Activities That Have Happened

Q: Can I apply for MAP Branded funds retroactively (after doing an activity)?

A: No, companies must apply and be approved for Branded funds before they can receive reimbursement for an activity. A company may receive reimbursements for eligible promotional activities that occur between the date an application is approved and the last date of the year. Any spending that occurs before the approval date is not reimbursable. However, there are four exceptions pertaining only to trade shows:

1. Trade show booth expense
2. Expenses for freight to send samples, displays, and/or literature to trade show
3. International airfare
4. Hotel deposits

Reimbursement for the above expenses is only eligible after the associated trade show occurs. These expenses cannot be reimbursed before the activity is over.

Travel Expenses

Q: Can my distributor be reimbursed for travel expenses to promote my products overseas?

A: SUSTA is unable to reimburse any travel expenses for distributors, importers or consultants. SUSTA is only able to reimburse international travel expenses for two employees of the U.S. company that applied for MAP Branded funds. See the MAP Branded Participant Manual for details of eligible travel expenses.

Large Company

Q: What if I am promoting products for a large company? Can they apply for MAP Branded funds?

A: Most large companies do not meet the Small Business Administration (SBA) guidelines that are used to determine whether a company qualifies for the Branded program. However, a small company can apply for funding to promote a large company's products. You would have to provide the Brand Owner Permission form, signed by the owner of the brand, to SUSTA with your MAP Branded application.

Brand Owner Permission

Q: If I sign the Brand Owner Permission form in the MAP Branded application, will this give the company applying for Branded funds the right to sell my products?

A: The Brand Owner Permission form does not give the applicant company the exclusive right to sell products. The form only certifies that the company will promote the products in the country markets listed in their application for MAP Branded funding.

Company from Another Region

Q: My company is based in California. Can we apply for funding with SUSTA?

A: A company from another region must contact the State Regional Trade Group (SRTG) that covers the state where their company is located (in the case of California, this is WUSATA). Four SRTGs work with small agribusinesses in different regions of the United States (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West). If the SRTG in your region is unable to assist you with funding, you may apply for funds through SUSTA.

Can Importers Apply?

Q: Can a foreign importer apply for funding and get reimbursed?

A: No, SUSTA cannot directly reimburse foreign importers under MAP Branded. SUSTA works directly with companies located in the United States (mostly in the southern region of the U.S.). The U.S. company applies for MAP Branded funding by completing an application. If the company has a distributor, the company provides the importer/distributor’s contact information in the application. The U.S. company also provides the importer/distributor’s financial contribution in the application. Once the U.S. company's application is approved and the company provides the signed MAP Branded contract and administration fee (based on the approved allocation), the company works with the importer on promotional activities such as trade shows, in-store demonstrations, and advertisements. After the completion of activities, the following documentation is required for SUSTA to reimburse expenses:

• The invoice from the original vendor(s) of the good or service to the importer
• The proof of payment from the importer to the original vendor(s)
• The invoice from the importer to the MAP Branded participant (U.S. company)
• The proof of payment from the MAP Branded participant to the importer

The entire paper trail back to the original vendor(s) - whether the vendor(s) is in the United States or in a foreign country - is required for all promotional activity expenses.

Not Brand Owner

Q: What if my company does not own the products I am promoting?



A: If your company does not own the brand name products you are promoting, you must have the owner(s) of the branded products sign the Brand Owner Permission Form in SUSTA's Branded Application (www.susta.org/services/map_application.html). The original signatures of the brand owner(s) and the applicant company are required on file when applying for MAP Branded funds.