Practical guides on cybersecurity funding, EU grants, national support programmes and financial incentives for companies that want to improve cyber resilience, comply with NIS2, DORA or CRA, secure digital products, train employees or implement cybersecurity controls. We explain who can apply, what can be funded, how to prepare a cybersecurity project and how to connect funding with a practical security roadmap.
How to Combine NIS2, CRA and Cybersecurity Grants into One Action Plan?
NIS2, CRA and cybersecurity grants should be combined into one action plan because regulations show what must be improved, while funding may help finance parts of the work: assessment, controls, training, documentation, secure development, SBOM, vulnerability management, backup, monitoring, incident response and digital product readiness. The best plan starts with a map of obligations, gaps, costs, priorities and possible funding sources.
Prepared by: CCyber Editorial Team
The best way to combine NIS2, CRA and grants is to build one cyber resilience programme instead of three separate projects. NIS2 shows how the organization should manage cyber risk, incidents, suppliers, business continuity, training and board accountability. CRA shows how a software or hardware manufacturer should secure a digital product throughout its lifecycle. Grants and funding programmes may help finance part of the work, but they usually require a concrete project, budget, outcomes, timeline and business justification. The first step is a map: obligations, gaps, costs, priorities, possible funding sources and the evidence the company wants to have at the end.
July 2026
Companies often treat NIS2, CRA and grants as three separate topics. That is a mistake. In practice, these areas can reinforce each other.
NIS2 creates regulatory and governance urgency. CRA creates product and technology urgency. Grants create an opportunity to finance part of the actions that need to be planned anyway.
Combining these topics gives the company three benefits:
The key rule: do not write a grant project only for regulation. Write a project that actually reduces risk, improves product security or strengthens company resilience, and use regulation as justification for urgency and scope.
NIS2 concerns cyber resilience of organizations and services in specific sectors. In practice, a company should address cyber risk management, incidents, business continuity, suppliers, training, board accountability, supply chain security and evidence of oversight.
The simplest NIS2 question:
Does the organization manage cyber risk in a mature, documented and supervised way?
The Cyber Resilience Act concerns products with digital elements, including software, hardware, IoT, firmware, applications and components placed on the EU market. In practice, the manufacturer should address product risk assessment, secure development, SBOM, security updates, vulnerability handling, technical documentation, conformity assessment and reporting of specific vulnerabilities and incidents.
The simplest CRA question:
Is the digital product designed, developed, maintained and documented in a cybersecure way?
Grants and funding programmes are not an automatic reimbursement for compliance. They are competitive programmes that require project alignment with call objectives, eligible costs, budget, timeline and results.
The simplest grant question:
Do we have a project with a clear objective, measurable result, budget and fit with call conditions?
The most practical approach is one action programme with three streams: organization, product and funding.
This approach prevents a situation where the company first writes a grant application and only later asks whether the project solves a real problem.
Regulation says what must be achieved. A fundable project says what the company will do, how much it costs, what the result will be and how the effect will be measured.
“We want to adapt the company to NIS2 and CRA”.
“We want to implement a cyber resilience and product security programme covering risk assessment, secure development, vulnerability management, backup, incident response, SBOM, training and evidence documentation for services and digital products”.
“We want to increase the resilience of company services and digital products by implementing measurable security controls, secure development processes, vulnerability management, audit evidence, recovery testing and training, in order to reduce incident risk, meet B2B customer requirements and prepare the organization for NIS2, CRA and security audits”.
The difference is critical. The first description sounds like a compliance cost. The third sounds like an investment in resilience, product, customers and competitiveness.
Assessment shows where the company is today. It may cover NIS2, CRA, ISO 27001, secure development, cloud, Microsoft 365, OT, suppliers or digital products.
Result:
This is the foundation of NIS2 and a strong starting point for a funded project. Risks can be linked to action costs and effects.
Result:
This area connects NIS2, cyber insurance and real operational resilience. It may include response plan, playbooks, backup, recovery tests and tabletop exercises.
Result:
Supply chain security matters for NIS2, CRA and customer audits. It includes IT providers, cloud providers, software components, open source, subcontractors and critical service providers.
Result:
This is one of the most important areas for CRA and software houses. It can be a strong funded project element if the company develops a digital product, SaaS platform, application, firmware or IoT.
Result:
SBOM helps control software components and dependencies. It is important for CRA, vulnerability management, open source and supply chain security.
Result:
Training matters in NIS2, cyber hygiene, governance, secure development and incident response. It can be part of a larger project, especially when linked to process implementation and evidence.
Result:
This is a practical and measurable area. It may include log configuration, alerts, monitoring, EDR, SIEM, MDR or basic detection processes.
Result:
The best tool is an action matrix. It shows which task supports NIS2, CRA, audit, customer requirements and funding.
This matrix helps a lot in board discussions and in funding applications because it shows that the project is not a random set of tasks.
Do not start with “which grant is available?”. Start with “which project makes business and regulatory sense?”. Then match the funding source.
In Poland, some projects may fit programmes supporting innovation, digitization, SME development, R&D, skills or technology implementation. FENG is an example direction, but specific calls, deadlines, criteria and eligible costs change over time.
Good fit:
Digital Europe supports Europe’s digital capabilities, including cybersecurity, AI, advanced digital skills and broad use of digital technologies. For many companies, this will not be the easiest path because it often requires consortia, topic fit and international competition.
Good fit:
The European Cybersecurity Competence Centre supports the development of the European cybersecurity ecosystem and publishes cybersecurity calls. This path is especially relevant for technology companies, consortia, solution providers and projects with broader impact than one internal implementation.
Good fit:
Horizon Europe may be right for research and innovation projects, especially when the company develops a new cybersecurity solution, product, technology, testing method, security automation or digital resilience tool.
Good fit:
European Digital Innovation Hubs and similar initiatives can help companies with digital transformation, technology testing, advisory support, skills and ecosystem connections. This is not always a classic grant for buying a tool, but it can help prepare for a larger project.
Good fit:
Determine whether the company is affected by NIS2, KSC, CRA, DORA, ISO 27001, SOC 2, customer requirements or cyber insurance. Not every requirement will be a formal regulatory obligation, but each may affect the project.
Evidence: obligations and requirements map.
Check what is missing: processes, documents, controls, training, tools, evidence, tests, backup, secure development, SBOM or monitoring.
Evidence: prioritized gap analysis.
Every gap should have a closure cost. Without this, the budget will not be realistic.
Evidence: table of gaps, actions and costs.
A grant project should have structure. Instead of one large “cybersecurity” item, prepare work packages.
