Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the five recipients of the Department’s 2016 Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) awards. The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association, the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, The Maritime Alliance, and the U.S.-China Environmental Education Foundation will share more than $1.3 million in financial and technical assistance from Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) to support projects that improve the global competitiveness of U.S. industries.

"The Market Development Cooperator Program awards create partnerships between the Department of Commerce and organizations committed to assisting U.S. small and medium-sized businesses expand exports of their 'Made in America' goods and services," said Secretary Pritzker. "These partnerships will improve our global competitiveness, strengthen our economy, and create good-paying jobs here at home."

Non-profit groups compete for a limited number of MDCP awards by proposing innovative projects that generate exports that create or support U.S. jobs. Awardees pledge to pay a minimum of two-thirds of the project cost and to continue the program after the MDCP award period ends.

This year’s recipients are expected to generate or preserve more than $359 million in U.S. exports during the next three years in return for the Federal government’s $1.3 million investment. On average, from 1997 through 2015, projects generated $336 in exports for every $1 of MDCP awards made.

Since the program’s inception in 1993, ITA has issued 146 awards to 112 organizations in 32 states. The program has helped facilitate more than $11 billion in exports. In an average year, MDCP projects generate $567 million in U.S. exports.

For more information about the Market Development Cooperator Program, please visit www.trade.gov/mdcp.