Deadline: 20-May-22
The Department of Agriculture Global Programs is seeking applications for the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program.
Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities
- The Cooperator program is designed to maintain and develop foreign markets for United States agricultural commodities and products through cost-share assistance.
- Financial assistance under the Cooperator program will be made available on a competitive basis and applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria contained herein and in the Cooperator program regulations.
- All U.S. agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for consideration.
- FAS allocates funds in a manner that effectively supports the strategic decision–making initiatives of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993.
- In deciding whether a proposed project will contribute to the effective creation, expansion, or maintenance of foreign markets, FAS considers whether the applicant provides a clear, long–term agricultural trade strategy, has the broadest producer representation and affiliated industry participation of the commodity being promoted, and includes an effective program timeline against which results can be measured at specific intervals using quantifiable product or country goals.
- FAS also considers the extent to which a proposed project targets markets with the greatest growth potential.
- These factors are part of the FAS resource allocation strategy to fund applicants who can best demonstrate performance and address USDA and FAS goals and objectives.
- Cooperator program participants must adhere to GPRA and USDA Monitoring and Evaluation guidance.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $34,500,000
- Award Ceiling: $10,000,000
- Award Floor: $1
- Projected Number of Awards: 20–30 awardsPeriod of Performance: Awards will be generally granted for a project period of up to three years
- Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 01/01/2023
- Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 12/31/2026
Eligibility Criteria
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Eligible Applicants
- To participate in the Cooperator program, an entity must be a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization that promotes the exports of one or more U.S. agricultural commodities, does not have a business interest in or receive remuneration from specific sales of agricultural commodities and contributes at least 50 percent of the value of resources reimbursed by CCC for activities conducted under the agreement.
- Funding priority is given to organizations that have the broadest possible producer representation of the commodity being promoted and that are nationwide in membership and scope.
- Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be considered ineligible.
- Eligible commodities: Eligible commodities for the Cooperator program are any agricultural commodity or product thereof, excluding tobacco, that is comprised of at least 50 percent by weight, exclusive of added water, of agricultural commodities grown or raised in the United States. Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be considered ineligible.
- Eligible Activities: Under the Cooperator program, FAS enters into agreements with eligible nonprofit U.S. trade organizations to share the cost of certain overseas marketing and promotion activities. Cooperators may receive assistance only for generic activities that do not involve promotions targeted directly to consumers purchasing in their capacity. The cooperator program generally operates on a reimbursement basis. Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be considered ineligible.
- Limits on Activities: Cooperator program activities are approved for a single program year, with the approval dates specified in the allocation approval letter that is provided as part of the award approval package. Only those Cooperator program activities that are approved in each applicant’s allocation approval letter or are subsequently approved by FAS may be implemented, and those activities must be implemented during the 12–month program year specified in the allocation approval letter. Requests for activity changes during the program year must be approved in advance by FAS. Cooperators must re-apply for the program every year.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=338574