PL-480 Market Development and Technical Assistance

Uses available foreign currencies repaid to the United States to provide assistance in the implementation of market development and agricultural technical assistance activities.

Through this program, FAS makes foreign currencies available to eligible applicants to provide assistance in market development and agricultural technical assistance activities. Countries in which funding is available will be announced in the NOFO. FAS disburses the local currencies to program participants through the disbursing officers at U.S. embassies. It is the responsibility of the recipient to arrange for the receipt and use of the foreign currencies made available through the program. All funding will be provided in the local currency. It is the responsibility of the recipient to arrange for the use of the funding in the local currency, as the funding cannot be converted to U.S. dollars. Activities funded with Section 108 currencies are not limited to the country in which the currency originated. Financial assistance under the Section 108 program will be made available on a competitive basis and applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria contained in the NOFO. All U.S. agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for consideration. Under the Section 108 program, FAS enters into agreements with eligible organizations to support certain overseas marketing and promotion activities. Applicants may receive assistance only for generic activities that benefit a U.S. agricultural commodity. Applications should include a justification for funding assistance from the program - an explanation as to what specifically could not be accomplished without Federal funding assistance and why the participating organization(s) would be unlikely to carry out the project without such assistance.

Priority applicants will be U.S. agricultural non profit trade organizations who will conduct market development and technical assistance activities designed to increase or maintain U.S. agricultural exports.

U.S. agricultural entities are expected to benefit from the growth of U.S. export markets.

The program aims to expand or maintain U.S. agricultural exports.

The agreement will contain an expiration date. Unless extended, the project activities are expected to conclude by the expiration date.

The review criteria are described in the funding announcement.

The program will be announced in Grants.gov, inviting proposals from interested parties. The Foreign Agricultural Service will conduct proposal reviews and make funding decisions. Formal agreements will be made with grantees, outlining reporting and other program requirements, upon the awarding of funds. Proposals will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis as long as funding remains.

Additional approval information is provided in the funding announcement.

USDA decision is final.