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OpenState Trade Expansion Program 2026
Federal funding opportunity SB-OIT-STEP-2026-01 from Small Business Administration.
Apply on Grants.gov →Application closes August 10, 2026
- Posted
- July 10, 2026
- Closes
- August 10, 2026
- Award ceiling
- $900,000
- Award floor
- $100,000
- Expected awards
- 55
- Cost sharing
- Yes
- Instrument
- Grant
- Assistance listing
- 59.061
- Category
- Business and Commerce
- Archives
- September 9, 2026
Program funding history
Awards made under Assistance Listing 59.061 across FY2024–FY2026, from public federal spending records.
- FY2024 obligated
- $17.8M
- FY2025 obligated
- $-177,064
- FY2026 (to date) obligated
- $-15,756
- Awards in window
- 69
Top recipients: Commerce, Washington State Department of, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Inc, Executive Office of the State of California
Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed July 2026
Synopsis
State Trade Expansion Program
Who can apply
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- State governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
The Small Business Act provides in § 22(l)(1)(E) (15 USC § 649(l)(1)(E)) provides that STEP grants may be awarded only to “states,” meaning any of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Therefore, only non-federal entities that meet this definition are eligible to apply for and administer an award under this Notice of Funding Opportunity. For purposes of this Notice of Funding Opportunity, the term “eligible non-federal entity” means a state agency or other entity that, prior to the date of application for this announcement, has been officially designated by the state governor, or equivalent thereof (e.g., mayor of the District of Columbia), as the sole applicant and lead entity for conducting the State’s trade and export activities. i. The organizational structure of the state’s designated international trade arm must show an official agency relationship with state government, and the state must provide financial backing in meeting the required match amount and show support for program activities. ii. Only those proposals accompanied by the written designation of the state governor, or his/her designee, may apply for funding consideration. iii. Should the governor, or equivalent thereof, assign to a designee the signatory responsibility for the designation letter, the designation letter must include an acknowledgement that the governor, or his/her equivalent, has authorized the designee to sign the letter on his/her behalf iv. For insular areas, the equivalent of a state governor is the appropriate signatory.
How to apply
Applications go through the official government listing. Grants Radar links you straight to the source.
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