Homeland Security & Cybersecurity

Governors play a critical role in homeland security and are responsible for protecting people, property, and businesses within their respective states and territories. Governors are confronted with a range of events—from natural and man-made disasters, disease outbreaks, acts of terrorism, along with the significant and continued growth of cyber-attacks against the United States.

To support Governors’ priorities, the Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Program provides technical assistance to Governors and their staffs on a range of national security policy issues, including cybersecurity policies and practices, targeted violence and terrorism prevention, energy assurance, public health emergency preparedness, and emergency management, including disaster response, recovery and resilience.

The Governor’s Guide To Public Health Preparedness

This guide serves as a primer on public health preparedness, detailing current strategies, available resources and existing partnerships that may help policymakers bridge the gap between the disciplines of public safety and public health. By doing so, governors can develop a stronger cooperative network for emergency response and provide their states with a safe and healthy future.


Governor’s Roadmap to Preventing Targeted Violence

This roadmap distills the latest research and draws from elements of public-health interventions to provide guidance to governors, state and local leaders, and other stakeholders on how to prevent ideologically inspired violence—whether political, gender-based, or religious. By taking a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to preventing such violence, states can build safer and more resilient communities.


Governor’s Guide To Homeland Security

This guide covers fundamentals in homeland security best practices ranging from emergency management, fusion centers, grant management, the national guard, emergency declarations, critical infrastructure and other areas of homeland security that a governor and their policy staff would need awareness on.

Focus Areas

  • Critical Infrastructure Protection
  • Cybersecurity
  • Disaster Response, Recovery and Resilience
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Energy Security
  • Homeland Security
  • Nation-State Threats
  • National Guard
  • Preventing Targeted Violence
  • Public Health Emergency Preparedness
  • School Safety  

Meet the Team

  • Jessica Davenport, Program Director
  • Phil Nichols, Senior Policy Analyst
  • Michelle Blakeslee, Policy Analyst
  • Aisley Wallace Harper, Policy Coordinator

Contact the Team

  • Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council

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  • Resource Center for State Cybersecurity

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  • Technical Assistance

    We provide complimentary consultation to states as they design and implement new programs and policies.

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  • Public Safety & Legal Counsels Program

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  • Defense/National Guard Resources

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  • Resilience Resources

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NGA Resources

COVID-19 and Cybersecurity

COVID-19 and Cybersecurity

State cybersecurity concerns – critical for governors under normal circumstances – have only intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Malicious cyber actors have a history of exploiting the confusion and fear ...

Governors Oppose Billion-Dollar Cuts to Critical National Guard Funding

The National Governors Association (NGA) stands with the National Guard Association of the United States and elected officials across the nation in opposing the Department of Defense’s planned reprogramming, which ...
STRONGER TOGETHER: State and Local Cybersecurity Collaboration

STRONGER TOGETHER: State and Local Cybersecurity Collaboration

(View/Download) Executive Summary With a dramatic uptick in ransomware attacks across the country, governors, state chief information officers (CIOs) and state government executives are designing and implementing programs to strengthen ...
State Strategies to Improve Energy Resilience through Distributed Technologies

State Strategies to Improve Energy Resilience through Distributed Technologies

Energy systems face increasing pressure from natural hazards, physical threats, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Implementing distributed energy solutions such as efficiency, distributed generation with storage, and microgrids, in addition to robust ...

America’s Governors Are Strengthening and Protecting Our States’ Critical Infrastructure

Originally published in the Detroit News By Gretchen Whitmer and Larry Hogan As the East Coast cleans up from hurricanes, the West Coast grapples with wildfires, and the Midwest faces ...
Experts Roundtable on Energy Cybersecurity Coordination and Information Sharing among State, Federal and Utility Officials

Experts Roundtable on Energy Cybersecurity Coordination and Information Sharing among State, Federal and Utility Officials

Washington, D.C. | Aug. 15, 2019 NGA's Energy, Infrastructure & Environment team hosted an expert’s roundtable on Aug. 15 in Washington, D.C., on the topic of energy cybersecurity and information ...
NGA Issues Recommendations to Help States Prepare for and Recover From Disasters

NGA Issues Recommendations to Help States Prepare for and Recover From Disasters

As Weather Events Become More Frequent and Severe, Efforts to Build Resiliency Take on Added Importance As natural disasters increase in frequency and intensity, the National Governors Association (NGA) is ...
Housing Resilience:  Best Practices for States on Resilient Planning & Recovery

Housing Resilience: Best Practices for States on Resilient Planning & Recovery

As natural disasters increase in frequency and intensity this paper has outlines state policies and actions to improve the resilience of the nation’s housing stock, including measures to build resilience ...
State Cyber  Disruption  Response Plans

State Cyber Disruption Response Plans

The National Governors Association (NGA) released an issue brief to examine state cyber disruption response plans. States and territories count on experienced teams of public safety and emergency management professionals ...