The national program has generated hundreds of thousands of jobs and played a vital role in supporting small to mid-sized manufacturers.
The Commerce Department decided last week to reverse its April 1 decision to cut future funding for 10 Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers in Kansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Delaware, Maine, Iowa, Nevada, Wyoming, North Dakota, and New Mexico. Funding for these centers will now continue through the end of the fiscal year.
Created in 1988, the MEP National Network is a public-private partnership that has 51 centers that span every state and Puerto Rico, joining industry organizations; federal, state and local governments; and manufacturers to services designed to help small to mid-sized manufacturers become more efficient and strengthen supply chains. Roughly 475 MEP service centers further connect U.S. manufacturers with resources.
In a statement calling for the restoration of Wisconsin’s MEP funding, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) cited that the MEP network has generated a financial return ratio of more than 17:1 for the $175 million that the federal government invested in the program in 2023 and contributed an increase of nearly 309,000 jobs nationwide.
“Small manufacturers rely on MEP Centers for essential support in adopting the latest advanced technologies, updating their cybersecurity, navigating supply chain challenges, and accessing workforce training—resources that are often out of reach for small businesses without this dedicated assistance,” wrote Baldwin and a coalition of senators in a April 8 letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. “These centers drive innovation, boost productivity, and create high-quality jobs, strengthening both local economies and America’s global competitiveness.”
According to a 2024 third-party survey conducted by Fors Marsh with MEP Center clients, the program helped participating manufacturers generate $15 billion in new and retained sales, $5 billion in new client investments, and $2.6 billion in cost savings.
In 2024, Kansas’ MEP “created or retained 2,339 jobs, spurred $122 million in new investment, saved local businesses $14.3 million, and generated $328 million in sales,” according to a statement from Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), who advocated for her state’s MEP funding.
As the Trump administration focuses on strengthening America’s domestic supply chain through trade action, sustaining the MEP program is a powerful means of nurturing U.S. manufacturing. We’re hoping that Commerce takes notes and keeps funding in place for the MEP network. Doing so, will build the kind of robust and varied domestic manufacturing base that can help wean U.S. industry and consumers from our near total dependence on foreign supply chains.