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

Addressing Cybersecurity for Critical Energy Infrastructure through State Governing Bodies

Addressing Cybersecurity for Critical Energy Infrastructure through State Governing Bodies

This paper addresses practices Governors can follow to establish effective cybersecurity governance bodies that support critical infrastructure cybersecurity, with a focus on the energy sector. (View/Download) Executive Summary This paper ...
National Governors Association Selects 5 States for Academy on Cybersecurity Policy

National Governors Association Selects 5 States for Academy on Cybersecurity Policy

Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Montana and Washington to Work on Cybersecurity Governance, Workforce Development, State-Local Partnerships Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Montana and Washington have been selected to work with the National Governors ...
Coalition Letter on FEMA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: “Cost of Assistance Estimates in the Disaster Declaration Process for the Public Assistance Program.”

Coalition Letter on FEMA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: “Cost of Assistance Estimates in the Disaster Declaration Process for the Public Assistance Program.”

March 5, 2021 Mr. Bob Fenton, Acting AdministratorFederal Emergency Management Agency500 C Street, SWWashington, D.C. 20024 Dear Acting Administrator Fenton: On behalf of our collective organizations, we write to express ...
How to Support the National Guard As It Supports the Needs of the Nation

How to Support the National Guard As It Supports the Needs of the Nation

Given all that the Guard has done and continues to do for this nation, the federal and state governments should look to ways they can work more closely together to ...
Issue Brief: Preventing Targeted Violence

Issue Brief: Preventing Targeted Violence

This issue brief was created to help governors implement a multidisciplinary strategy to prevent targeted violence. This brief distills the latest research and draws from elements of public-health interventions to ...
Fourth National Summit on State Cybersecurity

Fourth National Summit on State Cybersecurity

In January 2021, the NGA Center for Best Practices hosted the Fourth National Summit on State Cybersecurity, in conjunction with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. The summit was virtual and took ...
State Resilience Assessment and Planning Tool Demonstration

State Resilience Assessment and Planning Tool Demonstration

The SRAP tool is meant to help Governors and their staff assess state resilience, identify gaps, and plan for disasters. Nov 16, 2020 NGA hosted a webinar to provide an ...
Letter Outlining Governors’ Legislative Priorities for the National Defense Authorization Act

Letter Outlining Governors’ Legislative Priorities for the National Defense Authorization Act

October 23, 2020The Honorable James Inhofe, ChairmanSenate Armed Services Committee218 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510The Honorable Jack Reed, Ranking MemberSenate Armed Services Committee218 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510The ...
Managing Cyber Threats through Effective Governance: A Call to Action for Governors and State Legislatures

Managing Cyber Threats through Effective Governance: A Call to Action for Governors and State Legislatures

This document is a Call to Action for governors and state legislatures to improve their cybersecurity risk management capabilities by creating or strengthening their cybersecurity governance. (View/Download) Executive Summary Cybersecurity ...