Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program

FMD award recipients will implement various market development activities in foreign markets to create, expand, and maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products. These activities will benefit U.S. farmers, processors, and exporter

To provide cost-share assistance to nonprofit commodity and agricultural trade associations to maintain and develop foreign markets for United States agricultural commodities and products.

This program is open to United States trade organizations that promote the export of 1 or more United States agricultural commodities and do not have a business interest in or receive remuneration from specific sales of agricultural commodities.

Preference is given to nonprofit U.S. trade organizations which are nationwide in membership and scope.

U.S. applicants must prove the ability to provide a competent experienced staff and other resources to assure adequate development, supervision, and execution of promotional activities. Applicants must submit a written export strategy that provides the information listed in the annual NOFO. Other documentation may be required and will be specified in the annual NOFO.

Cooperator funds are authorized through program agreements with nonprofit U.S. trade associations, called Cooperators, that provide for partial reimbursement of generic promotional activities in a Unified Export Strategy application approved by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the agency that administers the program for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). In general, Cooperator funds may be used only in direct support of activities conducted outside the United States. Types of activities that may be funded include trade servicing, market research, and technical assistance to actual or potential foreign purchasers of U.S. commodities.

Up to one year period of performance

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicant(s) must contact their State's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the State's process under Executive Order 12372 (https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html) Name and addresses of the SPOCs are maintained at the Office of Management and Budget's home page at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf

Notices of Funding Opportunity will be distributed through Grants.gov.

The criteria for selecting proposals will be articulated in the annual NOFOs posted to Grants.gov.

Proposals are evaluated by FAS, which rates the qualifications of applicants and determines an appropriate level of funding.

Deadlines will appear in the Notice of Funding Opportunity when posted.