Deadline: 14-Aug-2026
The Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program supports nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations working to develop and maintain foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. Administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, the program provides cost-share assistance to expand export promotion efforts for eligible U.S. agricultural products, excluding tobacco.
Program Overview
The Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program is designed to strengthen international market opportunities for United States agricultural commodities.
The program is administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. Through this program, USDA enters into agreements with eligible nonprofit agricultural trade organizations to share the costs of activities that promote U.S. agricultural commodities in foreign markets.
Funding is awarded on a competitive basis and supports a broad range of agricultural commodities and products, excluding tobacco.
Program Purpose
The purpose of the program is to support the development, expansion, and maintenance of foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities.
The program helps nonprofit agricultural trade organizations build long-term international demand, strengthen trade relationships, and support export growth for eligible U.S. agricultural products.
It also encourages cost-sharing partnerships between USDA and nonprofit trade organizations to increase the reach and effectiveness of export promotion activities.
Funding Details
The estimated total program funding is $69,000,000.
Financial assistance is provided through agreements with eligible cooperators.
Key funding points include:
- Estimated total funding: $69,000,000
- Administering agency: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
- Assistance type: Cost-share agreements
- Eligible products: U.S. agricultural commodities and products, excluding tobacco
- Award basis: Competitive
- Main purpose: Foreign market development and export promotion
Key Focus Areas
The program focuses on international agricultural trade and export market development.
Key focus areas include:
- Development of foreign markets
- Maintenance of foreign markets
- U.S. agricultural commodity promotion
- Agricultural export expansion
- International trade opportunities
- Export promotion partnerships
- Cost-sharing with nonprofit trade organizations
- Market access support
- Long-term demand development
- Promotion of eligible U.S. agricultural products
- Strengthening global competitiveness of U.S. agriculture
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations.
Applicants must promote exports of one or more U.S. agricultural commodities.
Eligible applicants must also meet key independence requirements. They must not have a business interest in or receive remuneration from specific sales of the commodities they promote.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include:
- Nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations
- Organizations promoting exports of U.S. agricultural commodities
- Agricultural trade groups with export promotion capacity
- Cooperators able to enter into cost-share agreements with USDA
- Organizations without direct financial interest in specific commodity sales
Ineligible Applicants
Some organizations are not eligible for consideration.
Ineligible applicants include:
- Organizations that are not nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations
- Organizations with a business interest in specific sales of promoted commodities
- Organizations receiving remuneration from specific sales of promoted commodities
- Applicants promoting tobacco
- Applicants without active SAM.gov registration
- Organizations with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded SAM.gov registrations
No exceptions or waivers are permitted for SAM.gov registration requirements.
SAM.gov Registration Requirement
All applicants must be actively registered in the U.S. Government System for Award Management at SAM.gov before the application deadline.
This requirement is mandatory.
Organizations with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded registrations are not eligible for consideration.
Applicants should confirm registration status early to avoid disqualification.
What the Program Supports
The program supports activities that help maintain and develop foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities.
Supported activities may include:
- Export promotion planning
- Market development strategies
- Trade relationship building
- International commodity promotion
- Market research and outreach
- Buyer engagement
- Industry collaboration
- Long-term foreign market maintenance
- Activities that strengthen demand for U.S. agricultural products
Activities should clearly support foreign market development and align with USDA export promotion objectives.
Cost-Sharing Partnership Model
The program operates through a cost-sharing model.
USDA works with nonprofit agricultural trade organizations to share the costs of foreign market development and export promotion activities.
This partnership model helps expand the reach of U.S. agricultural promotion efforts by combining federal support with industry expertise, networks, and implementation capacity.
Why This Program Matters
Foreign markets are important for the growth and competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.
The Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program matters because it helps U.S. agricultural trade organizations build and maintain international demand for American agricultural commodities.
By supporting nonprofit trade organizations, the program strengthens export promotion, expands market opportunities, and helps U.S. agricultural products compete in global markets.
How the Program Works
The program works through cooperative agreements between USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and eligible nonprofit trade organizations.
The process includes:
- Eligible nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations prepare applications.
- Applicants demonstrate their ability to promote exports of one or more U.S. agricultural commodities.
- Applicants confirm active SAM.gov registration before the application deadline.
- USDA reviews applications on a competitive basis.
- Selected cooperators enter into agreements with USDA.
- Program funds support cost-shared foreign market development and export promotion activities.
