FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State of Maryland Supports Cyber Ready Clinic’s Expansion to Strengthen Nonprofit Cyber Defense and Workforce Development

COLUMBIA, MD, March 3, 2026 — Cyber Ready Clinic® (CRC), a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Maryland, today announced it has been selected — in collaboration with Howard Community College, Frederick Community College, and Carroll Community College — as a recipient a $500,000 Cyber and AI Clinic Grant funded through the Maryland Department of Labor’s Cyber Maryland Program under the leadership of Governor Wes Moore’s administration.

Launched in 2024 by Ron & Cyndi Gula, Cyber Ready Clinic was created to help local communities address three growing challenges: the shortage of skilled cybersecurity talent, the lack of cyber awareness and expertise across organizations, and the absence of effective cyber defense capabilities among vulnerable nonprofit organizations. By combining workforce development with practical cyber readiness services, CRC has built a scalable model that empowers students, strengthens nonprofits, and improves regional cyber resilience.

As of February 2026, Cyber Ready Clinic has served more than 40 nonprofit organizations across central Maryland while providing paid internship opportunities to over 30 students. With support from the State of Maryland, CRC will significantly expand its Ready5 Practitioner internship program to more than 200 interns while continuing to deliver free or low-cost business risk and cyber readiness assessments to nonprofit organizations.

Through these services, CRC provides technology advisory and consulting focused on improving cyber capabilities across endpoint security, identity and access management, email protection, edge infrastructure, and incident response readiness — helping organizations reduce risk while building a stronger cybersecurity workforce pipeline.

“For the past 14 months we’ve developed a model to rapidly assess organizational risk and cyber readiness while automating intern and client onboarding, and we’re proud the State recognizes our model can be put to work on a larger scale,” said John Bruns, former CISO of Maryland, Howard County, and Anomali. “Maryland has an opportunity to lead the nation in bridging the gap between workforce development and real-world cyber defense, and this grant allows us to accelerate that vision.”

Previous nonprofit clients have expressed strong support for the Clinic’s mission-driven model.

“Cyber Ready Clinic met us where we were with a deep, painless dive into our current tech operations and a clear, concise plan to get our organization where it should be,” said Melissa Rosenberg, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Maryland. “What a gift to our nonprofit community to have this great service available to us!”

“The guidance CRC provided was professional, practical, and tailored to our organization,” added Jay A. Vidyarthi, Vice President of Operations at the Community Foundation of Howard County. “The experience was incredibly valuable and insightful.”

During the Cyber and AI Clinic Grant application process, CRC received more than 30 letters of support from nonprofit leaders, Managed Service Providers, and regional employers seeking new cybersecurity and IT talent — further reinforcing the organization’s role in connecting workforce development with real-world industry needs.

With Maryland-born roots and a national vision, Cyber Ready Clinic continues to scale its impact by building local cyber clinics that empower communities, protect vulnerable organizations, and create meaningful pathways into cybersecurity careers.

About Cyber Ready Clinic
Cyber Ready Clinic (CRC) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Maryland to strengthen cyber readiness while developing the next generation of cybersecurity talent. Through its Ready5 Practitioner internship model and community-based cyber clinics, CRC provides nonprofits with accessible risk assessments, technology advisory services, and practical cyber defense guidance while giving students real-world experience aligned to industry needs. Learn more at www.cyberreadyclinic.com.

Media Contact:
info@cyberreadyclinic.com

Related:

Governor Moore Announces Program Investments to Prepare Maryland Workers for AI and Emerging Technology Economies (2026 Feb 18)

Howard Community College Awarded $550K in State Grants for Cybersecurity, Innovation, Entrepreneurship (2026 Feb 19)