The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) is establishing Virginia as a global center of excellence at the intersection of security, autonomous systems, and data. With a mission of research, innovation, and workforce development, CCI serves as a catalyst for the commonwealth’s long-term leadership in this sector.

The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative has three open calls for proposals: the Cybersecurity Research Collaboration, the Arts and Design Collaboration, and the Southwest Virginia Node Research, Innovation, and Workforce Development Funding.

The CCI Cybersecurity Research Collaboration funding program aims to create cross-pollination opportunities for the cybersecurity researchers to collaborate across the commonwealth and to develop a commonwealth-wide ecosystem of innovation excellence in cybersecurity. Proposals are due on October 30 at 5 p.m.

The Arts and Design Collaboration seeks to bring together CCI research with researchers from the arts and design community across the CCI Network. The program is funded by CCI and co-organized with the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology at Virginia Tech, and the da Vinci Center for Innovation at Virginia Commonwealth University. Proposals are due on November 2 at 5 p.m.

The Southwest Virginia Node Research, Innovation, and Workforce Development Funding program supports projects related to fast, secure, and customizable communications systems and technologies, including 5G, AI, ML, defense-in-depth cybersecurity solutions, emerging technologies (such as 6G and quantum algorithms) and cryptographic protocols, applications to transportation, energy, autonomous systems, manufacturing, and agriculture, and as well issues surrounding human factors, privacy, ethics, and global security in modern society. Proposals are due on November 2 at 5 p.m.

Visit the Call for Proposals page for more details on  award amounts, proposal formatting, and submission guidelines.