.

Employer advisory council. Three to five hiring managers from partner companies advise on the curriculum, participate in hiring events and provide mock interviews. Advisory council members do not have a financial relationship with the institute beyond their organization's hiring commitment, and they do not see individual participant records.

Outside professionals. An attorney reviews our employer agreements and compliance documents. An outside accountant reviews our books every year.

Staff screening. Every staff member passes a criminal background check appropriate for the role. Instructors with access to participant data are trained on our privacy policy. The institute follows ban-the-box in its own hiring.

Staff pay in this plan includes payroll taxes and benefits. Salaries are Executive Director $62,000, Program Director $58,000, Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitator $68,000, Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager $52,000, Wrap-Around Navigator $44,000 and part-time Program Coordinator $26,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Open in about Month 3, enroll about 70 participants across two to three cohorts, see at least 49 earn an industry-recognized certification and at least 46 placed in a job or higher-level program within 90 days. A balanced budget of about $593,500, with a small surplus of about $14,700. 7 paid staff.
- Year 2: Enroll about 110 participants, see at least 77 certifications and at least 72 placements. Apply for state and federal workforce contracts. Begin 180-day follow-up. A balanced budget of about $610,000, with a small surplus of about $14,400. 7 paid staff.
- Year 3: Add a third Instructor, enroll about 150 participants with at least 105 certifications and at least 98 placements. Government contracts cover more of our budget. A balanced budget of about $750,500, with a small surplus of about $16,300. 9 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second Career Coach and enroll about 200 participants, with at least 140 certifications and at least 130 placements. A balanced budget of about $840,000, with a small surplus of about $17,800. 10 paid staff.
- Year 5: Add a fourth Instructor and enroll about 250 participants, with at least 175 certifications and at least 163 placements, with government and workforce contracts covering about 27% of our budget. A balanced budget of about $931,000, with a small surplus of about $18,600. 11 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Participants enrolled, by track, demographic group, veteran status and record status.
- Certifications earned, by certification type and demographic group.
- Completions and the share who attempt a certification exam.
- Placements in employment or a higher-level program within 90 days, by demographic group and employer.
- Employment retention at 180 days, wage level at placement and wage change from before the program.
- Employer satisfaction and the share of graduates who were hired by partner employers.
- Supportive service items provided and costs, reported in totals.
- Cost per participant enrolled and per participant placed.
- Participant satisfaction and whether participants felt prepared and respected, collected anonymously.

How we review results. The Program Director, instructors and Career Coach review cohort progress, certifications and placement every week, and the whole team reviews outcomes monthly. Each semester, staff, the employer advisory council and our partners review results together and we change what is not working, including which certifications we teach and which employers we work with. Twice a year the board reviews results and we share them with funders and the workforce board as totals. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens, including when we fall short.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $95,000 from the Digital Defense Workforce Foundation for one Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitator, certification exam and courseware fees paid directly to testing providers and supportive services paid directly to vendors, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitator salary, $45,000 (other funds add $23,000).
- Other: Certification exam and courseware fees (paid directly to testing providers), $30,000 (other funds add $30,000).
- Other: Supportive services (laptops, internet stipends and transportation paid directly to vendors), $20,000 (other funds add $10,000).

Other money in the program. Government workforce and cybersecurity contracts, other grants and employer partner sponsorships pay the other $63,000 of those lines, plus the Executive Director's salary ($62,000), the Program Director ($58,000), the Career Coach ($52,000), the Navigator ($44,000), the part-time Coordinator ($26,000), lab software licenses and cyber range access ($20,000), office and lab rent and utilities ($32,000), employer outreach and hiring events ($10,000), technology and secure data system ($8,000), insurance ($10,000), staff credentials and training ($8,000), evaluation and reporting ($6,000) and administration and accounting ($14,000).

Year 1 budget: about $593,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $14,700 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $463,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), government workforce and cybersecurity contracts $80,000 and employer partner sponsorships and donations $50,000. Year 1 costs: Executive Director $62,000; Cybersecurity Program Director $58,000; two Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitators $136,000; Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager $52,000; Wrap-Around Navigator $44,000; Program Coordinator $26,000; certification exam and courseware fees about $60,000; supportive services about $30,000; lab software licenses and cyber range access about $20,000; office and lab rent and utilities about $32,000; employer outreach and hiring events about $10,000; technology and secure data system about $8,000; insurance about $10,000; staff credentials and training about $8,000; evaluation and reporting about $6,000; administration and accounting about $14,000; and about $5,600 a year for the wear on equipment.

How we planned certification fees. Certification fees are about $60,000 in Year 1, or about $857 per participant if all 70 enroll, and they grow about 12 percent a year as enrollment grows. Exam prices can change, and we adjust the number of exams per participant before we adjust enrollment. Supportive services, about $30,000 in Year 1, are adjusted by need, not by headcount.

