Washington D.C, April 10, 2024 – The Common Good Cyber initiative, a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the challenge of sustaining nonprofit and public interest organizations involved in critical cybersecurity functions, announces the release of its workshop report. The report encapsulates insights and outcomes from a landmark gathering held in February 2024 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., United States.
Key Outcomes of the Workshop
- Mapping the cybersecurity nonprofit ecosystem to demonstrate their contributions and economic impact.
- Offering capacity support and acceleration for cybersecurity nonprofits, including training in marketing and fundraising.
- Establishing a joint funding mechanism with clear governance and criteria for distribution.
The workshop, jointly organized by leading cybersecurity organizations including the Cyber Threat Alliance, the CyberPeace Institute, the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Global Cyber Alliance, the Institute for Security and Technology (IST), and the Shadowserver Foundation, convened over 100 stakeholders representing various sectors including government, multilateral organizations, civil society, foundations, business, and academia. An additional 200 participants joined online to discuss the systemic underfunding of cybersecurity nonprofits and explore sustainable funding approaches.
Key Workshop Metrics
- Total Onsite Attendees: 114
- Government Representatives: 15
- Private Sector and Industry Representatives: 25
- Foundations or Funders: 6
- Nonprofit Representatives: 66
- Academia Representatives: 2
The workshop comprised two main segments:
- The first segment aimed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the imperative to secure sustained funding and resources for organizations maintaining core cybersecurity capabilities.
- The second segment focused on identifying practical solutions, outlining challenges, parameters, and stakeholder engagement necessary to realize these solutions.
Discussions affirmed the critical role played by organizations operating on limited budgets or through volunteer networks in upholding the security and availability of the Internet. Attendees explored mechanisms to better support these organizations, including developing a business case, establishing an accelerator model or resource hub, and creating a joint funding effort with clear governance and criteria for distribution.
A resounding consensus emerged for a collaborative, long-term joint funding initiative in cybersecurity, bringing together diverse stakeholders from government, private sector, and civil society.
The workshop report provides an overview of discussions, outstanding questions, and next steps.
Access the Report
Get involved
- Support the creation of a roadmap – a work plan with detailed milestones – that will drive forward the efforts.
- Mobilize volunteers and funders to advance the goals of Common Good Cyber.
- Raise awareness about challenges in maintaining core cybersecurity capabilities and share progress as the initiative evolves.
For volunteering, general or media inquiries, please contact the Secretariat at [email protected] or the lead Project Manager Ms. Kayle Giroud at [email protected].