Federal grant programs / Department of Commerce

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (11.611)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$669 million
• Grant awards146
• Typical award$1.4 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$112 million
• Size rank309 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceCooperative agreements, dissemination of technical information

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $130 million in fiscal 2021 to $112 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 309th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 69% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 51 states and territories.

What the program funds

Enhance competitiveness, productivity, and technological performance in United States manufacturing. Establish, maintain, and support Manufacturing Extension Centers and services, the functions of which are to improve the competitiveness of firms by accelerating the usage of appropriate manufacturing technology by smaller U.S. based manufacturing firms, and partner with the States in developing such technical assistance programs and services for their manufacturing base.

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

Who can apply

For MEP Center projects under 15 U.S.C. § 278k, eligible applicants shall be U.S.­-based nonprofit institutions or organizations or a consortium thereof; institutions of higher education; or a State, U.S. territory, local or tribal government. Applicants generally must contribute at least 50 percent of the proposed service's capital, annual operating and maintenance costs. For competitive awards under 15 U.S.C. § 278k-1, eligible applicants are existing MEP Centers. For extension service planning and pilot services agreements under 15 U.S.C. § 278l, eligible applicants shall be State governments or State- affiliated nonprofit organizations. For multi­state regional planning and pilot services agreements, eligible applicants shall be State and local governments, representing either themselves or a consortium of States, or appropriate private or public nonprofit organizations, operating on behalf of a consortium of States or as a representative of States.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Federal funding provided under this program shall be used for the creation and support of manufacturing extension centers (MEP Centers), or used by the States to plan for and pilot test state­wide extension services. It may also be used to plan for and pilot test services within a multi­state region which has sufficient regional linkages to justify such services. Extension service providers shall be affiliated with a U.S. based nonprofit institution or organization, or a consortium thereof; institution of higher education; or a State, U.S. territory, local or tribal government. Funds may be used for the purpose of demonstrations, technology deployment, active transfer and dissemination of research findings and extension service expertise to a wide range of companies and enterprises, especially small manufacturers with fewer than 500 employees. Congressional funding has been provided annually since fiscal year 1988 (under Manufacturing Technology Centers and the State Technology Extension Program, which were combined into the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership in fiscal year 1993).

Matching requirements

Statutory Formula: Title Statutory Formula: Title Chapter, Part 278, Subpart 15 U.S.C. § 278,Public Law 15 U.S.C. § 278.For MEP Center projects under 15 U.S.C. § 278k, applicants must contribute at least 50 percent of the capital and of the annual operating and maintenance costs required to establish and operate a MEP Center. For competitive awards under 15 U.S.C. § 278k-1, there is not a matching share requirement. For extension service planning and pilot services agreements under 15 U.S.C. § 278l, there is not a matching requirement.For MEP Center projects under 15 U.S.C. § 278k, applicants must contribute at least 50 percent of the capital and of the annual operating and maintenance costs required to establish and operate a MEP Center. For competitive awards under 15 U.S.C. § 278k-1, there is not a matching share requirement. For extension service planning and pilot services agreements under 15 U.S.C. § 278l, there is not a matching requirement.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Individual awards for extension service planning and pilot testing and special project agreements generally range between $25,000 and $100,000. Awards for Manufacturing Extension Centers generally range between of $500,000 to $15,000,000 annually. Competitive awards generally range between $500,000 and $1,000,000 per award.

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

Nonprofits received 58% of the money, colleges and universities 24% and state and local governments 18%.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

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