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For Immediate Release
Please Contact: Curt Cultice/Monica Hill, 202-482-3809
October 4, 2000
Commerce
Department Makes Financial Awards to Help U.S. Firms
Washington, D.C. --Commerce Secretary Norman Y. Mineta
announced today the Commerce Department will provide $2.3 million
in awards to seven non-profit trade organizations under the Commerce
Department's Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), a public-private
partnership developed to help small-and medium-sized U.S. firms
expand exports that support jobs for Americans.
"Cooperator projects have been responsible for over $2 billion
in exports since the program began in 1993," Secretary Mineta
said. "This is just one more example of how public-private sector
partnerships are working to increase U.S. exports from small-and
medium-sized businesses and provide economic opportunity for Americans."
The seven award recipients are (Click on name link for more
information):
- Automation
Alley, Troy, MI
- Chrysler
Corporation Small Business Development Center at Duquesne Univ.,
Pittsburgh, PA
- Construction
Industry Manufacturing Association, Milwaukee, WI
- Garment
Industry Development Corporation, New York, NY
- Institute
of the Americas, La Jolla, CA
- Ohio
Valley Regional Development Commission, Waverly, OH
- Packaging
Machinery Manufacturers Institute, Arlington, VA
The seven award-winning organizations will put up $5 million dollars
to match $2.3 million in awards by the Commerce Department. MDCP
awards help to underwrite the start-up costs of innovative export
marketing ventures that these groups are often reluctant to undertake
without Federal support.
Since 1993, the Commerce Department has made fifty-four (54)
MDCP awards. When all projects funded to date have been completed,
the private sector will have spent over $43 million to develop
foreign markets compared to a Federal investment of $17 million.
Now in its eighth year, the MDCP is increasing U.S. exports and
creating jobs for Americans by: challenging the private sector
to think strategically about foreign markets; encouraging private
sector innovation and investment in export marketing; increasing
the number of American companies active in exporting.
The MDCP is a competitive matching grants program that builds
public/private partnerships by providing Federal assistance to
non-profit export multipliers such as states, trade associations,
chambers of commerce, world trade centers, and other non-profit
industry groups that are particularly effective in reaching small-and
medium-sized enterprises.
Organizations interested in the MDCP can obtain additional information
by calling Brad Hess at the Commerce Department: tel. (202) 482-2969,
or by visiting the MDCP web site at www.ita.doc.gov/mdcp.
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