OIT-STEP-2023-02: State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Small Business Administration notices from 2023.
Small Business Administration offered grants of up to $175,000 (at least $175,000) to state and local governments. It expected to make one award worth $175,000 in total. Applications closed on March 15, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed March 1, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$175,000
- Award floor$175,000
- Total funding$175,000
- Expected awards1
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SB-OITST-25-001 | June 16, 2025 | Closed July 31, 2025 | Closed |
| OIT-STEP-2023-01 | February 27, 2023 | Closed May 19, 2023 | Closed |
| SB-OITST-22-001 | March 31, 2022 | Closed May 31, 2022 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | March 1, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | March 15, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | April 14, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to state and local governments.
- State governments
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past State Trade Expansion awards averaged $407,134; this notice allows up to $175,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (77% over five years) went to state and local governments.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (HR 644), signed into law on February 24, 2016, made the State Trade Expansion Program a permanent provision of the Small Business Act to make grants to States, and the equivalent thereof, to carry out projects that support develop exports by eligible small business concerns (ESBCs) (as defined in Section 8.1.5). The objective of STEP is to increase (1) the number of U.S. small businesses that export, (2) the dollar value of exports, and (3) the number of U.S. small businesses exploring significant new trade opportunities (as defined in 8.1.15).
Who has won State Trade Expansion grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, State Trade Expansion (59.061) awarded $70.4 million across 173 grant awards, an average of $407,134 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State Department of Commerce | Washington | 4 | $5.3 million |
| Michigan Strategic Fund | Michigan | 4 | $4.7 million |
| New Jersey Department of State | New Jersey | 4 | $4.2 million |
| Department of Commerce Montana | Montana | 4 | $3.3 million |
| Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Inc. | North Carolina | 4 | $3.3 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is OIT-STEP-2023-02 still open?
No. It closed on March 15, 2023.
Who can apply for State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)?
Small Business Administration accepted applications from state and local governments.
What is the deadline for State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)?
Closed March 15, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $175,000 each. About $175,000 in total for one award.
Who has won State Trade Expansion grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Washington State Department of Commerce, Michigan Strategic Fund, New Jersey Department of State. The program made 173 awards worth $70.4 million in that time.