WASHINGTON DC, DC, UNITED STATES, March 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Cyber Grants Alliance (CGA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to making cybersecurity accessible to small and medium-sized businesses, today announced the launch of 100 CMMC Gap Assessment Grants for defense contractors and manufacturers in the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain.
Each in-kind grant is valued at $5,000 and provides recipients with a comprehensive evaluation against all 110 security controls in the NIST SP 800-171 framework, which forms the foundation of CMMC Level 2 certification. The grants are sponsored by CMMC Ready Now and will be awarded on a first come, first served basis to qualifying businesses.
“Small and mid-sized defense contractors sit at the heart of the defense industrial base, but they are being squeezed by rising CMMC costs and tight implementation timelines,” said Rick Dassler, Executive Director of Cyber Grants Alliance. “CMMC compliance can easily run into six figures for small and mid-sized firms, and failure to comply will soon mean you cannot win or keep key DoD contracts—this grant removes the cost barrier to that critical first gap assessment so contractors can quickly see where they stand, protect their revenue, and build a realistic plan before it’s too late.”
Why It Matters
The Department of Defense’s CMMC Phase 2, which requires Level 2 certification for contracts involving Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), is expected to take effect November 10, 2026. DoD estimates that hundreds of thousands of entities will ultimately be covered, with roughly two-thirds qualifying as small businesses, meaning that contractors who do not have a clear view of their gaps risk losing access to current and future DoD opportunities.
Small businesses already make up more than 70% of the defense industrial base, and many are concerned that compliance complexity and cost could push them out of defense work altogether if they fall behind. A structured gap assessment is the essential first step to understanding compliance readiness, prioritizing remediation, and budgeting wisely instead of reacting under deadline pressure.
Why Applying in March Matters
CMMC implementation activity is accelerating in early 2026 as contractors prepare for CMMC requirements to appear in more solicitations and contract renewals over the next 18–24 months. Applying in March gives small and mid-sized defense contractors a head start while all 100 grants are still available on a first come, first served basis and leaves maximum time to turn assessment findings into funded remediation before CMMC becomes a firm gate to award.
Many organizations will wait until late 2026, when assessors and compliance advisors are likely to be backlogged and remediation costs higher under compressed timelines. By securing a grant now, contractors can complete their gap assessment this spring, align remediation with their 2026–2027 budget cycles, and avoid last-minute scrambles that put contracts and cash flow at risk.
What the Grant Includes
Each $5,000 in-kind grant provides:
Full evaluation against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls across 14 control families
Assessment of technical infrastructure, policies, procedures, and operational practices
Gap identification and prioritization by severity
A complete picture of the organization’s current CMMC compliance posture
The assessment is delivered through CMMC Ready Now’s gap assessment platform, allowing business owners to complete the evaluation in as little as 30 minutes without requiring dedicated IT staff.
About the Sponsorship
The 100 grants are sponsored by CMMC Ready Now, a cybersecurity compliance platform that provides CMMC tracking, gap assessment, and readiness tools for defense contractors. The $500,000 in-kind sponsorship reflects CMMC Ready Now’s commitment to helping the defense industrial base meet federal cybersecurity requirements before the November 2026 Phase 2 deadline.
Who Qualifies
The grants are available to small and medium-sized businesses that meet any of the following criteria:
Defense Industrial Base (DIB) contractors and subcontractors
Manufacturers in the DoD supply chain
Government contractors handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Businesses pursuing or renewing federal contracts requiring CMMC compliance
How to Apply
Interested businesses can apply at https://cybergrantsalliance.org/cmmc-gap-assessment-grant/. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and grants are awarded first come, first served until all 100 grants have been distributed. Approved applicants receive a grant code to access the CMMC Gap Assessment platform immediately.
About Cyber Grants Alliance
Cyber Grants Alliance (CGA) https://cybergrantsalliance.org/ is a nonprofit organization that provides cybersecurity grants to small and medium-sized businesses, including penetration testing, CMMC compliance tools, employee cybersecurity training, and CyberCert certification. CGA’s mission is to make enterprise-grade cybersecurity accessible to the businesses that need it most. Learn more at cybergrantsalliance.org.
About CMMC Ready Now
CMMC Ready Now is a cybersecurity compliance platform that provides CMMC tracking, gap assessments, and readiness tools for defense contractors navigating NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC Level 2 requirements. Learn more at cmmcreadynow.com.
Rick Dassler
Cyber Grants Alliance
+1 888-323-9991
info@cybergrantsalliance.org
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