cmmc professionals network (cpn)

What cmmc professionals network (cpn) does

CMMC Professionals Network (CPN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2024 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, that provides education, mentorship, and networking resources to cybersecurity professionals pursuing careers in Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) compliance. The organization serves both individual cybersecurity professionals seeking CMMC certification pathways and, by extension, the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) that depends on a qualified CMMC-compliant workforce. CPN is led by Founder & Executive Director Derrich Phillips, who also serves as Board Chair, with a volunteer leadership team comprising VPs of Membership, Mentorship, Communications, and Operations, plus Board Members with CMMC assessor expertise.

The core product is a two-tier membership: a Community tier (free) providing access to the LinkedIn group, weekly CMMC Roundtables on YouTube, the CPN Discord community, and CMMC training pathways with a 20% discount on paid trainings; and a Professional tier at $99 per year adding CMMC workshops, hands-on training, and tools/templates. The most differentiated offering is a set of four specialized cloud-platform training tracks — Google Workspace, PreVeil, AWS GovCloud, and Microsoft GCC High — where members practice CMMC configuration in dedicated environments. Credentials include verifiable CMMC Implementer certificates and digital microbadges. The platform itself is built on ClubExpress (Gembrook Systems, LLC), a third-party membership management system that also powers the iOS/Android mobile app; community engagement is distributed across Discord, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Revenue mechanics combine individual membership subscriptions with tax-deductible donations and corporate sponsorships from CMMC consulting firms (including Balance Logic and Aspire Cyber). The organization has set a $100,000 sponsorship fundraising goal to support platform access, resource development, and career advancement. As of the available data, CPN reports 263 members across its community tier, operates with 1-10 employees, and has no disclosed revenue or external funding rounds, indicating an early-stage nonprofit in community-building mode.

Name

cmmc professionals network (cpn)

Legal name

CMMC Professionals Network

Website

https://cmmcpathways.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CMMC Professionals Network (CPN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing CMMC compliance education, hands-on cloud-platform training, mentorship, and networking to cybersecurity professionals and the Defense Industrial Base via a freemium membership model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Two-tier membership structure: Community tier (free) provides basic access to LinkedIn group, roundtables, and Discord; Professional tier at $99/year provides access to workshops, hands-on training, and tools/templates. This is the primary revenue stream supporting operations.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: CPN operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accepting tax-deductible donations. The sponsorship fund (goal of $100,000) supports platform access, resource development, and career advancement initiatives. Donations bridge the gap between CMMC theory and practical implementation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CMMC Professionals Network (CPN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers education, mentorship, and networking to cybersecurity professionals pursuing careers in CMMC compliance. It operates a tiered membership platform offering a free Community tier and a $99/year Professional tier, with hands-on training across multiple cloud platforms (Google Workspace, PreVeil, AWS GovCloud, Microsoft GCC High), weekly CMMC Roundtables, Discord community engagement, and verifiable CMMC Implementer certificates and microbadges.

Product overview

CMMC Professionals Network (CPN) operates as a membership-based nonprofit platform offering tiered access to CMMC compliance education and professional development. The organization provides two membership tiers: a free Community Member level (access to LinkedIn group, weekly roundtables, Discord/YouTube, and training pathways with 20% discount on paid offerings) and a $99/year Professional Member tier (adds workshops, hands-on training, and tools/templates). Core offerings center on hands-on training across four specialized cloud platform tracks—Google Workspace, PreVeil, AWS GovCloud, and Microsoft GCC High—where members practice CMMC configuration in dedicated environments. The platform is powered by ClubExpress technology and includes a mobile app for iOS/Android. Credentials include CMMC Implementer certificates and microbadges for validated competency recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Member Membership Free tier membership providing individual cybersecurity professionals access to the LinkedIn Group, weekly CMMC Roundtables, CPN Discord and YouTube channels, CMMC training pathways, and a 20% discount on paid trainings.
• Professional Member Membership
• CMMC Implementer Certificates
• CMMC Microbadges
• ClubExpress Mobile App

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Balance LogicminorOthersSponsor of CMMC Professionals Network. Balance Logic provides CMMC consulting and assessment services to the Defense Industrial Base. Listed on the Our Sponsors page alongside other sponsors supporting CPN's mission.
• Aspire CyberminorOthersSponsor of CMMC Professionals Network. Aspire Cyber is a cybersecurity firm providing services to defense contractors. Listed on the Our Sponsors page supporting CPN's nonprofit mission.
• ClubExpress (Gembrook Systems, LLC)coreTechnology or IntegrationClubExpress is the technology platform provider powering CPN's website, membership management, event registration, and client portal. CPN is a customer of ClubExpress, which is developed by Gembrook Systems, LLC (Illinois-based company).
• SmithersminorOthersSmithers is an authorized Cyber AB C3PAO (Certified Third-Party Assessment Organization) that posts CMMC Assessor job opportunities in the CPN community. While not an official partner, Smithers engages with CPN members for recruitment purposes.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• (ISC)²: Global, nonprofit cybersecurity professional association offering certifications (e.g., CISSP) and member benefits. Comparable to CPN as a membership-based, nonprofit body that supports cybersecurity practitioners through credentials, education, and community — though (ISC)² operates broadly across cybersecurity domains while CPN is hyper-focused on CMMC.
• ISACA: International nonprofit professional association for IT audit, governance, risk, and cybersecurity professionals (CISA, CISM, CRISC). Comparable as a nonprofit membership body delivering credentials, training, and a global community, with overlap in audit/governance training adjacent to CMMC compliance.
• SANS Institute: Premier cybersecurity training and certification provider offering instructor-led and online courses across defense, audit, and compliance tracks. Comparable as a commercial training organization serving practitioners and government/defense contractors, though much larger and broader in scope than CPN.
• EC-Council: Cybersecurity certification body (CEH, ECSA) offering training and credentials across offensive/defensive security domains. Comparable as a credential-driven cybersecurity training provider catering to professionals seeking verifiable certifications.

Direct peers

• Cyber AB: Accreditation body for the CMMC ecosystem, authorizing C3PAOs and managing the CMMC Assessor workforce. Comparable as the central authority operating in the same CMMC compliance ecosystem that CPN's training, mentorship, and credentialing programs directly support.

Regional players

• A-LIGN: C3PAO and cybersecurity compliance audit firm offering FedRAMP, CMMC, and SOC assessments. Comparable as a CMMC-focused service provider serving the Defense Industrial Base with assessment and readiness services that overlap with CPN's practitioner-training audience.
• Redspin (a division of ClearShark): C3PAO providing CMMC assessments, readiness, and consulting to defense contractors. Comparable as a CMMC ecosystem services company targeting the same DIB audience and workforce that CPN trains.
• Schellman & Co. C3PAO and compliance services firm offering CMMC assessments alongside FedRAMP and SOC. Comparable as a CMMC assessment/training-adjacent provider competing for the same practitioner and contractor mindshare.

Emerging players

• CMMC Training Bootcamps (e.g., ITDojo, CertMike): Smaller, focused CMMC training providers offering bootcamp-style courses for CMMC practitioners and assessors. Comparable as niche CMMC education competitors directly addressing the same audience as CPN's Professional tier training.
• Cybrary: Online cybersecurity training platform offering courses across compliance, cloud security, and defense contractor tracks. Comparable as a digital-first cybersecurity training subscription service targeting practitioners seeking affordable, self-paced certification prep.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLTdwZoFSG4osMsEgDMCO6N65WwUCl-565
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cmmc-professionals-network-cpn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about cmmc professionals network (cpn)