2026 America First Trade Promotion Program

Background
The 2026 America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS). The program aims to support the expansion of exports of U.S. agricultural commodities by entering into agreements with eligible participants to share the costs of marketing and promotional activities. The goal is to foster diverse commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products, excluding tobacco.

Grant Details
Under AFTPP, USDA/FAS will enter into agreements with participants to share costs associated with marketing and promotion activities aimed at expanding exports of U.S. agricultural commodities. Financial assistance is competitive and aims to cover a wide array of agricultural commodities, with all U.S. agricultural commodities eligible except for tobacco. Eligible applicants include nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, agricultural cooperatives, and state agencies. The program requires a cost-sharing component where participants must contribute at least 10% for generic activities or an equivalent amount for branded activities. Activities in certain markets, particularly China (including Hong Kong and Macau), are ineligible for funding.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations, state regional trade groups, U.S. agricultural cooperatives, or state agencies that promote the export and sale of U.S. agricultural commodities. Organizations that have not previously participated in USDA market development programs are encouraged to apply, while traditional recipients are urged to propose innovative activities in non-traditional markets. All applicants must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submission.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for the grant will be defined within the agreements made under this program; however, specific time frames are not detailed in this summary.

Grant Value
The total available federal funding for this opportunity is $285,000,000, with an anticipated number of 60 awards available under this program.

Place of Performance
The grant activities will primarily take place in various international markets where U.S. agricultural products are promoted.