Directory of STEP awardees

Small businesses looking to start or expand their global customer reach can use resources offered by state entities that have received STEP funding.

Find your next global customer

The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grants are specifically for established U.S. small businesses seeking to complete one of the following eligible activities:

  1. Participate in trade missions.
  2. Subscribe to services provided by US Department of Commerce
  3. Translation fees
  4. Design of market media
  5. Tradeshow exhibitions
  6. Participate in export training workshops
  7. Reverse trade missions
  8. Procurement of consultancy services
  9. Other export initiatives as approved by Associate Administrator at SBA

If you are an established company, please contact your appropriate state/territory representative below to learn more about how to apply for STEP funds.

State or Territory Total Grant Amount FY24 Total Grant Amount FY23 Project Director Phone Number
Alabama $450,000 $250,000 Christina Stimpson 334-539-7955
Alaska   $100,000 Victoria Caltagirone 907-269-7396
Arkansas $375,000 $300,000 Trish Watkins 479-418-4827
Arizona $275,000 $150,000 Kevin J. O’Shea 602-845-1217
California $900,000 $700,000 Mariana Guevara 916-397-8085
Colorado $900,000 $700,000 Sophia Gonzalez-Mayagoitia 720-703-2471
Connecticut $240,000 $200,000 Laura Jaworski 860-500-2368
Florida $225,000   Greg Britton 850-898-3480
Georgia $310,000 $136,000 Alice Carson 404-962-4112
Guam $150,000 $100,000 Melvin Tabilas 671-647-4332
Hawaii $525,000 $750,000 Jamie Lum 808-587-2753
Iowa $300,000 $300,000 Lisa Day 515-348-6159
Idaho $350,000 $233,000 Tina Salisbury 208-334-2470
Illinois $400,000 $800,000 Margo Markopoulos 312-636-9456
Indiana $550,000 $300,000 Roger Howard 317-766-1416
Kansas $450,000 $200,000 Chang Lu 913-515-8541
Kentucky $400,000 $400,000 Mary NeCamp 502-782-1961
Louisiana $325,000 $450,000 India Bellard 225-342-2537
Maine $275,000 $350,000 Wade Merritt 207-541-7408
Maryland $550,000 $750,000 Jessica Reynolds 410-767-6300
Massachusetts   $400,000 Melissa Clary  
Michigan $900,000 $900,000 Natalie Sandborn 517-599-0359
Mississippi $325,000 $600,000 Vickie Watters 601-359-2070
Missouri $375,000 $350,000 Shannon O’Hagan 573-522-6524
Montana $900,000 $800,000 Angelyn DeYoung 406-431-5075
North Carolina $900,000 $900,000 Mike Hubbard 919-447-7757
North Dakota $350,000 $300,000 Mathew Warsocki    701-721-6938 
Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)   $100,000 Kioshi Cody 670-664-3077 ext. 107
New Hampshire $500,000 $444,366 Alan Dillingham 603-271-0323
New Jersey $400,000 $850,000 William Spear 609-777-4125
New Mexico   $200,000 Sara Gutierrez 505-827-0249
New York $900,000 $900,000 Lennox Ruiz 212-803-2344
Ohio $300,000 $400,000 Courtney West 614-995-4977
Oklahoma $290,000 $350,000 Kathy Gain 405-830-9098
Oregon $425,000 $300,000 Steve Thompson 971-374-3076
Pennsylvania $825,000 $500,000 Katherine Skopp 717-720-7361
Puerto Rico $447,145 $382,000 Leonyl Ortiz 787-758-4747 
Rhode Island $150,000 $150,000 Benjamin Weinstein 401-232-6516
South Carolina $325,000 $250,000 Carla Edwards 803-609-9946
South Dakota $250,000 $200,000 Joshua Reynolds  605-338-3424   
Tennessee $100,000   Jeffrey Overby 615-460-6499
Texas   $500,000 Mindy Fryer 512-463-2496
U.S. Virgin Island, Export – USVIEDA   $160,509 Nadine Marchena Kean  
Utah $525,000 $500,000 Anna Maidon  801-532-8080
Virginia $900,000 $500,000 Hannah Robertson-Forrest 804-241-6519
Vermont $249,000 $249,000 Daegan Goodman 802-622-4193
Washington $900,000 $1,000,000 Mary Ferguson 206-256-6130
West Virginia $325,000   Jesus Velasco 304-352-3957
Wisconsin   $350,000 Aaron M. Zitzelsberger   608-210-6734
Wyoming $175,000 $145,125 Kaley Holyfield 307-286-3668
Last updated October 24, 2024