RESOURCE CENTER

How to Accelerate Digital Transformation with the Technology Modernization Fund

A step-by-step guide for government agencies to navigate the program and apply for funding

Benjamin Sweezy
Director, Federal Digital Strategy

Chapter 2: Types of Projects Funded by the TMF

The TMF seeks out and funds forward-thinking projects that address immediate IT needs. Projects that are often prioritized cut across agencies, address immediate security gaps, and improve the public’s ability to access government services. The following types of proposals are priority investment areas and are more likely to receive funding.

Modernizing high-priority systems

These kinds of projects support investments that modernize and update systems that could cause critical damage to national interest if they were damaged or compromised. This could include systems that are already designated as High-Value Assets (HVAs) that have a significant impact on national security, or that have experienced longstanding security issues.

Proposals should focus on how TMF funding can help improve the resilience of these important assets and systems.

Public-facing digital services

These projects are centered on improving citizen experience with government systems. Proposals should explain how TMF funding can support the creation or modernization of digital services to increase access and equity, reduce fraud, and improve service delivery.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity projects are typically centered on creating a single system to reduce gaps in data and threats to compliance. This may include identity, credential, and access management, as well as moving toward a “zero trust” architecture.

Proposals can also include information about how IT upgrades can help the agency address lengthy backlogs of security issues. A cloud-based platform makes it easier for agencies to address critical, high-priority, and medium-priority issues that out-of-date systems are not equipped to handle.

Cross-agency collaboration

This type of proposal is the least common, but it offers vast room for exploration for agencies willing to think outside of the box. Simply put, these projects focus on how multiple agencies can work together to address a citizen issue if funds are in one source.

Proposals should expand on how public-facing or agency-facing shared services, including technical infrastructure, can offer agency technology teams a scalable, secure foundation for the rapid creation and modernization of digital services.

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