An Import that Helps Exporters?

U.S. manufacturers of specialty auto equipment scrutinize the underside of a Toyota HiLux truck. The vehicle is manufactured and marketed abroad but is not sold in the United States. It was brought into the country temporarily--not actually imported--by the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association. SEMA's technical measuring sessions of the HiLux are part of an MDCP project to help U.S. manufacturers sell more specialty auto equipment in China and the Gulf States of the Arabian Peninsula. SEMA members will use their measurements to create new products for this popular vehicle. ITA awarded SEMA $500,000 in 2011. The trade association is matching this with $1,491,000 of its own funds in support of a three-year foreign-market-development project.

In the first year of its MDCP project, SEMA members have credited the MDCP project for generating over 50 sales to foreign customers. Read more about SEMA's project in tradeology.

MDCP Awards: Industry Groups Can Get Up to $300,000 for Foreign Market Development Projects
Each year, ITA makes several financial assistance awards to industry groups to pursue projects that help U.S. firms export and create jobs. Find out more about getting funds to help on our About MDCP page.

Applicants Take Notice: Project Narrative Page Limit is 20
For the 2013 competition, the project narrative is limited to 20 pages. (For the 2012 competition, the limit was 25 pages.) See the updated mock application for an example of a 20-page project narrative.

2013 Competition Opened January 14: Applications Due February 28
Prepare your industry group to compete for MDCP funds. The 2013 competition opened January 14, 2013. The announcement is available on this website or via grants.gov. If you are not already familiar with the program, start with our About MDCP page. The deadline for submissions is February 28, 2013.

2012 Winners of MDCP Awards
The nine recipients of the 2012 Market Development Cooperator Program awards are:

• American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), New York, NY – $284,300
• The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington, D.C. – $299,139
• AMT-The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), McLean, Va. – $290,762
• Evergreen Building Products Association (EBPA), Tacoma, Wa. – $299,063
• Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation (iCET), South Pasadena, CA – $300,000
• Mississippi River Parkway Commission, Madison, Wis. —$240,000
• Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI), Cleveland, OH —$165,704
• Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, Inc. (RVIA), Reston, Va. —$300,000
• World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara, Buffalo, NY —$218,771

National Export Initiative and Creating Jobs
It is estimated that a $200,000 increase in exports creates one U.S. job (See study on jobs and exports.) Accordingly, the National Export Initiative is an important effort to stimulate economic growth and broad-based prosperity.

How to Know if You Are On Our Email Contact List
If you received an email on November 27, 2012 then you are on the list. If you did not receive an email and you have not received an email since then notifying you that you are on the list, please email Ms. Latonya Milstead at Latonya.Milstead@trade.gov and request to be added to the contact list.

Who from ITA Works with MDCP Award Winners?
In addition to MDCP Director Brad Hess, MDCP award winners will work with a team of ITA professionals who can help them accomplish project goals. You can search for likely ITA team members using the directories on line 4 of Step-by-Step Application Process.

MDCP is designed for non-profits, trade associations, etc. that represent an industry. It is not designed for individual companies. For more information about eligibility for financial assistance programs other than MDCP, visit the eligibility page of grants.gov.