Funder:
Due Dates: June 14, 2024 (Initial) | December 31, 2024 (Tranche II) | March 31, 2025 (Tranche III) | June 30, 2025 (Final)
Funding Amounts: Up to $500,000 per award; anticipated 20–30 awards; total program funding up to $8 million; typical project duration 3 years (max 5 years with extension).
Summary: Supports U.S. entities in developing, maintaining, or expanding export markets for U.S. agricultural commodities in emerging markets and fostering cooperation with foreign partners.
Key Information: Private sector applicants must include a cost share; only U.S. entities are eligible for direct funding.
Description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP) provides funding to U.S. organizations to develop, maintain, or expand markets for U.S. agricultural commodities in emerging markets. The program also aims to promote cooperation and information exchange between U.S. agricultural institutions/agribusinesses and their counterparts in eligible foreign markets. Projects may include market assessments, technical training, and knowledge transfer activities that address trade barriers or enhance food and rural business systems in emerging economies.
Due Dates
- Initial application deadline: June 14, 2024 (5:00 p.m. Eastern)
- Tranche II deadline: December 31, 2024
- Tranche III deadline: March 31, 2025
- Tranche IV (final) deadline: June 30, 2025
Applications are reviewed in tranches; no applications accepted after June 30, 2025.
Funding Amount
- Award ceiling: $500,000 per project
- Estimated total program funding: Up to $8 million (subject to Congressional appropriation)
- Anticipated number of awards: 20–30
- Project duration: Typically 3 years; extensions up to 5 years possible with justification
Eligibility
- Eligible applicants: U.S. private or government entities, including:
- Universities and research institutions
- Trade associations
- Agricultural cooperatives
- State regional trade groups
- State departments of agriculture
- Federal agencies
- For-profit entities and consulting businesses (with demonstrated industry support)
- Ineligible applicants: Foreign organizations (may participate as third parties but cannot receive direct funding)
- Commodity eligibility: All U.S. agricultural commodities except tobacco; products must be at least 50% U.S. origin by weight (excluding water)
- Market eligibility: Target countries must be below the World Bank’s high-income threshold; check the World Bank country classification list and U.S. sanctions lists
- Cost share: Required for private sector applicants (cash or in-kind); not required for government agencies
Application Process
- Submission portal: Unified Export Strategy (UES) system (preferred) or by email to podadmin@usda.gov
- Application package must include:
- EMP project application (max 10 pages, including project details, objectives, activities, performance measures, and budget)
- Standard Form 424 (SF-424)
- SF-LLL (if applicable, for lobbying disclosure)
- SAM.gov registration: All applicants must have an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) at the time of application
- Review process: Applications are evaluated for eligibility, completeness, appropriateness of activity, market impact, and organizational capacity. Scoring is based on set criteria; applications scoring below 70 points are not considered for funding.
Additional Information
- Eligible activities: Must fall into at least one of the following:
- Market assessments
- Subsistence travel (U.S. experts to emerging markets or vice versa)
- Technical training/assistance
- Funding restrictions: EMP funds cannot be used for private business promotion, normal operating costs, lobbying, or activities benefiting only the applicant.
- Reporting: Interim and final performance and financial reports are required.
- Extensions: No-cost extensions up to 5 years may be requested with justification.
- Cost share: Private sector applicants must demonstrate financial commitment; cash contributions are prioritized over in-kind.
External Links
Contact Information