MDCP
The 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 two-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.
ITA is Here to Help
An MDCP award establishes a partnership between ITA and non-profit industry groups like trade associations and standards-developing organizations. In ITA, you gain a partner with more than 2,000 experts located around the globe in more than 75 international markets.
Our specialists have years of experience opening doors and breaking down barriers to trade for U.S. companies looking to export. With our team by your side, your organization and your stakeholders will have a strong advocate and collaborator to help successfully guide you.
Further, an MDCP partnership allows for including the ITA emblem in a suitable place on your organization’s website, on printed programs, in promotional material, and in emails. Use of the ITA emblem is a graphic reminder that your project is backed by a partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.
Eligibility & Project Ideas
An MDCP award to your organization will benefit not just your group, but rather a broad base of U.S. firms or even all U.S. firms in a particular industry.
Eligibility & Qualifications
We invite the following organizations to apply:
- Trade associations
- State departments of trade
- Regional associations of trade and economic development
- World trade centers
- Chambers of commerce
- Small business development centers
- Non-profit industry organizations
Project Ideas
Past MDCP projects have included:
- Trade barrier removal
- Industry export expansion
- Standards and regulatory adoptions
- Infrastructure and training
- Industry advocacy
- Check out Active Projects and Completed Projects for more inspiration.
Our team will be glad to run through MDCP qualifications and brainstorm ideas with you!
Ready to take the next step?
A Long History of Success
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.
Past MDCP Projects
Read about some of the projects that have had significant export successes.
View summaries of completed MDCP projects.
“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)