In September SBA announced a total of $19 million in grant awards to fund 46 state international trade agencies in the program’s ninth grant cycle. The principal goals of STEP include increasing the number of small businesses that explore significant new trade opportunities and that export, as well as the value of those exports.
container ship at sunrise
Eleven ETC jurisdictions were awarded STEP grants totaling approximately $5.7 million, a decrease from $6.3 million last year. Of note in this year’s STEP cycle, the New Jersey Business Action Center, headed by former ETC board member and current STEP Director Eddy Mayen, was awarded the largest grant in STEP’s history, valued at $1.3 million.
|
Total Value of STEP Awards |
||
| STATE |
2019 |
2020 |
| Connecticut |
$400,000 |
$400,000 |
| Delaware |
357,461 |
66,667 |
| Maine |
459,333 |
614,667 |
| Maryland |
733,333 |
465,333 |
| Massachusetts |
666,667 |
540,941 |
| New Hampshire |
333,333 |
300,563 |
| New Jersey |
933,333 |
1,333,333 |
| New York |
933,333 |
384,615 |
| Pennsylvania |
666,667 |
826,666 |
| Rhode Island |
498,669 |
407,859 |
| Vermont |
408,560 |
400,000 |
| ETC TOTAL |
$6,390,689 |
$5,740,644 |
| Puerto Rico |
400,000 |
513,240 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands |
150,000 |
0 |
| CSG East TOTAL |
$6,940,689 |
$6,253,884 |
