SBA

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration announced this week that $18 million in funding has been awarded to 44 State international trade agencies through SBA’s competitive State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), to support export growth among U.S. small businesses.

STEP is designed to increase both the number of small businesses that begin to export and the value of exports for small businesses currently exporting. Expanding the base of small business exporters and making the process as easy as possible is a key component of the Administration’s small business strategy.

“The awards will provide a solid foundation for small businesses planning to enter and set them up for success,” said SBA Administrator Linda McMahon.

Last year (FY 2016), the Kansas Department of Commerce was awarded $383,000 in STEP grant funding to support small businesses for their participation in export training, market entry programs, tradeshows, and trade missions. Kansas provided access to multiple export seminars and courses, offered by many partners like the Kansas Small Business Development Center and the US Commercial Service. In addition, Kansas provided exhibition opportunities under the U.S. Pavilion at the Paris Air Show, as well as participation in trade missions to Mexico, Brazil, China, and countries in Central Asia.

The 2017 STEP awards will allow states to assist small businesses with the information and tools they need to succeed in export related activities that are in line with the objectives of the program. These objectives include participation in foreign trade missions, foreign market sales trips, services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as design of international marketing campaigns, export trade show exhibits, training workshops and more.

STEP awards are managed and provided at the local level by state government organizations. The program is managed at the national level by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of International Trade.

In SBA Region 7 States of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska the following new awards were made:
Iowa – Iowa Economic Development Authority – $265,000
Kansas – Kansas Department of Commerce – $380,000
Missouri – Missouri Division of Business & Community Services – $400,000
Nebraska – Nebraska Department of Economic Development – $263,720
See the full list of STEP awardees for FY 2017.

About the Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. To learn more about SBA, visit http://www.sba.gov.