Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development | 2024 NIST RAMPS 01

RAMPS (NIST NICE) Grant Opportunity FAQs

What is the RAMPS Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development opportunity?

The Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development opportunity is a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) grant program. It focuses on building community-based, employer-driven partnerships that strengthen local and regional cybersecurity talent pipelines.

What is the main goal of RAMPS?

The main goal is to organize multiple stakeholders within a region into a coordinated workforce partnership that creates clearer, practical cybersecurity career pathways aligned to real hiring needs. The program emphasizes that workforce development is a shared, multi-organization effort rather than something solved by a single training provider.

What types of partnerships does RAMPS encourage?

RAMPS encourages multi-employer, multi-organization collaboration in a region. The expectation is that employers, education and training providers, and other community partners work together so that training translates into skills that are actually in demand in the local or regional economy.

What does “employer-driven” mean in the context of RAMPS?

“Employer-driven” means employers are not just passive supporters. The opportunity highlights employers who are struggling to hire for specific cybersecurity roles and emphasizes engaging them directly in defining roles, validating competencies, shaping curriculum and assessment, supporting work-based learning, and helping ensure learners gain job-ready skills tied to real positions in the region.

What is meant by “career pathways” under RAMPS?

“Career pathways” points to structured progressions through cybersecurity roles (for example, entry-level to mid-level), with clearer connections between credentials and job requirements. It can also include work-based learning and supports that help people move from training into employment.

What kinds of skill gaps is RAMPS trying to address?

RAMPS is designed to reduce cybersecurity skill gaps in a targeted way, especially where there are multiple employers in a region experiencing shortages in specific cybersecurity occupations.

Who is the sponsoring agency for this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), through the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE).

What type of funding instrument is RAMPS?

This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement.

What does a “discretionary cooperative agreement” imply for awardees?

It means awardees should expect substantial involvement from the federal agency during the project period. The notice describes involvement such as collaboration, technical input, or coordinated planning tied to program goals.

What is the category of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under the “Science and Technology and other Research and Development” category.

What is the CFDA number associated with RAMPS?

The CFDA number associated with this program is 11.620.

What is the official funding opportunity title?

The posted funding opportunity title is “Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) Cybersecurity Education and Workforce Development.”

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is “2024 NIST RAMPS 01.”

When was the notice created?

The notice was created on March 25, 2024.

What is the application closing date?

The original application closing date is May 24, 2024.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broadly open to non-federal entities. This includes accredited institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations incorporated in the United States, as well as state, local, territorial, and Indian Tribal governments.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations incorporated in the United States are included in the eligible non-federal entity categories listed in the notice.

Are nonprofits eligible to apply?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations are explicitly included among eligible non-federal entities.

Are colleges and universities eligible?

Yes. Accredited institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.

Are state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments eligible?

Yes. State, local, territorial, and Indian Tribal governments are included in the eligibility list.

Can foreign organizations or foreign public entities apply?

Yes. The notice indicates that foreign public entities and foreign organizations may apply, which is less common in some federal workforce programs.

Are individuals eligible to apply?

No. Individuals are explicitly not eligible for this opportunity.

Are unincorporated sole proprietors eligible to apply?

No. Unincorporated sole proprietors are explicitly not eligible because they do not meet the definition of a “non-federal entity” for this opportunity.

Can federal entities receive funding under this NOFO?

No. Federal entities cannot receive funding through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Can federal entities participate in a RAMPS project in any way?

Yes. While they cannot receive funding, federal entities may participate as unfunded collaborators. The notice suggests this can be useful when projects benefit from federal expertise, convening power, or alignment with related public-sector initiatives.

What would a competitive RAMPS project typically focus on?

A competitive project would likely center on a regional strategy that coordinates employers, education and training providers, and other community partners to reduce cybersecurity skill gaps in a targeted way. It would also likely emphasize career pathways and practical alignment to local or regional hiring needs.

Does RAMPS expect employer engagement beyond letters of support?

Yes. The opportunity signals that applicants should be prepared to demonstrate active employer engagement, such as participation in defining roles, validating competencies, providing internships or apprenticeships, making hiring commitments, or shaping curriculum and assessment to map training to real jobs.

Why does RAMPS emphasize multiple employers rather than a single employer?

The program highlights “multiple employers with skill shortages in specific occupations,” signaling an emphasis on broader, regional coordination and shared talent pipeline development rather than a single-company training approach.

Is RAMPS focused on local or regional outcomes?

Yes. RAMPS is designed around local and regional cybersecurity talent pipelines and encourages region-based partnerships that align education and training to the local or regional economy.

What kinds of partners might be involved in a RAMPS alliance?

Based on the description, partners can include employers, education and training providers, and other community partners in a region. The program is structured around multistakeholder collaboration.

What role can education and training providers play in RAMPS?

Education and training providers are expected to be part of a coordinated partnership that aligns offerings to employer-defined needs, supports career pathways, and helps learners gain job-ready skills tied to regional hiring demand.

How does RAMPS connect training to employment?

The description emphasizes practical pathways and supports that help people move from training into employment, including connections between credentials and job requirements and the inclusion of work-based learning opportunities.

What is the underlying approach RAMPS takes to workforce development?

RAMPS frames workforce development as a coordinated, multi-employer, multi-organization effort. The intent is to align training, credentials, and experiential learning with the actual cybersecurity roles employers need to fill in a region.