Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS TM FSMIP G 18 0004
The Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service that offers matching funds to help eligible applicants explore new market opportunities and support research and innovation that improve how agricultural products are marketed in the United States. The program is designed to strengthen the efficiency and overall performance of the U.S. agricultural marketing system, with projects allowed to target any point in the marketing chain, including direct-to-consumer sales, wholesale channels, and retail markets. For this funding cycle, the total funding available is about $1 million, with individual awards capped at $250,000 and an estimated 40 awards expected.
A key requirement is that projects must be strongly centered on marketing and must include a real research component, not just outreach or implementation. The program is looking for proposals that identify and address barriers, challenges, or emerging opportunities in agricultural marketing, and that generate evidence-based findings that producers, agribusinesses, and the broader marketing system can use. If an applicant wants to propose a training or education effort, that can be eligible, but only if it is paired with research that measures the effect of the training on clear marketing outcomes. In other words, FSMIP is not simply paying for classes or workshops; it wants applicants to test whether those activities actually move the needle on marketing goals.
The intended beneficiaries are agricultural producers and agribusinesses, and proposals are expected to benefit multiple producers or businesses rather than a single private entity. Projects that mainly serve one individual producer or one specific agribusiness are not eligible and will not be considered. While projects may involve agricultural entities of any size (small, medium, or large), they should be structured so the benefits extend beyond one operation, such as improving market access for groups of producers, strengthening supply chain performance across a region, or producing research findings that can be applied broadly.
FSMIP is appropriate for projects that address issues with state-level, multi-state, or national significance. The program places particular value on collaboration, especially proposals that bring together state partners, universities, the farm sector, and other relevant stakeholders. At the same time, the program is open to smaller or more unique proposals that function as pilot projects or case studies, as long as they are designed to be useful as models for others. For these smaller-scale efforts, applicants are expected to include an objective focused on analyzing the opportunity and developing recommendations for how the work could be scaled up or adapted to other regions.
Eligibility is limited to state governments and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant under CFDA 10.156. The funding opportunity number is USDA AMS TM FSMIP G 18 0004. The notice was created on March 7, 2018, and applications were originally due May 7, 2018. USDA AMS also scheduled a teleconference to walk through the Request for Applications and answer questions on March 29, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, with participation instructions available through the agency contact.Apply for USDA AMS TM FSMIP G 18 0004
- The Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.156.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 07, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 07, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 40 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) FAQs
What is the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP)?
FSMIP is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). It provides matching funds to help eligible applicants explore new market opportunities and support research and innovation that improve how agricultural products are marketed in the United States.
What is the main purpose of FSMIP funding?
The program is designed to strengthen the efficiency and overall performance of the U.S. agricultural marketing system. Projects are expected to identify and address barriers, challenges, or emerging opportunities in agricultural marketing and produce evidence-based findings that the broader marketing system can use.
How much total funding is available for this funding cycle?
About $1 million is available in total for this cycle.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
Individual awards are capped at $250,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity estimates about 40 awards.
Is FSMIP a competitive grant or a formula grant?
FSMIP is a competitive (discretionary) grant opportunity.
Does FSMIP require a match?
Yes. FSMIP offers matching funds, meaning applicants should expect to provide a match as part of the project. (The specific match rate is not provided in the information shown.)
What types of projects are eligible under FSMIP?
Projects must be strongly centered on agricultural marketing and may target any point in the marketing chain, including direct-to-consumer sales, wholesale channels, and retail markets. The program supports research and innovation intended to improve how agricultural products are marketed in the U.S.
Can a project focus on direct-to-consumer markets?
Yes. Projects may target direct-to-consumer sales as one point in the marketing chain.
Can a project focus on wholesale or retail markets?
Yes. Projects are allowed to target wholesale channels and retail markets as well.
What is meant by the project being "centered on marketing"?
FSMIP expects proposals to focus on marketing-related questions, challenges, or opportunities and to generate findings that improve the marketing system. Projects that are not strongly marketing-focused are not aligned with the program as described.
Is a research component required?
Yes. A key requirement is that the project include a real research component. The program is not intended to fund only outreach, training, or implementation without research.
Will FSMIP fund outreach-only or implementation-only projects?
No. Proposals must include research and be more than outreach or implementation alone.
Can training or education activities be included in an FSMIP project?
Yes, training or education can be eligible, but only when paired with research that measures the effect of the training on clear marketing outcomes. FSMIP is not simply paying for workshops or classes; it wants applicants to test whether those activities produce measurable marketing results.
What does FSMIP expect from training or education projects in particular?
The program expects training and education efforts to be evaluated through research that measures whether the activities improve marketing outcomes. The training should be designed so the project can determine whether it "moves the needle" on marketing goals.
Who are the intended beneficiaries of FSMIP projects?
The intended beneficiaries are agricultural producers and agribusinesses.
Do projects need to benefit more than one producer or business?
Yes. Proposals are expected to benefit multiple producers or multiple businesses rather than a single private entity.
Are projects that primarily serve one producer or one agribusiness eligible?
No. Projects that mainly serve one individual producer or one specific agribusiness are not eligible and will not be considered.
Can projects involve small, medium, or large agricultural entities?
Yes. Projects may involve agricultural entities of any size, but they should be structured so the benefits extend beyond a single operation.
What are examples of how a project can extend benefits beyond one operation?
Examples described include improving market access for groups of producers, strengthening supply chain performance across a region, or producing research findings that can be applied broadly across the marketing system.
What geographic scope or significance does FSMIP prefer?
FSMIP is appropriate for projects that address issues with state-level, multi-state, or national significance.
Does FSMIP encourage collaboration?
Yes. The program places particular value on collaboration, especially proposals that bring together state partners, universities, the farm sector, and other relevant stakeholders.
Are smaller pilot projects or case studies allowed?
Yes. FSMIP is open to smaller or more unique proposals that function as pilot projects or case studies, as long as they are designed to be useful as models for others.
If a project is a pilot or case study, what extra expectation is mentioned?
Applicants are expected to include an objective focused on analyzing the opportunity and developing recommendations for how the work could be scaled up or adapted to other regions.
Who is eligible to apply for FSMIP?
Eligibility is limited to state governments and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Are private companies eligible to apply directly?
Not based on the eligibility statement provided. The eligible applicant types listed are state governments and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.156.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA AMS TM FSMIP G 18 0004.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on March 7, 2018.
When were applications due for the cycle described?
Applications were originally due May 7, 2018.
Did USDA AMS offer an informational call about the Request for Applications?
Yes. USDA AMS scheduled a teleconference to walk through the Request for Applications and answer questions.
When was the USDA AMS teleconference scheduled?
The teleconference was scheduled for March 29, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
How could applicants get instructions to participate in the teleconference?
Participation instructions were available through the agency contact.
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