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Market Development Cooperator Program
Get Up to $300,000 for Your Export Development Project!

MDCP

The United States’ Most Successful Federal Export Grant Program

Through an annual competition, the International Trade Administration (ITA) selects a limited number of U.S. non-profit organizations to receive Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) awards. A recipient gets up to $300,000, matched one-to-one by its own resources, to pursue a 3-5-year project designed to remove trade barriers and help U.S. firms to export. 

Given the tight fiscal environment for FY24, ITA will not be able to fund MDCP awards. As a result, ITA will not be launching an FY24 competition.

Recent MDCP Successes

Colombians Adopt U.S. Industry Standards After ITA/MDCP-Supported Education Campaign
 

 

In 2020, ITA awarded Auto Care Association a $299,000 Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) grant to promote the adoption and implementation in key Latin American markets of auto parts cataloging standards used commonly by U.S. firms.
Automotive Colombia MDCP
ITA Helps Packaging Machinery Reflect Excellence By Design
 

 

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Well, that’s not the case when it comes to packaged foods and other goods. With a 2020 award of $300,000, the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute expanded the adoption of machinery standards.
Design and Construction Packaging Equipment

Discover More MDCP Projects and Successes


Export Successes

Read about some of the projects that have had significant export successes.

Comprehensive Projects List

View summaries of completed MDCP projects.

“I must laud the efforts of your office to review all the elements of the application and related grant requirements before and during the grant announcement period. To be honest, [other federal grant programs] are nowhere near as responsive or transparent to prospective grant applicants. The MDCP program is a winner and hope funding will continue far into the future!”

- California Education and Training Export Center (CA-ETEC)

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A Long History of Success

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MDCP is the U.S. government’s most successful export assistance program. Award recipients and their stakeholders continue to benefit long after the project ends. MDCP award recipients:

  • Generate $286 in exports for every $1 of Commerce funding.
  • Have tallied $12.6 billion of exports since the program began, over 30 years ago.
  • Create or sustain 14,000 U.S. Jobs annually.

Each award helps non-profit groups pursue innovative projects that address trade barriers, enhance industry competitiveness, and generate exports that create or sustain U.S. jobs.

 

“We were first-timers for any kind of award/grant. I appreciated the patience of the ITA team and their support every step of the way in our efforts in applying for the funding.”   

- American Association of Intensive English Programs (EnglishUSA)

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Announcement of 2023 MDCP Awards
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced new MDCP awards on October 16, 2023. This year’s MDCP awards include $299,241 to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) based in Michigan, and $147,348 to Medical Alley in Minnesota.
2024 MDCP Competition Update
Given the tight fiscal environment for FY24, ITA will not be able to fund MDCP awards. As a result, ITA will not be launching an FY24 competition.
Current MDCP partners may still contact us for assistance or questions.

Active Award Projects
MDCP projects can run for up to 5 years. View all the MDCP projects that are currently active.