Office of International Trade – Small Business Jobs Act of 2010

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Program Announcement No. OIT-STEP-2011-01, U.S. Small Business Administration/Office of International Trade (OIT), OPENING DATE: March 1, 2011, CLOSING DATE: April 26, 2011. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issues Program Announcement No. OIT-STEP-2011-01 to invite applications from States, as authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, Section 1207. The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 authorizes the U.S. Small Business Administration to establish a 3-year trade and export promotion pilot program, known as the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Grant Program, to make grants to carry out export programs that assist eligible small business concerns. The aim of the STEP pilot program is to increase the number of small businesses that are exporting and increase the value of exports for those small businesses that are currently exporting. The States must use funds to carry out exporting programs that assist small businesses through participation in a foreign trade mission, a foreign market sales trip, a subscription to services provided by the Department of Commerce, the payment of website translation fees, the design of international marketing products or campaigns, an export trade show exhibit, participation in training workshops, or any other export initiative deemed appropriate by SBA’s Associate Administrator of OIT that does not duplicate the services of other SBA resource partners. In making grants, priority may be given to States that focus on socially- and economically-disadvantaged small businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran and service-connected small business owners, disabled veteran small businesses or rural small businesses as part of an export promotion program. SBA is responsible for general management of this initiative to ensure the effective delivery of assistance to the small business community. Questions about this program announcement should be directed to the Office of International Trade at STEP@sba.gov

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