Example packages:
Evidence: work package structure.
Check programme objective, eligible costs, beneficiary type, required results, innovation level, deadlines, own contribution and documents. Not every cyber cost will be eligible in every call.
Evidence: cost eligibility map.
The application should show what the company will achieve. Results must be concrete.
Example results:
Evidence: result and indicator list.
The schedule should follow risk, not only the call deadline. First quick risk-reducing actions, then more complex work.
Evidence: 30, 60, 90-day and 12-month schedule.
Funding requires credibility. The company should show that it understands the problem and is ready to deliver.
Prepare:
Cost eligibility depends on the specific programme and call rules. The list below does not mean that every cost will be funded. It is a list of typical costs worth budgeting and then checking against call documentation.
“We want to improve cybersecurity” is not enough. The project must show what exactly will be implemented and how the effect will be measured.
If the objective is only “meeting regulation”, the project may sound like an administrative cost. It is better to show impact on resilience, product, customers and risk.
A cyber project cannot be only an IT task. If it concerns product, product or engineering should own it. If it concerns NIS2, the board and process owners must be involved.
A grant does not remove the need for company work. People, time, decisions, documents and delivery capability are needed.
Even a good project can fail if it does not match the programme objective, criteria, eligible costs or innovation level.
The company finds a call and tries to fit a random project into it. A better approach is first risk, gap and cost mapping, then funding source selection.
NIS2 and CRA have different scopes, but many actions overlap: risk, vulnerabilities, suppliers, incidents, documentation, training and evidence.
The project should show business value: resilience, B2B sales, product security, risk reduction, audit capability and competitive advantage.
A grant may help with implementation, but tools, processes, monitoring, training and vulnerability management must be maintained after the project.
Security and IT cannot run a project alone if it affects products, customers, board, finance and suppliers.
Without evidence, the company will struggle in audit, project reporting and customer discussions. Evidence must be designed from the start.
Grant applications take time, and regulations have deadlines. Waiting for the perfect call may delay actions that are urgent regardless of funding.
The company should know which actions it will perform even without a grant. Top risks cannot wait for competition results.
A software house develops a SaaS platform for manufacturing and financial customers. Customers start asking about NIS2, ISO 27001, secure development, SBOM, vulnerabilities and incident response. At the same time, the company sees that its product may be covered by CRA because it is a digital product offered on the EU market.
The board’s first idea is: “let’s do a compliance project”. After analysis, a better plan emerges: a product security and cyber resilience programme. The company creates three streams: NIS2 readiness for the organization, CRA readiness for the product, and a funding project covering secure SDLC, SBOM, vulnerability management, security testing, training and technical documentation.
In the first 30 days, the company performs gap analysis and maps costs. In the next 60 days, it prepares work packages and checks funding calls. After 90 days, the board has a decision: some actions are started immediately from the company’s own budget, while others are described as a product development and security project under the right funding programme.
The result: the company does not passively wait for a grant. It starts closing risks while building a project that makes regulatory, sales and financial sense.
ccyber.io helps companies combine NIS2, CRA and funding into one practical action plan. We do not start from the grant application or from compliance alone. We start from risk, products, obligations, costs and business priorities.
We can support your organization with:
The best first step is a NIS2, CRA and Funding Readiness Workshop. In a short workshop, the company can determine which obligations apply, which actions are needed, which costs may potentially be included in a project and which roadmap should be presented to the board.
It depends on the specific programme and call. It is often better to describe the project as improving cyber resilience, digitization, process security, skills or service resilience, and use NIS2 as justification for need and scope.
It may be possible in selected programmes, especially if the project concerns product security, secure development, SBOM, testing, vulnerability management, technical documentation or tools supporting conformity. The rules of the specific call must be checked.
Start with a map of obligations and risks. Then choose actions, estimate costs and check which funding source fits the project.
Yes. The same company may be affected by NIS2 as an organization or service provider, and by CRA as a manufacturer of a digital product.
A software house should check both. CRA may be key for digital products, while NIS2 may matter through customer sectors, supply chains, contractual requirements or national rules.
Applicability analysis, MFA, backup test, access review, incident plan, risk register, supplier list, secure SDLC gap analysis and basic board training.
Not for critical risks. Grants may help finance part of the work, but the company should close urgent gaps regardless of the competition result.
Obligations map, gap analysis, risk register, action budget, roadmap, board decisions, product list, system list, supplier list, technical documentation, test reports, training and audit evidence pack.
NIS2, CRA and grants should be combined into one plan because all three areas concern the same thing: digital resilience of the company and its products. NIS2 shows how the organization should manage cyber risk. CRA shows how to secure digital products. Grants may help finance part of the work if the project has a clear objective, budget, timeline and results.
The best plan does not start from a funding form. It starts from a map of obligations, risks, gaps and costs. Only then should the company choose funding sources and describe the project as an investment in cyber resilience, product security, customer trust and competitive advantage.
The key rule is: do not do compliance for compliance’s sake. Build a programme that meets requirements, reduces risk, improves the product, supports B2B sales and creates evidence that the company can show to the board, customer, auditor, insurer or funding institution.
Czy moja firma może dostać dofinansowanie na cyberbezpieczeństwo?
Tak, firma może dostać dofinansowanie na cyberbezpieczeństwo, ale zależy to od typu firmy, regionu, celu projektu, dostępnego naboru i sposobu opisania wydatków. Największe szanse mają projekty powiązane ze szkoleniami, cyfryzacją, innowacją, bezpieczeństwem produktu, NIS2, CRA, audytem, wdrożeniem zabezpieczeń, testami, odpornością operacyjną albo rozwojem kompetencji pracowników.
Prepared by: CCyber Editorial Team
Yes, a company can get funding for cybersecurity, but it rarely works as a simple “give us money for cyber” request. The project must match a specific call. The strongest chances are for projects described as competence development, training, digitalisation, innovation, product security, NIS2 or CRA readiness, operational resilience, security testing, audits, MFA, backups, monitoring, secure SDLC or preparation for B2B customer requirements. First define the business problem the project solves, then look for a funding programme.
July 2026
Yes, but the answer depends on what kind of cybersecurity we mean. Employee training, NIS2 audits, MFA and backup implementation, application security testing and product development under the Cyber Resilience Act are funded in different ways.
In practice, funding may cover areas such as:
The key is matching the project to the programme objective. The same project can be described weakly as “buying a cyber tool” or strongly as “implementing a digital resilience process and securing critical accounts, data and business continuity”.