About government contracts. State workforce agencies, the Department of Labor, the Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity workforce programs, the Small Business Administration's cybersecurity grants and local workforce boards fund training for workers in high-demand fields. These funds are competitive, are awarded for set periods and have strict rules about eligibility, enrollment, performance measures and reporting. We plan to apply once we have a track record. The amounts in this plan are our planning estimates, not promises, and agencies can change their budgets, rules and awards. We plan for grants and employer sponsors to cover the gap if they do.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $46,500 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $14,000 for equipment, $4,000 for leasehold improvements, $5,000 for deposits, $8,000 for opening supplies and inventory, $1,000 for licenses and permits, $7,000 for legal and professional help, $3,000 for signage, brochures and a website, $4,500 for background checks, training and first insurance.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($46,500), the cash we need to cover the wait for the first payments (about $30,000) and a cash cushion of about $144,000, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. That comes to $220,500. We start with $25,000 of our own savings and $200,000 in startup support from a workforce foundation, an employer consortium gift and our board, $225,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $593,500 in Year 1 to about $931,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $463,500, $433,000, $517,500, $544,000, $565,000 in Years 1 to 5. Government contracts grow from $80,000 to $250,000, and employer partner sponsorships and donations grow from $50,000 to $116,000. We add a third Instructor in Year 3, a second Career Coach in Year 4 and a fourth Instructor in Year 5. Grants fall from about 78% of our income in Year 1 to about 61% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $181,000, at the end of Year 1. Government and grant payments often arrive after we bill or after we submit documents, so we plan for about $47,480 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Our plan is to grow government workforce contracts as agencies see our placement results, to invite employers, banks, hospitals and civic groups to sponsor cohorts and to grow individual donors. Because a trained, employed cybersecurity worker protects systems that everyone depends on, success creates value for the whole community and strengthens our case for public funding.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- A participant cannot find a job after completing the program. We strengthen employer partnerships, improve our career coaching, share results honestly and do not promise what we cannot guarantee.
- Certification exam prices rise or a certification becomes less valued. We track the job market, maintain multiple certification partnerships and shift to credentials that employers want.
- A cohort has low completion due to life circumstances. The Navigator monitors barriers early and we adjust the schedule, the cohort size and the pace before we lower our standards.
- Government contracts are delayed or not awarded. We plan with a cash cushion, stage hiring so costs follow funding and apply to other funders.
- A participant is in crisis. We use a written safety plan, train every staff member and connect to 988 and 911.
- An employer breaks a hiring commitment. We keep a roster of backup employers, and we tell participants which employers have signed commitments before they decide to apply there.
- A grant ends. We keep savings, grow contracts and employer sponsors and keep our cost per placement low.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: one instructor, a borrowed classroom, one employer partner and a cohort of eight to twelve participants, paying for their first certification exam and tracking results carefully. Strong, honest placement results from a small pilot make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and Program Director, and current certification copies for your instructors.
- Letters of support from your three employer partners with signed hiring commitments, a workforce development board, a community college and a veterans' organization.
- Your employer partnership agreement template, including the hiring commitment.
- Your certification exam payment policy and your supportive services policy and payment controls.
- Your student data privacy policy and your ban-the-box enrollment policy.
- Your crisis plan and safety plan.
- Your plan for measuring results, including 90-day and 180-day follow-up.
- Results from your six-person pilot, shown as totals.
- Proof of general liability, professional liability and property insurance, or a quote.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $463,500 in Year 1, then $433,000, $517,500, $544,000, $565,000.
- Government Workforce and Cybersecurity Contracts: $80,000 in Year 1, growing to $250,000.
- Employer Partner Tuition Sponsorships and Donations: $50,000 in Year 1, growing to $116,000.
- Participants: about 70 enrolled in Year 1 (program opens about Month 3), then 110, 150, 200, 250 in Years 2 to 5, with three tracks of 8 to 16 weeks each.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and benefits): Executive Director $62,000, Program Director $58,000, Cybersecurity Instructor and Lab Facilitator $68,000 (two in Years 1 and 2, three in Year 3, four from Year 4), Career Coach and Employer Partnership Manager $52,000 (one in Years 1 to 3, two from Year 4), Wrap-Around Navigator $44,000, Program Coordinator (part-time) $26,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: Certification Exam and Courseware Fees (Paid Directly to Testing Providers) $60,000, Supportive Services (Laptops, Internet Stipends and Transportation Paid Directly to Vendors) $30,000, Lab Software Licenses and Cyber Range Access $20,000, Office and Lab Rent and Utilities $32,000, Employer Outreach and Hiring Events $10,000, Technology and Secure Data System $8,000, Insurance $10,000, Staff Credentials and Training $8,000, Evaluation and Reporting $6,000, Administration and Accounting $14,000. The other costs grow between 4% and 12% a year.
- Equipment: $14,000 at the start, then $3,000 to $4,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $46,500, paid once from $225,000 in startup money.
- About 8% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs