New Hampshire · Northeastern US
New Hampshire cybersecurity grants for defense contractors
New Hampshire's defense economy runs through the Seacoast, anchored by Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's submarine work and Pease Air National Guard Base. If you hold or pursue DoD work, a CMMC gap assessment shows exactly where you stand, and the Cyber Grants Alliance grant can cover it.
CMMC Phase 2 status: under DoD review. DoD suspended the CMMC Phase 2 third-party certification requirement in July 2026 pending a program review. Phase 1 self-assessment against NIST SP 800-171 remains mandatory now, and self-certified compliance carries more liability with third-party verification on hold.
Why it matters here
Where does New Hampshire's defense work come from?
New Hampshire's defense economy concentrates in the Seacoast around Portsmouth and Newington and reaches statewide through the manufacturing supply chain, creating significant contracting opportunities, and CMMC obligations, for local businesses.
Portsmouth Seacoast
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
One of the U.S. Navy's four public shipyards, overhauling and modernizing the fleet's nuclear-powered attack submarines. It employs roughly 6,100 civilian workers, many living across the New Hampshire Seacoast. (The yard itself sits just across the river in Kittery, Maine.)
Newington
Pease Air National Guard Base
New Hampshire's only Air National Guard base and home of the 157th Air Refueling Wing, an Air Mobility Command unit of 1,300+ personnel now flying the KC-46A Pegasus tanker.
Statewide
Defense manufacturing base
New Hampshire manufacturers across aerospace, precision machining, and electronics supply DoD primes and subcontracts, pulling CMMC and NIST 800-171 requirements down into the supply chain.
Your local partner
Who is New Hampshire's CMMC and manufacturing partner?
The New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) is New Hampshire's Manufacturing Extension Partnership center, now based at the University of New Hampshire's John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center. It provides technology adoption, cybersecurity readiness, and manufacturing-improvement services to Granite State businesses.
Cybersecurity readiness
NH MEP helps defense suppliers assess and implement the DFARS clause, NIST SP 800-171, and CMMC, and delivers CMMC implementation with partner Mainstay Technologies.
Manufacturer support
NH MEP works one-on-one with New Hampshire DoD suppliers and subcontractors, with on-site and virtual training scheduled around your operation.
More resources
What other cybersecurity support can New Hampshire businesses use?
Beyond the grant, New Hampshire businesses can tap additional support through state programs and federal resources.
NH Cyber Integration Center
Housed within the state Department of Information Technology, the NH CIC sets cybersecurity risk-management strategy and conducts outreach to strengthen the cyber resiliency of New Hampshire organizations.
CISA Region 1
Serves New Hampshire through CISA's New England regional office, providing no-cost advisories and incident-response support across the six-state region.
NH APEX Accelerator
Formerly NH PTAC and funded in part by the DoD, it offers free government-contracting help, including cybersecurity-compliance training, from registration through subcontracting.
The grant
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in New Hampshire?
Through the CMMC gap assessment grant, it is a $5,000 in-kind award, no cash changes hands. You receive the assessment itself, delivered by a certified partner. 100 grants are available.
Confirm you qualify
Open to U.S. defense contractors and manufacturers in the supply chain that hold or pursue DoD contracts and have not yet completed a CMMC assessment.
Get assessed against NIST 800-171
A certified partner reviews your current controls and produces a scored gap report showing what stands between you and CMMC Level 2.
Leave with a remediation plan
You receive a prioritized action list and the resources that can fund the fixes, so compliance becomes a budget line, not a guess.
Questions
Frequently asked questions — New Hampshire CMMC grants
Who qualifies for the CMMC gap assessment grant in New Hampshire?
The grant is open to U.S. defense contractors and manufacturers in the DoD supply chain that hold or are pursuing DoD contracts and have not yet completed a CMMC assessment. New Hampshire businesses supporting Portsmouth Naval Shipyard or Pease Air National Guard Base are typical candidates.
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in New Hampshire?
Through the Cyber Grants Alliance program, the assessment is delivered as a $5,000 in-kind grant, no cash award. You receive the assessment itself from a certified partner. 100 grants are available.
What is New Hampshire's MEP center?
The New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) is New Hampshire's Manufacturing Extension Partnership center, based at UNH's John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center. It helps defense suppliers implement DFARS, NIST SP 800-171, and CMMC, delivering CMMC implementation with partner Mainstay Technologies.
Is CMMC Level 2 enforcement still happening on November 10, 2026?
No. DoD suspended the CMMC Phase 2 third-party (C3PAO) certification requirement on July 13, 2026, pending a program review, so there is no confirmed enforcement date at this time. Phase 1 self-assessment against all 110 NIST SP 800-171 controls remains mandatory now, and self-certified SPRS scores carry more liability while third-party verification is paused. A gap assessment is still the essential first step.
Do subcontractors in New Hampshire need CMMC?
If your contract or a prime's contract involves Controlled Unclassified Information, CMMC requirements generally flow down to subcontractors that handle that information. A gap assessment is the fastest way to confirm what applies to you.
Ready when you are
Apply for your CMMC gap assessment grant
100 in-kind awards, $5,000 each. Confirm eligibility and submit in minutes.