Many companies start with: “where is the cybersecurity grant?”. This is the wrong first question. A better question is: “which cybersecurity project makes business sense for our company and which programme could fund it?”.
The right order:
If you start from the programme, you risk adjusting the company to the grant. If you start from the project, it is easier to match funding with a real need.
Answer the questions below. The more “yes” answers, the higher the chance that a cybersecurity project can be reasonably matched with funding.
Small and medium-sized companies often have strong potential when the project is practical: training, audit, MFA, backup, phishing, Microsoft 365, cloud security, incident response plan or preparation for B2B customer requirements.
A software house, SaaS company, application developer, IoT vendor or digital product company may seek funding for product security: secure SDLC, tests, SBOM, vulnerability management, CRA, technical documentation and product conformity.
Manufacturing plants may seek funding for digitalisation, OT security, segmentation, supplier remote access, monitoring, risk assessment, training and operational resilience, if the specific call allows such costs.
Companies serving banks, insurers, energy, healthcare, industry or public sector may justify projects through customer requirements, NIS2, DORA, CRA, ISO 27001, SOC 2 or supplier due diligence.
If the company creates its own cybersecurity product or service, it may look for R&D, innovation, European or sector programmes. In this case, the project should be described as product, technology, prototype, pilot or innovation development.
This is often the fastest and simplest area to fund. It may include cyber hygiene, phishing, NIS2 for boards, AI security, incident response, secure development, Microsoft 365, ISO 27001 or technical IT training.
Possible sources:
Example results:
An audit may be funded if it fits the call objective. However, audit alone is weaker than a project that includes diagnosis and implementation of corrective actions.
Possible scopes:
Example results:
Security implementation makes sense when the project is not only a tool purchase but responds to a specific risk. Describe which problem will be solved and which evidence will be created.
Possible actions:
Example results:
Compliance projects can be attractive because regulations create urgency. Avoid saying only that the goal is “meeting a requirement”. It is stronger to show impact on resilience, customers, risk and continuity.
Possible actions:
Companies building digital products may fund product security projects. This is especially important under the Cyber Resilience Act, where product lifecycle, vulnerabilities, updates, documentation and conformity assessment matter.
Possible actions:
If the company is not only buying cybersecurity but creating its own cyber product or service, the project may be framed as R&D, innovation, prototype, pilot, implementation or commercialization.
Possible actions:
KFS may be a strong option if the company wants to fund training for employees and employers. In practice, this may include training in cyber hygiene, phishing, NIS2, AI security, incident response, secure development or Microsoft 365 security, if the local employment office call and priorities allow it.
Best fit:
Practical note: KFS is not a typical programme for buying cyber tools. It is a competence development instrument.
The Development Services Database may be useful for training, courses, advisory, coaching and development services. Check services in IT security, cyber hygiene, data protection, risk management, AI or IT administration.
Best fit:
Regional programmes may fund digitalisation, training, advisory, innovation, automation, data security or business development. Each region has its own calls, so the project must be matched to local rules.
Best fit:
Programmes such as Ścieżka SMART are especially interesting if the cyber project is R&D, innovative, product-related or digitalisation-related. Not every cyber project will fit, but companies developing a product, technology or innovation may have a strong case.
Best fit:
The Digital Europe Programme is an EU programme funding digital deployments, including cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, AI, supercomputing and broad use of technologies. In many cases, European calls require a consortium, partners, alignment with the call topic and sufficient project scale.
Best fit:
The ECCC and the network of National Coordination Centres support cybersecurity development and deployment in the EU. In the SME context, important areas include cyber tools, CRA compliance, SME support, testing, standards and resilience.
Best fit:
EDIHs can help companies with digital transformation, test before invest, access to technical expertise, financing advice, training and competence development. For a company seeking cyber funding, they can be a useful contact point, especially when the project combines digitalisation, AI, data, automation and security.
Best fit:
Enterprise Europe Network can help companies find funding, partners, EU market information and internationalisation support. It is not always a direct cybersecurity grant, but it can help find the right programme and partners.
Best fit:
The best rule: cost must follow the project objective, not the other way around.
Do not write only “the company needs cybersecurity”. Describe the specific problem.
Examples:
A strong objective is specific, measurable and aligned with the funding programme.
Example:
“The objective of the project is to increase the company’s cybersecurity resilience by implementing MFA, tested backups, email security, phishing training and an incident response plan, reducing the risk of account takeover, financial fraud and operational downtime”.
Modules make it easier to match the project with a programme.
Example modules:
The project must have concrete results that can be verified.
Example results:
Indicators show that the project has a measurable effect.
Examples:
Objective: implement baseline cybersecurity in a small company.
Scope:
Best funding fit: regional programmes, development services, digitalisation, training, advisory, sometimes KFS for the training part.
Objective: prepare the company for NIS2 or KSC requirements.
Scope:
Best funding fit: training, advisory, regional programmes, compliance projects, cyber resilience projects where the call allows it.
Objective: prepare a digital product for the Cyber Resilience Act.
Scope:
Best funding fit: Digital Europe, ECCC, CRA support projects, R&D, innovation, product security, programmes for technology SMEs.
Objective: reduce account takeover, phishing and data leakage risk.
Scope:
Best funding fit: digitalisation, regional programmes, advisory, training, digital resilience projects.
Objective: reduce phishing, fraud and employee mistake risk.
Scope:
Best funding fit: KFS, BUR, regional training programmes, competence projects.
Programmes rarely fund cybersecurity as a generic category. You need a project: objective, scope, costs, results and impact.
“We will buy EDR” is weaker than “we will reduce ransomware risk by implementing endpoint protection, response procedure, monitoring and incident scenario testing”.
Even a good cyber project may not fit a specific programme. Read the call objective, criteria, eligible costs, target group and required results.
Many programmes require own contribution. The company should know how much it can finance and what funding level is realistic.
A strong application takes time: assessment, budget, offers, attachments, consultations and review. Waiting until the last week reduces chances.
The application is stronger if the company has a gap report, customer questionnaires, regulatory requirements, test results, incident register or risk assessment.
The funder wants to see that the project will not end on the settlement date. The company should show how training, tools, procedures, monitoring and accountability will be maintained.
A small technology company has 35 employees and sells a SaaS product to B2B customers. Customers start asking about MFA, backups, security tests, incident response plan, SBOM and CRA compliance. The company wants “cybersecurity funding” but does not know where to start.
The first idea is to buy security tools. After analysis, a stronger project is defined: “increasing cyber resilience and preparing the SaaS product for customer and CRA requirements”.
