State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)

Grant Overview

State Trade Expansion Program (STEP): How Small Businesses Actually Get Export Funding

Key Grant Information

Ongoing

01

State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)

Funded by U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

02

Grant Snapshot

Grant Award

Various Benefits

Application Deadline

Periodic and state-specific

Eligible Region

United States

03

Eligibility and Benefits

Eligibility Criteria

• For-profit U.S. small business
• Must meet SBA size standards
• At least one year in operation
• Products or services with 51% U.S. content
• Export-ready (New-to-Export or Market Expansion)
• Not debarred or suspended from federal programs
• Sufficient cash flow for upfront costs

04

Focus Areas

Export Funding Small Business International Trade

The State Trade Expansion Program Two-Tier Gate

The SBA does not read small business applications for the State Trade Expansion Program. It funds state entities^[1]. Who actually reviews your paperwork? Your state agency does. Check the SBA roster of awardee contacts^[2]. Those state entities then reimburse small businesses for export costs, a structure that catches a lot of applicants off guard. If you are looking at other export trade funding, grasp this two-tier model first.

Federal funding does not automatically tell you whether your state window is open right now. Whether a standalone FY2026 NOFO has been issued for the current federal fiscal year remains unconfirmed in the locked source set. Do not assume continuity without checking the latest SBA material. The Periodic and state-specific shows the deadline logic for this page.

The Reimbursement Reality

Every dollar you spend on a trade show, trade mission, or website localization activity comes out of your pocket first. This cash-flow requirement is a make-or-break friction point for many applicants^[3]. STEP is strictly a reimbursement fund. You pay the vendor, complete the activity, and then request reimbursement.

States commonly reimburse somewhere in the 50 percent to 90 percent range, but the exact rate depends on the state and sometimes the activity. Can your business float several thousand dollars for a few months if the reimbursement takes time?

Need a reality check before you start building the export budget? Submit a Grant Assessment and test whether the reimbursement timing fits your cash flow.

Check Your Cash Flow Fit

The Eligibility Floor

You must be a for-profit U.S. small business with at least one year of operations and products or services that meet the 51 percent U.S. content rule^[5]. That is the federal floor. Some states layer on more conditions for certain activities, and you still need to meet the SBA size standard for your NAICS code.

Export-ready matters here. STEP generally targets businesses that are New-to-Export or expanding into a new foreign market. If you are already fully established in the exact market you want to reach, the fit can weaken. For service businesses, the 51 percent rule can be harder to document than it is for physical products, so ask your state office what evidence they want. If you need broader options beyond this export program, browse our small business grant coverage.

Now that you have the baseline, use the tool below to test fit against the federal floor and the reimbursement realities above. Eligible routes should move toward the application submission modal. Unsure routes should move toward expert consultation. Ineligible routes can move to matched grants research when available.

What the State Trade Expansion Program Funds (and What It Blocks)

STEP covers export-related activities such as trade shows, trade missions, and website localization. It does not cover lobbying, general overhead, or new product development^[6]. Do not build passport fees, visa fees, general overhead, or new product development into the budget because those costs are not eligible and may be denied.

State Trade Expansion Program Variance by State

No two states offer the same deal. The figures below are state-specific examples pulled from the locked source set, not a national STEP standard. That is the whole point here. A shortcut assumption can blow up your budget fast^[7].

The Application Sequence

Written pre-approval from your state is mandatory before you book a flight or pay a vendor^[8]. The sequence is not complicated, but it is rigid. First confirm that your state has an active award and an open window. Then confirm you meet the federal floor, choose an eligible activity, build the budget, submit the pre-approval request, complete the activity, and file for reimbursement with itemized proof of payment.

State-specific timing rules can get messy. If you want help mapping your exact sequence, talk to an export grant expert before you spend money.

Book an Expert Consultation

Verified Success

Sciencix, a North Carolina lab equipment firm, used STEP to expand exports and was named SBA Exporter of the Year^[9]. That is not just a nice story. Congressional research has also credited STEP with historical export sales impact of up to $42 for every $1 invested^[10].

Your Next Move

If your state has an active award and you can float the upfront costs, your next move is a pre-approval application. Do not wait for a national deadline. It does not exist. Your state window may be rolling or may close quickly, so your first check is always the state administrator.

Ready to test fit before you gather quotes and paperwork? Start with a Grant Assessment.

Check Your STEP Eligibility

Your Grant Assessment fee is non-refundable, but the base assessment fee can be deducted once toward the same grant’s Full Application when you choose the optional checkbox at checkout.

Need help sorting state rules, export readiness, and reimbursement timing? Book an expert consultation.

Book an Expert Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is STEP a loan I have to pay back?

No. It is a reimbursement grant. You spend your own money on approved export activity first, and the state reimburses you according to its rules and rate.

What exactly counts as 51 percent U.S. content for a service business?

For services, this can be less obvious than it is for products. The federal rule still applies, but states may want different supporting documentation. Ask your state office how they want you to document where the work is performed and how the service qualifies under the U.S. content rule.

Can I apply if my state is not in the SBA roster?

If your state does not have an active STEP award, you cannot apply through STEP^[11]. In that case, browse our United States grant coverage for other funding paths.

When is the application deadline?

There is no single national deadline for small businesses. State administrators set their own windows, and many run first-come, first-served or periodic application cycles^[12]. Use the Periodic and state-specific tool to track your state window.

What Pre-Approval and NOFO Mean for Your State Trade Expansion Program Application

Pre-approval means written authorization from your state administrator before you incur an eligible cost. Without it, the cost is usually unreimbursable. A NOFO is the federal Notice of Funding Opportunity the SBA issues to states and territories, not the small business application form you submit.

Source Notes

1. State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). U.S. Small Business Administration.
2. SBA Roster of STEP Awardees. U.S. Small Business Administration.
3. Global NY State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). Empire State Development; STEP Grant. Opportunity Louisiana.
4. STEP Grant. Florida Small Business Development Center.
5. FY2025 NOFO (OIT-STEP-2025-01). U.S. Small Business Administration.
6. State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). U.S. Small Business Administration; FY2025 NOFO (OIT-STEP-2025-01). U.S. Small Business Administration.
7. State Trade Expansion Program. Wyoming Business Council; California STEP. California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development; Global NY State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). Empire State Development; STEP Grant. Opportunity Louisiana.
8. STEP Grant. Opportunity Louisiana; STEP Grant. Florida Small Business Development Center.
9. 2023 Exporter of the Year Announcement. U.S. Small Business Administration.
10. State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). Congressional Research Service.
11. SBA Roster of STEP Awardees. U.S. Small Business Administration.
12. State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). U.S. Small Business Administration; SBA Roster of STEP Awardees. U.S. Small Business Administration; FY2025 NOFO (OIT-STEP-2025-01). U.S. Small Business Administration.

This article was produced by the Grantaura editorial team using official SBA material and verified state program pages. Every high-stakes claim above traces to the source notes. Where source evidence is thin, such as the status of a standalone FY2026 NOFO, we say so plainly.