To Do: Increase Funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Recommendation
Congress and the administration should align to increase the Manufacturing Extension Partnership’s annual funding to at least $200 million annually.
Details
The MEP program plays a critical role in advancing the innovation capabilities of America’s small manufacturers. However, the program has long been underfunded in comparison both to historical norms and international competitors. For instance, as a share of GDP, Japan invests 30 times more in its Kohsetsushi centers than the United States invests in its MEP; Germany invests approximately 20 times as much overall in its Fraunhofer centers. Additional federal funding would allow MEP centers to develop more programs helping companies scale up from lower- to higher-volume production and get innovative products to market faster.
Keep reading:
▪ Stephen J. Ezell and Robert D. Atkinson, “International Benchmarking of Countries’ Policies and Programs Supporting SME Manufacturers” (ITIF, September 2011), https://itif.org/publications/2011/09/14/international-benchmarking-countries-policies-and-programs-supporting-sme/.