The project is split into two funding paths. The training part goes to KFS or BUR: cyber hygiene, phishing, secure development and CRA for the product team. The product part is prepared for an innovation or European programme: secure SDLC, SBOM, security testing, vulnerability handling and technical documentation.
After 60 days, the company has a project card, gap analysis, budget, indicators, result list and initially matched funding sources. The application is much stronger because it does not say “we want to buy cyber”, but shows impact on the product, customers, compliance and company resilience.
ccyber.io helps companies check whether a cybersecurity project can be a good funding candidate, and then prepare it with a clear objective, scope, budget, results and evidence. We combine cybersecurity, business, regulation and practical implementation perspectives.
We can support your organization with:
The best first step is a short Cyber Funding Readiness Workshop. It helps determine whether the company has a project that can be funded sensibly, which programme may fit and what must be prepared before writing the application.
No. It depends on the programme, company status, region, costs, project objective and application quality. The strongest chances are for projects matched to a specific call and described through results.
Yes, this is often one of the easiest areas. Check KFS, BUR, regional programmes and competence projects.
It may be possible, but an audit alone is often weak. It is better if the audit is part of a larger project: diagnosis, implementation, testing, documentation and final report.
Sometimes yes, but the tool must follow from the project and be eligible under the call. The application should show what risk the tool reduces and what results will be created.
It may, if the specific call allows advisory, training, digitalisation, implementation or compliance. The project should include gap analysis, risk register, procedures, training and evidence.
Yes, especially if the project concerns digital product security: secure SDLC, SBOM, testing, vulnerability handling, updates and technical documentation.
Start with a project card: problem, objective, scope, costs, results, indicators and evidence. Then check KFS, BUR, regional programmes, PARP, Digital Europe, ECCC, EDIH and EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
ccyber.io can support the cybersecurity content: scope, justification, gap analysis, work packages, results, indicators and evidence. For formal submission, it is often useful to also work with a specialist in the specific funding programme.
A company can get cybersecurity funding, but the project must be well described and aligned with the call. The strongest chances go to projects connecting cyber with a specific objective: training, digitalisation, compliance, operational resilience, product security, innovation or customer requirements.
Do not start with “is there a cyber grant?”. Start with: “which cybersecurity problem do we want to solve, what business effect will we get and what evidence will we create?”.
The best cybersecurity funding project has a clear scope, owner, budget, indicators, results and sustainability plan. Then cybersecurity stops being a cost and becomes an investment in resilience, sales, compliance and customer trust.
CRA Grants for SMEs: How to Prepare a Product Cybersecurity Project?
A CRA grant should be prepared as a product cybersecurity project, not as a generic IT tools purchase. The best project shows a specific digital product, a gap against the Cyber Resilience Act, a secure SDLC plan, SBOM, vulnerability management, security testing, secure updates, technical documentation, conformity readiness and measurable impact on the market and customers.
Prepared by: CCyber Editorial Team
CRA-related grants for SMEs should be prepared as digital product cybersecurity projects. This is not only about buying a firewall, antivirus or running a one-time audit. A strong project should show which product with digital elements will be prepared for the Cyber Resilience Act, what gaps exist, which actions will be delivered, what evidence will be created and what business impact will follow. The strongest project elements are CRA conformity readiness, secure SDLC, threat modeling, SBOM, vulnerability management, security testing, secure updates, coordinated vulnerability disclosure, technical documentation and measurable product security improvement.
July 2026
A “CRA grant” is a practical term for a publicly funded project that helps a company prepare a product with digital elements for Cyber Resilience Act requirements. The call does not have to use this exact title. In practice, the project may fit calls related to SME cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, product testing, certification, secure development tools or support for implementing EU regulations.
For an SME, a CRA project may cover:
The key point: the project should have a clear connection with the product, customers, market and CRA obligations.
The Cyber Resilience Act is an EU regulation introducing horizontal cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements. It applies to hardware and software placed on the European Union market if they meet the definition of a product with digital elements.
In practice, CRA means that manufacturers must think about product cybersecurity throughout the full lifecycle: from design and development, through market placement, to updates, support and vulnerability handling.
A CRA project should usually address areas such as:
The strongest project is specific, measurable and aligned with the call objective. A description such as “we want to improve cybersecurity” is too weak. A stronger description is: “we want to prepare our SaaS product for the industrial sector for CRA requirements by implementing secure SDLC, SBOM, vulnerability handling, security testing and technical documentation”.
Do not start from a tool or a cost list. Start from the product. The funder should immediately understand which product is covered and why it matters.
Describe:
Evidence to prepare: product card describing functions, architecture, market and users.
Not every product in the company will automatically be in scope. Determine whether the product has digital elements, whether it is placed on the market, what role the company has and whether the company acts as manufacturer, importer, distributor, software house or component provider.
Check:
Evidence to prepare: CRA product applicability analysis.
A gap analysis shows what is missing between the current product state and the expected compliance level. It is one of the strongest attachments to a grant project because it justifies the need for funding.
The analysis should cover:
Evidence to prepare: CRA gap analysis report with priorities, risk and recommended actions.
The project objective should be clear and measurable. Avoid general wording. Use result-oriented language.
Example objective:
“The objective of the project is to prepare product X for Cyber Resilience Act requirements by implementing a secure development lifecycle, vulnerability management process, SBOM, automated security testing, secure update procedure and technical documentation needed for conformity assessment”.
The objective should answer:
Evidence to prepare: project objective and expected results description.
Funders prefer structured projects. Work packages show that the company knows how to move from diagnosis to implementation and evidence.
Evidence to prepare: work package plan with outputs, owners, deadlines and budget.
A product CRA readiness assessment should be the first stage. It helps avoid funding random actions.
Outputs:
Secure SDLC shows that product security is built into the development process, not added at the end.
Outputs:
Threat modeling helps understand how the product may be attacked and which controls are needed.
Outputs:
SBOM is especially important for companies building software, firmware or products using open source components. It shows what the product is made of.
Outputs:
CRA requires thinking about vulnerabilities throughout the product lifecycle. This is not a one-time test.
Outputs:
Testing should match the product type. A web application requires different tests than an IoT device or firmware.
Possible actions:
Secure updates are one of the key CRA topics. The product needs a process for delivering security fixes, and users should understand the support period and update rules.
Outputs:
A CRA project should create evidence that later supports conformity assessment. Documentation must reflect real actions, not copied templates.
Outputs:
The budget must follow work packages. Do not start with a shopping list. Start with outputs, then assign costs.
