# STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM (STEP)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/sb-oitst-25-001-state-trade-expansion-program-step/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359715

> Small Business Administration offered grants of up to $900,000 (at least $100,000) to state and local governments. It expected to make about 55 awards. Applications closed on July 31, 2025.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | SB-OITST-25-001 |
| Agency | Small Business Administration |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | July 31, 2025 |
| Award ceiling | $900,000 |
| Award floor | $100,000 |
| Expected awards | 55 |
| Total funding | not stated |
| Cost sharing | required |
| Assistance Listings | 59.061 |

## Who can apply

- State governments

## 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 developing 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).

## Questions people ask

### Is SB-OITST-25-001 still open?

No. It closed on July 31, 2025.

### 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 July 31, 2025. 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 $900,000 each.

### 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.