Browse Ambrook’s collection of grants, loans, discounts, cost shares, easements, and insurance for shipping & export.

Apply through your local North Dakota lender, not directly to BND. "BND offers this loan by partnering with local lenders. To apply, contact your lender." The ND lender then contacts BND and advises whether it wishes to participate in the loan or prefers BND to proceed without participation.

BND's published process:

1. Ag commodity exporter contacts primary lender.
2. Primary lender contacts Bank of North Dakota; may choose to participate.
3. BND gathers information from the lender or exporter.
4. BND determines if the export transaction qualifies — if not, the request is closed.
5. BND contacts Ex-Im Bank.
6. Ex-Im Bank reviews and determines if qualified — if not, the request is closed.
7. BND writes the request for approval by its Investment Committee and Ex-Im Bank.
8. Transaction terms set; loan documents signed.
9. Exporter completes the transaction.
10. Payment made by BND with Ex-Im insurance.
11. Transaction settled; BND paid.

Questions: (701) 328-5795 or bnd@nd.gov.

Bank of North Dakota Ag Lending

A Bank of North Dakota program, offered in partnership with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, that provides export credit insurance and financing for North Dakota bulk and processed agricultural export sales.



The applicant must be a North Dakota ag commodity exporter. Allowed activities are "the export of bulk ag commodities and food-grade, value-added ag products."

Eligibility does not rest on the exporter alone — the foreign buyer and their country are also screened: "Ex-Im Bank determines eligibility based on financial strength of the foreign buyer and financial and political stability of the country where the buyer is located."

BND separately determines whether the individual export transaction qualifies before referring it to Ex-Im Bank; either party can close the request at its review stage.

A price safety net or insurance on a product that might face situational changes.

Insurance

- Ag Commodity Export Enhancement Program Process (PDF): https://bnd.nd.gov/pdf/agcommodityexportenhancementprogram_process.pdf
- BND Export Enhancement Program (non-ag companion program): https://bnd.nd.gov/business/export-enhancement-program/
- BND contact page: https://bnd.nd.gov/about-bnd/contact/

Insurance coverage of "not less than 90 percent" on bulk commodity sales as well as processed ag product transactions. The program "insures either the ag commodity exporter or BND against the non-payment risks of the foreign buyer, depending upon needs."

- Minimum transaction: $200,000.
- Term: the credit facility runs a maximum of one year. The underlying eligible receivables to be financed are limited to a maximum of 180 days.
- Interest rate: a floating rate based on a fixed spread over a variable rate index determined by BND's Investment Committee.
- Collateral: the Ex-Im insurance policy.
- Fees (all borrower-paid): a facility fee for the administrative costs of quoting the loan, gathering information and making a preliminary qualification determination; trade broker fees, since "because of the complex nature of these transactions, BND will engage an experienced trade broker throughout the process"; and a policy premium to Ex-Im Bank, which is "contingent upon the loan closing and may be eligible to be financed as part of the loan."

Applications are submitted in response to a Request for Proposals, with separate RFPs for dairy exports and for meat/crop exports. The most recent round closed April 9, 2025; DATCP awards these grants on an approximately two-year cycle, so no round is open as of September 2026. Projects may be funded for up to two years, with an option to request a third. Contact DATCPdadgrants@wisconsin.gov.

Wisconsin DATCP — Agricultural Development Grants

Grants from Wisconsin DATCP to help Wisconsin agricultural exporters expand into new markets.



Institutional applicant: Wisconsin-based not-for-profit organizations that currently serve, or can serve, Wisconsin agribusinesses — including agribusiness associations, technical colleges, universities, and economic development organizations. Not open to individual for-profit businesses or farmers directly.

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

Certification

Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Certified Organic

Trade Relief

Grants range from $25,000 to $100,000 per recipient — meat/crop export projects $25,000–$50,000; dairy export projects $25,000–$100,000. A 20% match (cash or in-kind) is required. Eligible costs include trade-promotion travel, event promotion, marketing materials, advertising, contractor fees, and translation services. Funded through the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE).

Applications must include a detailed project plan and budget and are submitted through the Single Application for Assistance. For the 2025–2026 period, the deadline was 5 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2026, with projects to be completed by June 30, 2027; check the program page for the next cycle. Funds must be used for specific project expenses such as market research, trade shows, or consultant fees; permanent personnel costs are not eligible.

Karen Powell

Bureau of Market Development

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Product Promotion, Education, and Export Promotion Matching Grant Program&#x2004;supports nonprofit organizations working on market research, development, and promotion of agricultural products grown, raised, or produced in Pennsylvania. Grants provide matching funds (up to 50%) for market research (identifying opportunities for PA agricultural products), education (educating producers and consumers about market opportunities), and export promotion (developing export markets, with special priority for markets in western African or Caribbean Basin nations). Additional priorities include increasing awareness of PA hardwood lumber and value-added products, promoting PA Preferred® and PA Preferred Organic™ marketing, and promoting the Commonwealth's cider industry.



The Pennsylvania Agricultural Product Promotion, Education, and Export Promotion Matching Grant Program supports nonprofit organizations working on market research, development, and promotion of agricultural products grown, raised, or produced in Pennsylvania. Grants provide matching funds (up to 50%) for market research (identifying opportunities for PA agricultural products), education (educating producers and consumers about market opportunities), and export promotion (developing export markets, with special priority for markets in western African or Caribbean Basin nations). Additional priorities include increasing awareness of PA hardwood lumber and value-added products, promoting PA Preferred® and PA Preferred Organic™ marketing, and promoting the Commonwealth's cider industry.

Grants are open to nonprofit organizations involved in market research or the promotion of Pennsylvania agricultural products. Preference is given to organizations with experience marketing products internationally.

Stewardship

Matching grant covering up to 50% of project costs; minimum grant amount $1,000. Up to $381,810 was available for the 2025–2026 grant period.

List of Agricultural Funding for Shipping & Export