Every cost must be checked against the specific call documents. A cost may be reasonable technically but still not eligible under a specific funding scheme.
Use a simple formula:
“The objective of the project is to prepare product [name] for Cyber Resilience Act requirements through [actions], resulting in [specific artefacts] and [business or market impact]”.
“The objective of the project is to prepare SaaS platform X for Cyber Resilience Act requirements by implementing secure SDLC, SBOM, vulnerability management, automated security testing, secure updates and technical documentation. The result will be a product better prepared for the EU market, lower vulnerability risk, shorter vulnerability response time and an evidence pack needed for conformity assessment and B2B customer discussions”.
The justification should show that the project is not a side cost, but a condition for product market readiness.
Emphasize:
The Digital Europe Programme supports digital transformation of companies, SMEs and public administrations, including cybersecurity areas. Cybersecurity actions are developed through the ECCC and the network of national coordination centres.
In the CRA context, especially relevant actions support:
Specific calls, deadlines, documents, budgets, participation conditions and cost rules must always be checked in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. This is the key place for direct EU calls.
Use search terms such as:
European Digital Innovation Hubs can support companies with digital transformation, test before invest, access to technical expertise, financing advice, training and skills. For SMEs preparing a CRA project, this may be a useful contact point, especially at the needs assessment and partner search stage.
The European Commission lists projects supporting SMEs in the CRA context, including projects related to tools, conformity, automation, standards and cyber resilience support. Check whether such projects offer open calls, tools, mentoring, testing, training or technical support.
In practice, a CRA project may also fit national or regional programmes if a call funds product innovation, digitalisation, cybersecurity, R&D, implementation, testing, certification or internationalization of products. Conditions must be checked for each specific call.
Do not assume that every “digitalisation” programme will fund CRA. The proposal must match the call objective, and actions must be eligible.
Explain that the company develops a product with digital elements that must meet growing security requirements in the EU market. Show that without the project, the company may face regulatory readiness, customer trust, B2B sales or market entry challenges.
Describe a product security programme: secure SDLC, SBOM, testing, vulnerability handling, updates, documentation and conformity assessment readiness.
Innovation does not always mean scientific discovery. It may mean a process new to the company, control automation, integrated security pipeline, scalable SBOM model or a tool supporting product conformity.
Show impact on customers, market, digital supply chain security and company competitiveness.
Show that the company has the team, partners, plan, schedule, budget, owners and quality control method.
“We will improve company cybersecurity” is too broad. The project should address a specific product, product security process and CRA requirements.
A CRA grant should not look like a normal IT project. It must show impact on product security, customers and the market.
Without gap analysis, it is difficult to justify why funding is needed and which actions are truly necessary.
Tools are a means, not the goal. The budget should follow work packages and outputs.
A funder wants to see measurable results. Statements about “compliance” are not enough.
CRA is not only about the market entry moment, but also about handling vulnerabilities throughout the product lifecycle.
After the project ends, the company must maintain processes, tools, SBOM, tests, updates and vulnerability handling. Without this, the project looks like a one-time action.
A small software house builds a SaaS product for logistics companies. The product runs in the cloud, has APIs, integrates with customer systems and processes operational data. The company starts receiving questions from customers about CRA, SBOM, security testing and vulnerability handling.
The first idea for funding is: “purchase cybersecurity tools”. This is too generic. After refinement, the project becomes: “preparing the SaaS platform for Cyber Resilience Act requirements”.
The scope includes CRA gap analysis, threat modeling, SCA and SBOM generation, API security testing, CVD procedure, security update policy, technical documentation and developer training.
After 6 months, the company has concrete outputs: SBOM, test report, requirements register, vulnerability management process, automated pipeline controls, technical documentation and conformity roadmap. The proposal is much stronger because it does not fund “cybersecurity in general”, but measurable product readiness for a regulated market.
ccyber.io helps SMEs prepare product cybersecurity projects for CRA and potential funding. We combine regulatory, product, technical and grant perspectives. We help describe the project so that it is realistic, measurable and aligned with public funding logic.
We can support your organization with:
The best first step is a short CRA Product Funding Readiness workshop. It helps determine which product has the strongest funding potential, what gaps exist, which actions can be funded and how to prepare a project that is not a generic tools purchase, but a real product security programme.
Not always. Sometimes support is described directly as CRA, and sometimes a CRA project must be matched with calls about cybersecurity, SMEs, regulatory compliance, testing, certification, secure software or product security.
Yes, but it depends on the specific programme and call. The EU provides support for SMEs in the CRA context, including through the Digital Europe Programme, ECCC-managed projects, national coordination centres and projects supporting conformity and cyber resilience.
An audit alone is usually too weak as a full project. It is better if an audit or gap analysis is the first stage, followed by secure SDLC, SBOM, testing, vulnerability process, update process and technical documentation.
They may make sense if they are part of a larger product security project and are eligible under the specific call. Tools alone, without process and outputs, may be a weak justification.
No. It can also apply to device manufacturers, IoT, firmware, embedded products, mobile applications, SaaS products, libraries, components and other products with digital elements.
A strong attachment is a CRA gap analysis with a map of requirements, gaps, actions, costs and evidence. It shows that the project is based on real need, not a generic desire to spend a budget.
An IT project protects company infrastructure. A product security project protects the product sold to customers. Under CRA, the product, its lifecycle, updates, vulnerabilities, documentation and conformity matter most.
Start with product selection, CRA applicability analysis, gap analysis, action list, indicators, budget, work packages and checking whether the project fits the specific call.
CRA grants for SMEs should be prepared as product security projects, not generic IT projects. The best project shows a specific product, CRA requirements, gaps, actions, results, indicators, budget and market impact.
The strongest elements are secure SDLC, threat modeling, SBOM, vulnerability management, security testing, secure updates, technical documentation and conformity assessment readiness.
Good funding preparation does not start with the question “which tool should we buy?”. It starts with: which product must become more secure, which requirements must it meet and which evidence must we create to sell it with more trust in the EU market?
Digital Europe Programme for Cybersecurity: A Guide for Companies
The Digital Europe Programme can fund projects related to cybersecurity, deployment of innovative solutions, AI in cybersecurity, SME cyber resilience, preparedness testing, post-quantum technologies, NIS2, CRA and critical infrastructure protection. Learn how a company should prepare its project, partners, budget and documents before submitting an application.
