Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (10.156)

Also known as Federal- State Marketing Improvement Program

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$5.4 million
• Grant awards28
• Typical award$195,222
• Awarded in FY 2025$922,039
• Size rank1,607 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $2.1 million in fiscal 2021 to $922,039 in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 1607th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 18 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 16 states and territories.

What the program funds

FSMIP program supports projects that explore and identify new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products. The program encourages research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and performance of the U.S. agricultural marketing system. FSMIP funds a wide range of applied research projects that address barriers, challenges, and opportunities in marketing, transportation, and distribution of U.S. food and agricultural products domestically and internationally.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

What the money can and cannot pay for

Applications may deal with barriers, challenges or opportunities at any stage of the marketing chain including direct, wholesale, and retail. Applications may involve small, medium or large- scale agricultural entities but should potentially benefit multiple producers. Proprietary applications that benefit one business or individual will not be considered. Applications that address issues of importance at the State, regional or national level are appropriate for FSMIP. FSMIP also seeks unique applications on a smaller scale that may serve as pilot projects or case studies useful as a model for others. Of particular interest are applications that reflect a collaborative approach between the States, academia, the farm sector and other appropriate entities and stakeholders.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. This program requires a $1-for-$1 cost sharing .MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Funding opportunities are available annually. Applicants must review the applicable Request for Applications (RFA) for specific application deadlines. Refer to the program webpage at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants and visit the How to Apply tab for additional information.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Range of award amount is from $50,000 to $250,000.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: Awardee evaluated consumer preferences and producer benefits from selling pecan products with varying health-and taste-related information which allowed identifying marketing promotional materials with potential for increasing pecan sales. Scientific evidence on the health-promoting properties of pecans was used as a powerful marketing tool to reach potential markets that were driven by health awareness. These markets have been the basis for the extraordinary growth of sales of specialty crops in recent years. Both health and taste attributes of pecans was simultaneously evaluated in the study conducted. There were three stages: 1) They compiled and developed marketing messages – varying in health and taste-related information and collaborated with pecan producers. 2) “They generated experimental evidence from economic experiments with producers and an online experiment with consumers using a non-hypothetical auction-like mechanism. 3) The findings from the second stage were used to develop and test marketing promotional materials currently considered by the pecan industry. The conclusion of this project was used to enhance the already successful programs developed by the pecan industry for developing a systematic marketing strategy that informed producers/retailers of other specialty crops about to successfully improve sales.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Colleges and universities received 77% of the money, state and local governments 12% and nonprofits 4.6%.

By state

No state received $1 million or 10 awards from this program, so it has no state pages.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.