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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has announced $8 million in funding for its Emerging Markets Program (EMP) to help U.S. entities develop, maintain, or expand markets for exports of United States agricultural commodities and to promote cooperation and exchange of information between agricultural institutions and agribusinesses in the U.S. and emerging markets. Funding per award is limited to a maximum of $500,000. Applications are due June 6, 2025 for the initial allocation tranche.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any U.S. private or government entity with a demonstrated role or interest in the export of U.S. agricultural commodities or products. Government organizations consist of Federal, State, and local agencies. Private organizations may include non-profit trade associations, colleges and universities, agricultural cooperatives, state regional trade groups, and private companies. Foreign organizations, whether government or private, may participate as third parties in activities carried out by eligible organizations, but are not eligible for direct funding assistance through the program.

What commodities and markets will the program support?

Eligible Commodities: All U.S. agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for consideration. Processed products that contain at least 50 percent U.S. origin agricultural commodity content by weight, exclusive of added water, are also eligible. Applications that seek support for multiple U.S. commodities are also eligible.

Eligible Markets: No EMP application may target more than four countries. Only applications that exclusively target countries classified below the World Bank’s threshold for high income economies will be considered for funding. (The World Bank’s list of countries by income can be found here.) Countries classified by the World Bank as high income are not eligible markets under EMP, and any application that includes an ineligible market will be found ineligible for consideration. World Bank income limits and country classifications can change from year to year, with the result that a given country may qualify one year but not the next, so applicants should consult the current World Bank country classification list, linked above, for guidance. Any countries off limits for funding due to U.S. sanctions or other restrictions are ineligible regardless of World Bank classification status, so applicants should check U.S. sanctions lists before submitting an application.

What activities will EMP fund?

All EMP applications must fall into at least one of the following four categories:

1. Market Assessments: Assistance to teams (which must clearly consist primarily of U.S. agricultural consultants, agricultural producers, other persons from the private sector, or government officials expert in assessing the food and rural business systems of other countries) to enable those teams to make assessments of the food and rural business systems needs of the target market. This type of proposal must accomplish all three of the following elements:
   1. Conduct an assessment of the food and rural business system needs of an emerging market;
   2. Make recommendations on measures necessary to enhance the effectiveness of those systems, including potential reductions in trade barriers; and
   3. Identify opportunities and projects to enhance the effectiveness of the emerging market’s food and rural business systems.
2. Subsistence Travel to Emerging Markets: Assistance to enable United States food and rural business system experts, including United States agricultural producers and other United States individuals knowledgeable in agricultural and agribusiness matters, to assist in transferring knowledge and expertise to entities in emerging markets.
3. Subsistence Travel to the United States: Assistance to enable individuals designated by emerging markets to consult with such United States experts to enhance the food and rural business systems of such emerging markets and to transfer knowledge and expertise to such emerging markets.
4. Technical Training: Technical assistance to enable individuals or other entities to carry out recommendations, projects, and opportunities in emerging markets.

What are the funding amounts and match requirements?

USDA expects to award no more than $8 million in approximately 40 awards. Funding per award under EMP is limited to a maximum of $500,000. Cost share of at least 10 percent is required of all applicants except Federal government entities.

What are the key dates and deadlines?

The initial application submission deadline is 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, June 6, 2025. All applications received by the initial application submission deadline will be considered for funding in the initial allocation tranche. Applications will continue to be accepted after the initial application submission deadline and will be considered for funding in the order received on the following dates as long as funding remains available: Tranche II deadline – December 31, 2025; Tranche III deadline – March 31, 2026; Tranche IV deadline – June 30, 2026. No applications will be accepted after June 30, 2026.

EMP funds awarded to Federal government agencies must be expended or otherwise obligated by close of business September 30, 2026. All other eligible entities may request funding for up to three years in a single application. After three years, the project is assumed to have proven its viability and, if necessary, must be continued by the recipient with its own or with alternative sources of funding. Multi–year funding may, at FAS’ discretion, be provided one year at a time with commitments beyond the first year subject to interim evaluations and funding availability.

The full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) can be found here.

For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison’s assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.