Prepared by: CCyber Editorial Team
The Digital Europe Programme is an EU funding programme supporting the deployment of digital technologies in the economy, public administration and society. In cybersecurity, it can be particularly relevant for companies that develop or deploy cyber solutions, support SMEs, build AI-based cybersecurity tools, prepare projects for NIS2, CRA, cyber resilience, post-quantum technologies, preparedness testing or critical infrastructure protection. A company should start from the project, not the form: objective, scope, partners, budget, outcomes and alignment with a specific call.
July 2026
The Digital Europe Programme is a European Union funding programme focused on deploying and expanding key digital capacities. It is not a typical research programme. Its main role is to support practical deployment of digital technologies, infrastructure, skills and solutions.
The programme covers, among other areas:
For companies, the most important point is that the Digital Europe Programme funds deployment, scaling and uptake of technologies. In cybersecurity, this means projects that strengthen cyber resilience, the market, skills, infrastructure and response capabilities in the EU.
The cybersecurity area in the Digital Europe Programme is implemented as Specific Objective 3: Cybersecurity and Trust. For 2025-2027, the cybersecurity work programme is handled by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre, or ECCC, in cooperation with the network of National Coordination Centres, including NCC-PL in Poland.
The Digital Europe Cybersecurity Work Programme 2025-2027 covers, among other areas:
For a company, this means a funding opportunity, but only if the project matches a specific call. It is not enough to write “we want to improve cybersecurity”. The proposal must show what problem the company solves, what outcome it will deliver and why the project matters for the market, users, SMEs, regulated sectors or EU resilience.
Providers of cybersecurity services, tools and technologies can look for calls related to deployment of innovative solutions, AI in cybersecurity, preparedness testing, SME support, NIS2, CRA, critical infrastructure protection and skills.
Companies developing digital products can look for funding related to CRA, product security, Secure SDLC, vulnerability management, SBOM, security testing, secure updates and customer cyber resilience.
SMEs can be project beneficiaries, participants in support programmes, recipients of cascade funding or users of deployed cybersecurity solutions. In many calls, SMEs are an important target group, even if they do not always apply directly as coordinators of large projects.
The programme supports directions related to AI in cybersecurity, such as threat detection, incident response, threat intelligence, automation of security processes and protection of AI systems themselves.
Entities in OT, manufacturing, energy, transport, water, healthcare or other regulated sectors can participate in projects related to preparedness testing, resilience, monitoring, NIS2, Cyber Hubs or critical infrastructure protection.
Many projects in the Digital Europe Programme require cooperation between different entities. Companies can participate in consortia with universities, research institutes, public administration, technology providers, end users and industry organizations.
Projects may involve tools and services using AI for threat detection, incident analysis, response automation, threat intelligence processing, AI system security and compliance with EU regulations.
Example topics:
The programme may support projects that make cybersecurity tools, services and skills more accessible to small and medium-sized companies. For technology companies, this may mean creating or deploying solutions for SMEs.
Example projects:
Companies developing software, IoT, hardware or products with digital elements may look for calls related to CRA preparation, standards, testing, technical documentation, vulnerability management, SBOM and lifecycle product security.
Projects may support NIS2-covered organizations or their suppliers: risk assessment, preparedness testing, incident response, information sharing, exercises, monitoring and cross-sector cooperation.
The programme may support preparedness testing, simulations, exercises, crisis scenarios and preparing organizations for cyberattacks.
A separate direction concerns migration to post-quantum cryptography, testing solutions, validation, infrastructure and system migration.
The programme also covers projects related to critical infrastructure protection, Cyber Hubs, submarine cables, cyber solidarity mechanisms and cross-border cooperation.
The most common mistake is starting with the application form itself. First, the company needs a project that makes business, technical and programme sense.
At the beginning, answer:
Evidence to prepare: short project card with problem, objective, target users and expected outcomes.
The Digital Europe Programme has different calls, and each has its own scope, conditions, budget, action type, evaluation criteria, eligibility and deadlines. A project that fits one call may not fit another.
Check in call documents:
Evidence to prepare: table mapping the project to call requirements.
In many European projects, a consortium increases credibility and impact. It is not always formally required, but often helps show that the project has real users, technology partners and implementation capacity.
Typical partners:
Evidence to prepare: list of partners, their roles, contributions and justification for why they are needed.
A good project must clearly show why it should receive funding. In the Digital Europe Programme, the private interest of one company is not enough. The project should show broader impact: for the market, SMEs, a sector, users, EU resilience or regulatory implementation.
Show:
Evidence to prepare: impact justification and measurable outcome description.
The budget must follow the activities, not the amount the company would like to receive. Each task should have a cost, justification and responsible partner.
The budget may include, depending on the call:
Evidence to prepare: budget by tasks, partners, costs and outcomes.
The proposal should show that the project is feasible. The timeline cannot be a list of generic statements. It should include tasks, milestones, deliverables and dependencies between partners.
Example work packages:
Evidence to prepare: work plan with milestones, deliverables and responsibilities.
Evaluators must believe that the team can deliver the project. The company should show skills, experience, partner roles, resources and implementation readiness.
Prepare:
Evidence to prepare: team profile, experience, references and project risk management plan.
General evaluation criteria in the Digital Europe Programme include three areas: relevance, implementation and impact. Specific criteria may vary by call, so call documents should always be checked.
The project must fit the call objective. Evaluators check whether the project responds to the described needs, supports EU policies and strategies, strengthens the digital technology supply chain or helps overcome financial barriers where relevant.
The project must be realistic. Project maturity, quality of the plan, efficient use of resources and the ability of applicants or consortium to deliver are important.
The project must matter. Evaluators consider whether it will achieve expected outcomes, strengthen competitiveness, bring societal benefits, disseminate results and remain useful after funding ends.
The funding rate depends on the action type and the specific call. A single funding rate should not be assumed for the whole programme.
The work programme includes, among others:
The most important point: funding rate, own contribution, eligible costs, subcontracting limits and reporting rules must always be checked in the documents of the specific call.
A strong direction may be a project that helps many SMEs deploy specific cybersecurity controls or meet NIS2, CRA or B2B customer requirements.
Companies developing software, IoT or products with digital elements can prepare projects on product security: SBOM, vulnerabilities, updates, testing, documentation and Secure SDLC.
If the company has a real AI technology supporting threat detection, analysis or response, it can prepare a deployment project with partners and pilot users.
Regulated organizations can prepare projects involving exercises, preparedness testing, crisis communication, response plans and sector cooperation.
Industrial companies and cybersecurity providers can prepare projects on segmentation, monitoring, remote access, resilience testing and protection of physical processes.
The Digital Europe Programme funds projects aligned with programme objectives and specific calls. A tool purchase without a broader project, outcome and impact will usually be weak.
