About Us

The Northern Ohio InfraGard Members Alliance is a non-profit organization serving as a public-private partnership among U.S. businesses, individuals involved in the protection and resilience of  U.S. critical infrastructure, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The mission of InfraGard is to promote ongoing dialogue and timely communication between members and the FBI. InfraGard members gain access to information that enables them to protect their assets and in turn, give information to the government that facilitates its responsibilities to prevent and address terrorism and other crimes.

The relationship supports information sharing at national and local levels and its objectives are as  follows:

• Increase the level of information and reporting between InfraGard members and the FBI on matters related to counter-terrorism, cybercrime and other major crime programs.
• Increase interaction and information sharing among InfraGard members and the FBI  regarding threats to the critical infrastructures, vulnerabilities, and interdependencies.
• Provide members value-added threat advisories, alerts, and warnings.
• Promote effective liaison with local, state, and federal agencies, to include the Department of  Homeland Security.
• Provide members a forum for education and training on counter-terrorism,  counterintelligence cyber crime, and other matters relevant to informed reporting of potential crimes and attacks on the nation and U.S. interests.

InfraGard National Members Alliance

InfraGard members are represented nationally by an elected board of seven representatives called the InfraGard Board of Directors. Elections are held annually at the InfraGard National Congress for voluntary two-year terms. The Board is responsible for representing the membership in the partnership with the FBI. They conduct weekly conference calls to address a variety of issues that face the organization. Board members travel to various chapter activities and attend conferences promoting InfraGard and other issues pertinent to the program.

The Board established several committees to address issues such as membership, incorporation,  and partnerships with other private sector associations/organizations.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have also been established to meet the challenges America faces in protecting against criminal, terrorist, and intelligence threats. One such SIG involves InfraGard,  the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Small Business Administration,  and the FBI.

FBI Citizens’ Academy Foundation

The Citizens’ Academy is an educational program that gives business, religious, civic, news media,  and community leaders an inside look at the FBI and an opportunity to meet the men and women of the Bureau. Students gain insight into the structure and operation of an FBI field office; learn the legal basis for the FBI’s jurisdiction and issues relating to congressional oversight, and hear about the services we provide to local and state law enforcement agencies. The class is typically six Thursday evenings, held consecutively, at the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office.

How to Join InfraGard

Visit the National Website and submit an application: 

 https://www.infragard.org/Application/General/NewApplication 

 InfraGard membership requires passing a background check that includes: criminal history and FBI database checks. The background check is performed by FBI personnel, and results are kept strictly confidential. If you have a current federal security clearance, the background check is waived.

This process could take a while so please allow several weeks to a couple of months for processing.

We are not currently accepting applications from those not in one of the 16 Critical Infrastructure Sectors or students.

Question and Answer FAQ

Here are a few helpful Q & A’s when filling out the form:

Q: What address is being asked for on the application? 

A: You are required to include both your business and home address. Please note that PO Boxes are not allowed.

Q: Which Chapter should I join? 

A: InfraGard has chapters all over the nation, with 5 in Ohio: Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton. Join the one closest to you, or the most applicable to your needs.