GetFundedUSA › Grants › General › State Trade Expansion Program 2026
State Trade Expansion Program 2026
General · Benee Edwards, Grantor · Nationwide
The State Trade Expansion Program 2026 is a federal grant that funds state governments' trade and export promotion activities, not individual businesses directly, with applications due August 18, 2026 and open to all U.S. states and eligible territories through their governor-designated trade agency.
The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) 2026 is a federal grant opportunity listed on Grants.gov, administered under the Small Business Act's provisions for state trade and export activities (15 USC § 649(l)(1)(E)). This is a Grant-type funding instrument, meaning awarded funds generally do not need to be repaid, though recipients must meet program obligations.
Importantly, this program does not fund individual small businesses directly. Instead, STEP grants are awarded to eligible non-federal entities — meaning a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa — that have been officially designated by their governor (or equivalent, such as the Mayor of D.C.) as the lead entity for conducting that state's trade and export activities. The designated agency must show an official relationship with state government and provide financial backing to meet required matching funds.
For a small-business owner, this means STEP funding matters indirectly: money flows to your state's trade agency, which then typically uses it to support export promotion activities that can benefit local small businesses, such as trade show participation, export training, or international marketing assistance. If you want to benefit from this program, the practical path is to check whether your state has a STEP-funded trade office and what services or sub-grants it offers to businesses.
The application deadline listed is August 18, 2026. Award amounts, floor, and ceiling are not specified in the available data. Businesses should confirm program specifics, including how state-level funds are distributed to businesses, directly with their state's international trade office or the official source listed below.
Who qualifies
How to apply
Questions people ask
Is this a grant or a loan?
It is a grant (Grant funding instrument), which generally does not need to be repaid.
Can my small business apply directly?
No — only a state or eligible territory, through a governor-designated lead trade agency, may apply.
Who administers this program?
It is a federal program listed under Grants.gov, tied to Small Business Act provisions (15 USC § 649(l)(1)(E)).
How much funding is available?
Confirm at the official source — award floor, ceiling, and amount notes are not specified in the available data.
What is the deadline to apply?
The deadline listed is August 18, 2026, 12:00 AM EDT.
Which states are eligible?
All U.S. states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa are eligible entities.
Does my state need special approval to apply?
Yes — the application must be accompanied by a written designation from the state governor (or equivalent) naming the lead trade agency.
Is matching funding required?
Yes, the state must show financial backing to meet the required match amount for the program.
Is the award taxable?
Confirm at the official source — tax treatment is not addressed in the available data.
Where do I apply?
Applications are submitted via Grants.gov at the listed source URL.
What category of funding is this?
It is listed under the general category, tied to state trade and export expansion activities.
How can my small business benefit if I can't apply directly?
Contact your state's designated trade office to learn about export assistance programs or sub-grants that may use STEP funding.
Opportunity number: SB-OIT-STEP-2026-01. Source: grants.gov. GetFundedUSA is independent and not affiliated with Benee Edwards, Grantor; always confirm current deadlines, amounts and eligibility on the sponsor's own page before applying.