Even a good project can lose if it does not address the call topic. Alignment with objective, scope and expected outcomes is critical.
Statements such as “we will increase cybersecurity” are too weak. The proposal must show what exactly will be created, for whom, how it will work and how impact will be measured.
In many topics, technology alone is not enough. Users, deployment organizations, sector partners or recipients are needed to show real demand.
Costs must follow tasks and outcomes. The budget cannot look like a wish list.
Preparing a strong project, partners and documents takes time. Waiting until the last week of the call usually results in a weak proposal.
Evaluators want to know what will happen to the results after the project. The project should include a plan for maintaining, scaling or using the outcomes.
A cybersecurity company is developing a tool that helps SMEs assess CRA readiness and manage vulnerabilities in digital products. The team wants to find funding from the Digital Europe Programme.
Instead of starting from the form, the company prepares a project: an SME platform, pilot with several dozen companies, SBOM process integration, vulnerability reporting module, training materials and readiness reports for digital products.
Then the company looks for partners: an SME organization, software houses, a research entity and an industry organization. The project is matched to a call on uptake of innovative cybersecurity solutions for SMEs.
The project’s main advantage is not the technology alone. It is alignment with the programme objective: SMEs, CRA, deployment, cyber resilience, measurable outcomes and scalability after funding ends.
ccyber.io helps companies prepare cybersecurity projects for the Digital Europe Programme in a practical, business-focused way aligned with the logic of EU calls. We do not start from the form. We start from the problem, project value, call fit and delivery capacity.
We can support your organization with:
The best first step is a short grant-readiness workshop. It helps determine whether the company has a project that realistically fits the Digital Europe Programme, which documents must be prepared and whether partners should be sought for a consortium.
Yes. Cybersecurity and trust is one of the areas of the Digital Europe Programme. For 2025-2027, the cybersecurity work programme includes AI, post-quantum technologies, SME cyber resilience, preparedness testing, Cyber Hubs, NIS2, CRA and critical infrastructure.
It can, if the project fits a specific call and shows broader impact than developing one company’s product. Deployment, users, partners, market impact, SMEs, regulated sectors or EU resilience are important.
No. The programme also supports SMEs, and many actions directly or indirectly concern small and medium-sized enterprises. In some action types, SMEs may have more favorable funding conditions.
It depends on the call. Some topics may require a consortium, others may not. Even when a consortium is not mandatory, partners often strengthen the project, especially if they show real deployment and impact.
Current calls should be checked primarily on the Funding & Tenders Portal. In Poland, NCC-PL and the National Contact Point for Digital Europe at CPPC are also worth monitoring.
The Digital Europe Programme is more focused on deployment and uptake of digital capacities than classic research. Research and innovation projects more often fit Horizon Europe. In practice, the two programmes can complement each other.
General criteria include relevance, implementation and impact. In practice, this means call fit, project maturity, plan quality, team capacity, expected outcomes and broader project impact.
The best starting point is a project card: problem, objective, target users, solution, partners, outcomes, budget and alignment with a specific call. The application form should be the final stage, not the beginning of project thinking.
The Digital Europe Programme can be an important funding source for companies active in cybersecurity, but it requires strong preparation. It is not a programme for random tool purchases. It is a programme for projects that strengthen Europe’s digital capacities, cyber resilience, market, skills and technology deployment.
For cybersecurity companies, SaaS companies, software houses, AI providers, product companies and regulated entities, the strongest projects are well aligned with the call, measurable, deployment-oriented and based on real market or sector needs.
The best approach is simple: prepare the project early, find the right call, build partnerships, show impact, prepare the budget and submit before the deadline. In European funding, the winner is not the company that starts writing latest, but the one with a mature, justified and ready project.
Cybersecurity Grants in 2026: Where Should Companies Start?
Cybersecurity grants can help fund audits, testing, training, digital product security, preparation for NIS2, CRA, DORA, AI Security, OT Security and cyber resilience improvements. Learn where to start, how to prepare a project, what documents to collect and how to increase your chances of using available funding.
Prepared by: CCyber Editorial Team
Preparing for cybersecurity grants should not start with randomly searching for a call. It should start with defining the project: what problem the company wants to solve, what risk it wants to reduce, what requirements it needs to meet and what evidence it must prepare. The best grant projects have a clear objective: NIS2/KSC, CRA, DORA, AI Security, OT Security, security testing, training, incident response, backup, PAM, MFA, cloud security or secure software development. Only then should the company match the project to an active funding call and check cost eligibility.
July 2026
Cybersecurity is becoming one of the main investment areas for companies, public institutions and critical sectors. The reasons are regulation, increasing incidents, ransomware, customer requirements, supply chain security, artificial intelligence and the Cyber Resilience Act for digital products.
For many companies, the main barrier is not lack of awareness, but cost. Grants can help reduce this barrier and launch actions the company should take anyway: audits, gap analyses, testing, training, documentation, product security, compliance preparation or implementation of key controls.
The most important rule is this: funding should accelerate a sensible cybersecurity plan, not replace strategic thinking.
Do not start with the question “which grant is available?”. Start with: what cybersecurity problem do we need to solve?
Example problems:
Evidence to prepare: short description of the problem, business impact, risk and expected project outcome.
Different programmes target different types of entities. A company must determine whether it fits as an SME, digital product manufacturer, cybersecurity provider, public entity, hospital, NIS2 entity, research organization or consortium member.
Check:
Evidence to prepare: basic organization eligibility card.
Cybersecurity is a broad area. The same programme may finance very different projects: deployment of tools for SMEs, penetration testing, AI in cybersecurity, secure-by-design, resilience of critical infrastructure, cyber skills or CRA-related actions.
Common funding directions:
Evidence to prepare: project-to-funding direction map and explanation of why the project fits the call.
A good grant project must have a specific scope. It is not enough to write “we will improve cybersecurity”. The company must show what exactly will be done.
Example project scope may include:
Evidence to prepare: scope of work, deliverables, timeline and responsibilities.
The budget should follow the scope, not the other way around. First define what needs to be done, then assign costs to it.
Depending on the call, costs may include:
Every call has its own eligibility rules. Before submitting an application, check the call regulations, limits, required own contribution, implementation period and reporting rules.
Evidence to prepare: project budget divided into tasks, costs and justification.
Companies often lose time because they start looking for documents only after finding a call. It is better to prepare the pack earlier.
Start with:
Evidence to prepare: project folder ready to be updated for a specific call.
The project may include status self-assessment, gap analysis, risk assessment, documentation, incident procedures, training, supplier review and compliance evidence preparation.
