Louisville Receives $10M for Cybersecurity Center

The University of Louisville (U of L) is set to build a new cybersecurity center, thanks to a one-time $10 million allotment from the state of Kentucky. According to the university budget for FY 2026, the funding will support construction and operations for a cybersecurity hub designed to expand education, research, workforce training and industry collaboration.

Plans for the center include high-security infrastructure. Planned facilities include a secure computing enclave; a cyber range, or simulated digital environment where students can train on cyber attack scenarios; and a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) — a federally regulated secure space used for handling sensitive information. Funding will also support dedicated staff to operate the center.

The center will be developed in coordination with Murray State University. The two schools have collaborated in the past helping the Kentucky National Guard host cybersecurity training events like 2025’s inaugural Cyber Bluegrass event, which challenged participants from the FBI, Kentucky Emergency Management and other cybersecurity professionals to respond to simulated attacks.

“The university’s emphasis on scholarly research and attention to preserving its R1 status is also prioritized in this budget through technology investments, including upgrades to our research performance computing capacity and creation of a cybersecurity center through a state appropriation of $10 million,” U of L President Gerry Bradley wrote in a letter introducing the budget to the Board of Trustees.

The university has steadily built cybersecurity capacity for years through federal grants and program development. In 2020, the university won a $6.3 million National Security Agency (NSA) award to launch a health care-focused cybersecurity curriculum that includes industry badges from Microsoft, IBM and Google. That program sits within U of L’s Center for Digital Transformation, which runs a cybersecurity workforce program with microcredentials, labs and tech badges open to professionals outside of traditional degree pathways.

Federal funding also bolsters U of L’s cybersecurity education. A National Science Foundation CyberCorps Scholarship for Service award covers tuition and stipends for cybersecurity students in exchange for government service post-graduation, and the NSA has named U of L a center of academic excellence in cyber defense.