New York State Trade Expansion Program

Empire State Development (ESD) is working in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to increase the number of small businesses that begin to export; increase the value of exports for small businesses that currently export; and increase the number of small businesses exploring significant new trade opportunities.

 

Allowable Uses of Program Funds

Approved STEP funds can assist New York State businesses with:

• Participation in programmed foreign trade missions
• Subscription to services provided by the Department of Commerce
• Trade show exhibition (international and qualified domestic trade shows)
• Participation in export training workshops
• Qualified foreign market sales trips
• Website Content/Foreign Language Translation
• Development of International Marketing Campaign(s)
• Virtual Services
• Compliance Testing

 

Eligibility

New York companies must be in business for at least 1 year, meet SBA size standards, have access to sufficient resources to bear the costs associated with trade, have a product or service for export that contains at least 51% United States content and meet the standards and mission of STEP. Site visits and/or telephone interviews may be conducted to further determine a company’s eligibility.

 

Guidelines

We have two programs running concurrently. The funding period for STEP 7 is September 30, 2018 – September 29, 2021. The funding period for STEP 8 is September 30, 2019 – September 29, 2021.

Each company may apply for a maximum of three unique STEP awards per funding period, and the combined award total will be capped at $13,000 per client/per funding period. STEP awards are issued on a first-come, first-served basis until the program funds are expended. A company may not select the same trade show twice within one funding period.

Click here to download the STEP 7 Guidelines. 

Click here to download the STEP 8 Guidelines. 

 

Companies wishing to participate in the New York STEP grant can email Lennox Ruiz at lennox.ruiz@esd.ny.gov or call (212) 803-2344.