This is a good direction for companies that are or may become essential or important entities, as well as suppliers serving regulated sectors.
For software houses, SaaS companies, IoT, embedded, hardware and digital product manufacturers, preparing for CRA is a strong topic.
The project may include:
Security testing is easy to justify because it produces concrete outcomes: a vulnerability report, recommendations, priorities and evidence of execution.
A good project should include not only testing, but also remediation planning and retesting.
The project may include an incident response plan, tabletop exercise, backup review, recovery test, crisis communication plan and board readiness assessment.
This is a strong direction for companies that need to show customers or insurers they can survive a cyberattack.
AI projects may follow two directions: using AI for cybersecurity or securing AI systems.
Examples:
Industrial companies, water utilities, energy, transport and critical infrastructure organizations can justify projects through the impact of cyberattacks on continuity, human safety and physical processes.
The project may include:
Training can be part of a broader cyber resilience project. It works best when connected with risk, phishing, NIS2, AI, incident response procedures and training evidence.
A training project should have measurable outcomes: number of people trained, knowledge test, phishing simulations, materials and post-training report.
The Digital Europe Programme funds digital transformation projects, including cybersecurity, AI, advanced digital skills and digital trust. In the cybersecurity area for 2025-2027, NCC-PL indicates a budget of EUR 355 million over three years.
This is one of the most important programmes to monitor for companies and institutions interested in cybersecurity.
The ECCC publishes cybersecurity calls under the Digital Europe Programme. The Cyber 09 call covered, for example, cybersecure AI-based tools and services, uptake of cybersecurity solutions for SMEs, preparedness testing and regional submarine cable hubs.
Even if a specific deadline has passed, these calls are worth analyzing because they show which types of projects may be attractive in future funding rounds.
The SECURE project, co-financed by the Digital Europe Programme, launched support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that want to improve the cybersecurity of digital products and prepare for CRA. An example call included grants of up to EUR 30,000.
This is a good example of funding for product, software, hardware, IoT and embedded companies that need to implement secure-by-design, vulnerability management, testing and certification.
Horizon Europe is more focused on research, development and innovation than on standard company implementations. NCC-PL described a Cluster 3 call with a budget of EUR 56.2 million, covering software and hardware security, AI Security and advanced cryptographic solutions.
This direction is particularly interesting for technology companies, universities, research institutes, consortia and innovative cybersecurity providers.
Some calls are aimed not at end users of cybersecurity, but at organizations specializing in testing, vulnerability assessment, security services and support for entities covered by NIS2.
For example, NCC-PL described grants of up to EUR 200,000 per project for cybersecurity-related organizations, with the mission of conducting penetration testing and vulnerability assessment for NIS2-covered entities and other organizations.
In addition to EU programmes, companies should monitor national and regional programmes supporting digitalization, innovation, skills and resilience. Not every programme will use the word “cybersecurity”, but cybersecurity costs may appear as part of a broader project on digitalization, product security, automation, cloud, AI or operational resilience.
Not every call fits every company. If the project is artificial, weakly justified or not based on real risk, the chances of success decrease.
Statements such as “we will improve the company’s cybersecurity” are too weak. The application must show a specific problem, actions, results and evidence.
The application must show how the project will be delivered. It needs a budget, tasks, deadlines, owners and measurable outcomes.
A grant may fund implementation, but the company must know what happens after the project. Tools, licenses, monitoring and processes must be maintained.
It is useful to have an assessment, gap analysis, test results, customer requirement, risk map or regulatory reference. This strengthens the justification.
Calls have deadlines. A company that starts from scratch only after a competition is announced often cannot prepare a strong application, offers and documents on time.
A software house builds a SaaS application for B2B customers. The company hears about CRA and knows that the product will need to meet higher cybersecurity requirements. The team wants to use grant funding, but does not know where to start.
Instead of looking for a random call, the company prepares a project around “digital product security”. The scope includes secure SDLC, threat modeling, application testing, vulnerability management, SBOM, responsible disclosure procedure, developer training and product security documentation.
Then the company checks whether it fits programmes supporting SMEs covered by CRA, Digital Europe, Horizon Europe or other digital product calls. Even if one call is already closed, the company has a ready project and can quickly adapt it to the next funding round.
The company’s biggest advantage is not that it found a grant. It is that it had the project, budget and justification ready before the right deadline appeared.
ccyber.io helps companies prepare cybersecurity projects that make business, regulatory and technical sense. We do not start from the form. We start from the problem, risk and scope of actions.
We can support your organization with:
The best first step is a short cybersecurity funding workshop. It helps determine whether the company has a project suitable for grant funding, what documents should be collected and which calls should be monitored.
No. Each call has its own criteria: entity type, company size, country, project scope, eligible costs, deadlines and formal requirements. This is why company and project eligibility must be checked first.
The best starting point is project preparation: problem, risk, objective, actions, budget and outcomes. Only then should the company match the project to an active call.
Some programmes may support projects related to cyber resilience, NIS2 requirements, training, testing, risk assessment or tools for regulated organizations. The rules of each call must be checked individually.
Yes, programmes appear that support SMEs in preparing digital products for CRA requirements, including secure-by-design, vulnerability management, testing and certification. Deadlines and conditions must always be checked on official websites.
In certain calls, yes. Penetration testing and vulnerability assessment are common elements of cybersecurity projects, but specific conditions, target groups or entity types may apply.
Sometimes yes, especially as part of a broader cyber resilience, awareness, regulatory preparation or procedure implementation project. The call must confirm whether training is an eligible cost.
No. Eligibility rules and dates should be checked first. A purchase made before the eligible cost period may not be accepted.
At least monthly, and more often during call announcement periods. It is worth monitoring NCC-PL, CPPC, ECCC, Funding & Tenders, PARP, regional programmes and EU programme websites.
Cybersecurity grants in 2026 can be a strong way to accelerate actions the company should implement anyway. The strongest projects are specific, measurable and connected with real risk: NIS2, KSC, CRA, AI Security, OT Security, testing, training, backup, incident response and secure software development.
The best approach is simple: do not wait passively for the perfect call. Prepare the project, scope, budget, evidence and justification. When the right grant appears, the company will be ready to act quickly.
A well-prepared cybersecurity project helps not only with funding. It also improves discussions with the board, customers, auditors, insurers and suppliers.
We write about regulations such as NIS2, DORA, CRA and ISO 27001, cybersecurity for SMEs and critical infrastructure, as well as cyber hygiene, emerging threats and building security awareness within organisations.
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