DSU’s Paulson Cyber and Economic Development Center receives $1 million grant

For the second time in three years, Dakota State University’s Paulson Cyber and Economic Development Center has received a grant through the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program. The grants provide assistance to help small businesses advance their cybersecurity infrastructure and mitigate cyber threats.

DSU was part of the inaugural cohort in 2022 and is the only university in the nation to receive this grant twice.

 Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, Vice President for Research & Economic Development at DSU, says the Paulson Center is proud to continue to lead the way in securing assistance for South Dakota’s small businesses. 

Through initiatives like the SBA Cybersecurity Pilot Program and DSU’s new designation as a Google Cybersecurity Clinic, the Paulson Center is able to provide training, resources, and tools to help South Dakota’s small businesses safeguard their operations and customers. 

Bryson Patterson, Deputy District Director of the Small Business Administration’s South Dakota District Office, says the  Pilot Program Grant is a tool to help small businesses get cyber ready, and Dakota State University’s Paulson Center continues to be a great partner in that effort.

The other two institutions awarded the grant were Eastern Washington University and the University of Texas at San Antonio. The three institutions will evenly split a total of $3 million in funding through the program for fiscal years 2024 through 2026.