Food for Progress (10.606)
Food for Progress (Assistance Listing 10.606) is run by the Foreign Agricultural Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $769 million in 188 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $4.1 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $36,076. Half of the 188 awards fell between $13,960 and $256,865, and they ranged from $155 to $76.4 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$769 million
- Grant awards188
- Typical award$36,076
- Awarded in FY 2025$271 million
- Size rank291 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceDirect payments for specified use (cooperative agreements), sale, exchange, or donation of property and goods
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $18.3 million in fiscal 2021 to $271 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 291st largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 17 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 7 states and territories.
What the program funds
In order to use the food resources of the United States more effectively in support of developing countries, and countries that are emerging democracies that have made commitments to introduce or expand free enterprise elements in their agricultural economies through changes in commodity pricing, marketing, input availability, distribution, and private sector involvement, Food for Progress (FFPr) furnishes agricultural commodities to those countries, which are then sold. The proceeds from those sales is used to provide technical assistance intended to improve agricultural productivity in those countries, and to expand trade of agricultural products to, from, and within those countries. Program effectiveness is tracked against 24 standard indicators relating to increased agricultural productivity, improved land and water resource quality, use of financial services, institutional capacity, leverage of private sector resources, post-harvest infrastructure, and expansion of agricultural trade.
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
Who can apply
An intergovernmental organization, a private voluntary organization, a nonprofit agricultural organization or cooperative, a nongovernmental organization, a college or university in the United States (as defined by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Act of 1977), or any other private entity.
What the money can and cannot pay for
All allocable, reasonable, and allowable expenses are permitted, as defined at 7 CFR § 1499.11 and 2 CFR 200 Subpart E. Funds provided under the FFPr Program may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by the program regulations at 7 CFR part 1499, as supplemented by 2 CFR part 200 and 2 CFR part 400. Any funding restrictions stated in the Budget Narrative section or any section within the corresponding Notice of Funding Opportunity also apply to funds provided under Food for Progress. Program. In addition, funds provided under the FFPr Program may only be used for the purposes set forth in the award and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Funds provided under the FFPr Program and non–monetary support may not be used for matching contributions for other Federal grants or cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Federal employees are prohibited from serving in any capacity (paid or unpaid) with regard to any application submitted under this program. Federal employees may not receive funds under this award. Also, Federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity. Selected applicants may be able to incur pre-award costs consistent with instructions provided in the award letter.;
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Food for Progress cooperative agreements generally have 3-5-year implementation periods and awards ranging from $10-40 million, including commodity, freight, and a small amount of funds to support administrative operations.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2019: $0Fiscal Year2022: In 2022, seven new awards (and supplemental funding to ongoing projects) supported climate-smart agriculture, cultivation of niche tropical crops, trade facilitation, coffee, and cacao sectors in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.Fiscal Year2023: In 2023, projects to support agricultural productivity were supported in Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Lesotho, Mauritania, Nepal, and Togo.Fiscal Year2024: In 2024, projects to improve food safety systems, agricultural productivity, access to finance, and food security systems, were supported in Benin, Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Tunisia.Fiscal Year2025: In 2025, projects to improve food safety systems, agricultural productivity, access to finance, and food security systems, were supported in Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, and Vietnam.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Food for Progress (10.606) awarded $769 million across 188 grant awards, an average of $4.1 million per award.
Who usually wins
Almost all of the money went to nonprofits.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 182 | $768 million | 100% |
| Individuals | 6 | $687,764 | less than 0.1% |
By state
6 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 34 | $425 million |
| Maryland | 11 | $149 million |
| Minnesota | 107 | $75.2 million |
| Arkansas | 7 | $47.8 million |
| Virginia | 22 | $39.1 million |
| North Carolina | 1 | $32.7 million |
| Missouri | 6 | $687,764 |