SBA Announces Cooperative Agreements Available for State Trade and Export Promotion
April 7, 2015
(SBA)
SBA to Award $17 Million to Promote Small Business Exporting
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the U.S. Small
Business Administration (SBA) announced today, on her one year anniversary at
the helm of the agency that states will be able to apply for cooperative
agreement awards from the federal agency starting April 8 to support efforts to
increase exporting by small businesses. The State Trade and Export Promotion
(STEP) Program, in line with the goal of creating bold market opportunities for
entrepreneurs across the nation, will award $17.4 million to states by September
30, 2015. Cooperative agreements will be awarded on a competitive basis.
“Last year, the SBA shattered our record for trade finance, supporting $3.1
billion in exports. We can do even more to help our small businesses reach the
95 percent of consumers who live outside our borders," said Administrator
Contreras-Sweet. "Through STEP awards, the SBA can work together with states to
help more small businesses will become exporters and expand their export sales.
In the process, these small businesses will create jobs and strengthen the
economies in their communities, across their state and the nation.”
The STEP initiative has two objectives: 1) increase the number of small
businesses that begin to export, and 2) increase the value of exports for small
businesses that currently export. The 50 states, the District of Columbia,
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands are eligible to apply. The award
amounts will vary based on the project plan, budget, and competitive quality
proposed by the state. Expanding the base of small business exporters and
making the process as easy as possible is a key component of the
Administration’s National Export Initiative NEXT.
Results for the STEP program have been very strong. Awardees reported a return
on investment of federal funds of over seventeen-to-one during the first two
award years.
A state may not submit more than one application for a STEP award and should
support the following export related activities: participation in foreign trade
missions, foreign market sales trips, subscription services provided by the U.S.
Department of Commerce, design of international marketing campaigns, export
trade show exhibits, training workshops or other export initiatives that are in
line with the objectives of the pilot program.
The STEP Program announcement will be posted at www.grants.gov on April 8, 2015.
The application period will be from April 8 through May 20, 2015. For more
information, visit http://www.sba.gov/step.
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