- Cooperators implement activities that help maintain or expand foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities.
How to Apply
Applicants should prepare a strong application that demonstrates eligibility, export promotion capacity, market development strategy, and compliance with federal requirements.
Application Preparation Steps
- Confirm nonprofit trade organization status
Applicants should ensure they are nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations. - Identify eligible commodities
Applicants should clearly identify the U.S. agricultural commodities or products they promote, excluding tobacco. - Confirm independence from specific sales
Applicants must show they do not have a business interest in or receive remuneration from specific sales of the commodities they promote. - Verify SAM.gov registration
Applicants must ensure their SAM.gov registration is active before the application deadline. - Develop a market strategy
The application should explain how the organization will develop or maintain foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. - Describe export promotion activities
Applicants should outline planned activities, target markets, expected outcomes, and how the work supports U.S. agricultural exports. - Demonstrate organizational capacity
Applicants should show experience, staffing, partnerships, and systems needed to implement international market development activities. - Prepare a cost-share plan
The proposal should explain how the organization will participate in the cost-sharing partnership model. - Show expected impact
Applicants should describe how the proposed activities will strengthen foreign markets, increase trade opportunities, or improve international demand. - Submit before the deadline
Applicants should complete all required application steps and confirm compliance before submission.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid errors that may make the application ineligible or less competitive.
Common mistakes include:
- Applying without active SAM.gov registration
- Having an expired, inactive, pending, or excluded SAM.gov registration
- Applying as an organization that is not a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization
- Promoting tobacco products
- Failing to show export promotion capacity
- Not explaining the foreign market development strategy
- Providing unclear target market information
- Not demonstrating how activities will benefit U.S. agricultural commodities
- Having a business interest in specific sales of promoted commodities
- Not clearly explaining cost-sharing arrangements
- Waiting until the deadline to resolve SAM.gov registration issues
Tips for a Strong Application
A strong application should clearly connect proposed activities to foreign market development and U.S. agricultural export promotion.
Applicants should:
- Confirm eligibility early
- Maintain active SAM.gov registration
- Clearly define target foreign markets
- Explain the demand-building strategy
- Show experience in agricultural trade promotion
- Demonstrate strong industry knowledge
- Provide measurable goals and outcomes
- Explain how activities will maintain or expand markets
- Show capacity to manage USDA agreements
- Present a realistic cost-share approach
- Avoid any link to specific sales remuneration
- Ensure all required federal registration details are complete and current
Key Terms Explained
Foreign Market Development
Foreign market development refers to activities that build, expand, or maintain demand for products in international markets.
Cooperator
A cooperator is an eligible nonprofit agricultural trade organization that enters into an agreement with USDA to carry out export promotion activities.
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is the agency responsible for linking U.S. agriculture to the world, expanding export opportunities, and supporting international agricultural trade.
Agricultural Commodity
An agricultural commodity is a product produced through farming, ranching, or agricultural activity, such as grains, livestock products, fruits, vegetables, or other farm-based products.
Cost-Sharing
Cost-sharing means that USDA and the participating organization share the costs of approved activities.
SAM.gov
SAM.gov is the U.S. Government System for Award Management, where organizations must register to be eligible for certain federal funding opportunities.
Export Promotion
Export promotion refers to activities that help increase international awareness, demand, and sales opportunities for products from a specific country.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program?
The Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program supports nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations that develop and maintain foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities.
Who administers the program?
The program is administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
How much funding is available?
The estimated total program funding is $69,000,000.
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations that promote exports of one or more U.S. agricultural commodities.
Are tobacco products eligible?
No. Tobacco is excluded from the program.
What type of assistance is provided?
Financial assistance is provided through cost-share agreements with eligible cooperators.
Can organizations with inactive SAM.gov registration apply?
No. Applicants must have an active SAM.gov registration before the application deadline.
Are waivers available for SAM.gov registration issues?
No. Organizations with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded registrations are not eligible, and no exceptions or waivers are permitted.
Can organizations with a financial interest in specific commodity sales apply?
No. Eligible applicants must not have a business interest in or receive remuneration from specific sales of the commodities they promote.
What is the main goal of the program?
The main goal is to maintain and develop foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and strengthen export promotion efforts for eligible agricultural products.
Conclusion
The Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program provides major support for nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations working to expand and maintain international markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. Through competitive cost-share agreements administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, the program strengthens export promotion, builds global demand, and supports long-term trade opportunities for eligible U.S. agricultural products.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.