Market Development Cooperator Program 2023

Background
ITA requests that eligible organizations submit proposals (applications) for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 competition for MDCP awards. ITA creates economic opportunity for U.S. workers and firms by promoting international trade and investment, strengthening industry competitiveness, and ensuring fair trade.

Grant Details
Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) financial assistance awards help to underwrite the start-up costs of new foreign market development projects that industry organizations are often reluctant to undertake without federal government support. MDCP projects strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. industry by generating exports of nonagricultural goods and services produced in the United States. Each applicant must demonstrate how its proposed project will help ITA to create or sustain U.S. jobs by increasing or maintaining exports.

The program priorities include outreach to U.S. firms, addressing non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports, securing strong intellectual property rights protection, participating in the formulation and encouraging the adoption of standards, and encouraging the development of aligned regulatory requirements that avoid unnecessary costs on businesses.

Eligibility Requirements
Trade associations, other non-profit industry organizations, and departments of trade and other regional associations are eligible to apply for MDCP awards.

State departments of trade and their regional associations, non-profit industry organizations, and private industry firms or groups of firms may be eligible to apply for an MDCP award.

Educational institutions are not eligible unless affiliated with an eligible organization for administrative, accounting, financial, legal, or logistical reasons.

Period of Performance
The project period of performance is at least three (3) years but not to exceed five (5) years with a start date of October 1, 2023.

The project period may be extended with approval from the grants officer.

Grant Value
Approximately $1,500,000 is expected to be available through this announcement for fiscal year 2023.

No award will exceed $300,000.