West Virginia · Mid-Atlantic US
West Virginia cybersecurity grants for defense contractors
West Virginia's defense-industrial footprint centers on Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Mineral County, a Navy-owned facility operated by Northrop Grumman that designs and manufactures tactical rocket motors and other DoD weapons systems, alongside the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg. 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 West Virginia's defense work come from?
West Virginia's defense-industrial base centers on Allegany Ballistics Laboratory, a live Navy weapons-manufacturing site directly in the DoD supply chain, alongside a major federal facility in Clarksburg and National Guard installations that support the state's federal contracting community.
Rocket Center, Mineral County
Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL)
A 1,628-acre Navy-owned industrial complex with roughly 1,000 employees, operated by Northrop Grumman under contract with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). ABL designs, develops, and manufactures tactical rocket motors, medium-caliber ammunition, composite structures, warheads, and other DoD weapons systems, including components for the AARGM-ER missile. A new 113,000-square-foot Missile Integration Facility recently opened to expand production. This is an active defense-industrial-base site where CUI handling makes CMMC directly relevant to Northrop Grumman's West Virginia subcontractor network.
Clarksburg
FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division
The FBI's largest division, occupying a 986-acre tract with a half-million-square-foot main facility plus a 360,000-square-foot Biometric Technology Center. Hosts national criminal-justice and law-enforcement data systems including NCIC, IAFIS, NICS, UCR, and N-DEx. Not a defense-industrial site itself, but a major federal facility that draws a regional base of IT, data, and security-services contractors.
Martinsburg & Kingwood
Shepherd Field ANG Base & Camp Dawson
Shepherd Field Air National Guard Base in Martinsburg is home to the 167th Airlift Wing, flying C-17A Globemaster III aircraft. Camp Dawson in Preston County is the WV Army National Guard's primary training installation, hosting units including the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Both are DoD-owned facilities relevant to the state's National Guard and training footprint; direct evidence of co-located private defense contractors is limited compared to ABL and CJIS.
Your local partner
Who is West Virginia's manufacturing partner?
The West Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WVMEP), hosted by West Virginia University's Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources in Morgantown, is the state's official NIST MEP National Network affiliate. It provides WV manufacturers with process improvement, energy and financial-assistance guidance, occupational health and safety support, supplier scouting, and workforce development.
General manufacturing support, not CMMC-specific
WVMEP's published service list does not include a CMMC- or DFARS-specific compliance offering. If you need CMMC or NIST 800-171 guidance, WVMEP is a manufacturing-improvement resource, not a dedicated compliance shop — plan to pair it with a certified gap assessment.
Where cybersecurity help actually lives
General cybersecurity assistance for West Virginia businesses runs through separate WVU and state resources: the WVU Cyber-Resilience Resource Center and the WV Small Business Development Center (see below).
More resources
What other cybersecurity support can West Virginia businesses use?
No CMMC-specific state grant currently exists for West Virginia's private-sector defense contractors. Beyond the Cyber Grants Alliance award, WV businesses can tap general cybersecurity support through the resources below — and one program worth flagging explicitly: the state's cybersecurity grant program is not available to you.
WVU Cyber-Resilience Resource Center
Housed at Reynolds Hall on the WVU campus in Morgantown and launched with $1.5 million in Appalachian Regional Commission funding, the CRRC offers free, hands-on cybersecurity consulting and technical services to small and mid-size businesses in all 55 WV counties, including training materials to help businesses navigate federal compliance requirements. It is general-purpose cyber-resilience support, not a CMMC-branded program, but it can be a useful complement to a formal gap assessment.
WV Small Business Development Center
WV SBDC business coaches are certified in the "North Star" cybersecurity training program and partner with WVU Industrial Extension to offer free cybersecurity assessments and action-plan coaching to SBDC clients statewide. This is advisory coaching, not CMMC-specific and not a funding mechanism.
State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program — public sector only
Administered by the WV Emergency Management Division with CISA/DHS funding, this program is restricted to public-sector entities: state agencies, counties, municipalities, and public critical-infrastructure operators. It is not available to private businesses or defense contractors — do not treat it as a funding source for CMMC compliance costs.
The grant
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in West Virginia?
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 — West Virginia CMMC grants
Who qualifies for the CMMC gap assessment grant in West Virginia?
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. West Virginia businesses supporting Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Mineral County or the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg are typical candidates.
How much does a CMMC gap assessment cost in West Virginia?
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 West Virginia's MEP center?
The West Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WVMEP), hosted by West Virginia University's Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources in Morgantown, is the state's NIST MEP National Network affiliate. It provides process improvement, financial assistance guidance, supplier scouting, and workforce development support to WV manufacturers. It does not currently list CMMC- or DFARS-specific compliance services; general cybersecurity support instead runs through the WVU Cyber-Resilience Resource Center and the WV Small Business Development Center.
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 West Virginia 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. This is especially relevant for the network of subcontractors supporting Northrop Grumman's work at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory. 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.