Press Release - 9/21/2022
Contact Information:
Cheryl Delk-Le Good, Executive Director
EnglishUSA
404-567-6875
execdirector@englishusa.org
U.S. Department of Commerce Awards Market Development Cooperator Program Grant to EnglishUSA
Atlanta, Georgia – EnglishUSA, the largest professional trade association of accredited intensive English language programs in the U.S., has been awarded one of six Department of Commerce Market Development Cooperator Program grants to generate exports and support high quality U.S. jobs. The award recipients were announced today by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.
The Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), which is administered by Commerce’s International Trade Administration, is awarding more than $1.7 million in financial and technical assistance to six non-profit industry groups to promote U.S. exports and reduce barriers to U.S. products and services across the world, including creating and retaining high-quality jobs.
Study at a U.S. intensive English or pathway program generates a substantial subset of U.S. education services exports; EnglishUSA projects that with its collaborative MDCP efforts, $4.9 million dollars in exports will be generated during the 3-year project period with its focus on South and Central America.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the six new financial awards today and provided statement to the association: “The U.S. Department of Commerce is pleased to support EnglishUSA’s project ‘Promoting and Supporting English Language Study in the U.S.A.’ EnglishUSA will start by collecting more enhanced data from the industry that will allow all providers of intensive English programs (IEPs) to better understand the needs of potential clients abroad. Following up, EnglishUSA will help IEP providers increase exports of their services through virtual events, outbound trade missions, and through regional promotion in South and Central America.”
“These funds and the collaborative projects are a game-changer for the industry,” said Cheryl Delk-Le Good, Executive Director for EnglishUSA. “We will be proactively collaborating with partners both in the U.S. and overseas to create a greater presence and commitment to enrolling more English language program students in our 215+ member programs across the U.S., in both private language schools and university/college and community-college based intensive English and pathway programs."
As an ITA Strategic Partner for several years, EnglishUSA looks forward to its ongoing collaboration with the Global Education Team led by U.S. Commercial Service – Global Education Team Leader, Gabriela Zelaya as well as multiple Commercial Specialists, who will be collaborating with the association and its members in this project.
Non-profit industry groups compete each year for up to $300,000 in federal funding for innovative and sustainable MDCP projects that help U.S. businesses generate or expand exports and create or sustain jobs. The six MDCP awardees for 2022 will contribute at least $3.4 million in funding of their own resources and collaborate with International Trade Administration staff around the world to remove trade barriers and promote U.S. exports in their industries.
About EnglishUSA
EnglishUSA is the largest professional membership organization of over 200 high quality, accredited post-secondary English language programs. EnglishUSA was established in 1986 (American Association of Intensive English Programs) to represent and support post-secondary English language programs in the United States. To learn more about the association, visit www.englishusa.org.