The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) has announced the 2026 Foreign Market Development (FMD) Cooperator Program funding opportunity. This program is designed to assist nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations in creating, expanding, and maintaining long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and products. The USDA/FAS anticipates making approximately 20 awards under this program, with expected federal funding totaling no less than $34.5 million. However, the final amount is contingent upon Congressional appropriations for FY 2026. The program is competitive and applicants must demonstrate a clear and detailed strategy for market development to receive funding.

The purpose of the Cooperator Program is to share the costs of overseas market development and maintenance activities with eligible U.S. agricultural organizations. All U.S. agricultural commodities, excluding tobacco, are considered eligible for promotion under this initiative. Activities supported by the program aim to expand market access, address trade constraints, and enhance the competitiveness of U.S. commodities in international markets. Funded organizations are expected to develop comprehensive marketing plans and performance metrics, and to provide annual reporting to evaluate program impact and efficiency.

Funding may be used for a wide range of eligible expenses as outlined in the program regulations. However, indirect costs are not allowed, and expenditures such as lobbying, federal legal proceedings, and certain capital investments are prohibited. Applicants are required to contribute at least 50 percent of the total project value in cost-sharing, which can be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Each organization may only submit one application, and the program will not fund multiple proposals from the same applicant.

Eligible applicants must be nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organizations that promote the export of U.S. agricultural commodities and do not have a direct commercial interest in sales. Applications must be submitted through the USDA/FAS Unified Export Strategy (UES) system. Required application materials include a detailed marketing plan, participant profiles, targeted market analyses, proposed activities, and justification for federal assistance. All organizations must be registered and active in SAM.gov and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Applicants must meet the submission deadline of June 6, 2025, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Questions must be submitted by May 30, 2025. Submissions outside of the UES system will not be accepted. Evaluation criteria focus on strategic planning, program management, demonstrated past performance, collaboration, innovation, and the ability to show measurable outcomes and increased exports as a result of program activities.

Applications will undergo a multi-phase review including eligibility threshold checks, a technical scoring process, and funding endorsements. Funding decisions will consider past program performance, alignment with program goals, contribution levels, export impact, and agency priorities. Notifications will be sent by email and final awards are subject to USDA/FAS approval. Post-award requirements include detailed reporting on expenditures, contributions, and outcomes, and recipients must be prepared for site visits and federal monitoring.