STEP FY2026 Program Synopsis Final.pdf
PDF 123 KB Posted
- Attached to
- State Trade Expansion Program 2026
- Opportunity number
- SB-OIT-STEP-2026-01
- Issued by
-
Small Business Administration
About this file
This is a Grant Notice for the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), issued by the Small Business Administration under Notice of Funding Opportunity Number SB-OITST-26-001. The program offers grants to support state-level trade and export activities, with a total estimated program funding of $20 million distributed across a maximum of 56 awards. Individual awards range from a floor of $100,000 to a ceiling of $900,000. Applications were due on August 18, 2026, with an archive date of September 2026. The funding is categorized under CFDA Number 59.061 and falls within the Business and Commerce funding activity category.
Eligible applicants are limited to officially designated state agencies or entities from the 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Applicants must be officially designated by the respective State Governor or equivalent authority as the sole lead entity for conducting the state's trade and export activities, and they must provide written gubernatorial designation with the application. The designated entity must demonstrate an official agency relationship with state government and provide financial backing to meet required matching funds. Notably, non-federal entities cannot use program income to satisfy their matching requirement.
STEP Synopsis 2026-01
View the file
Other files
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
Program Synopsis
General Information
Document Type: Grant Notice
Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: SB-OITST-26-001
Posted Date: July 9, 2026
Original Due Date for Applications: August 18, 2026
Archive Date: September 2026
Funding Instrument Type: Grant
Category of Funding Activity Business and Commerce
Explanation of “Other” Category of Funding Activity:
Expected Number of Awards:
SBA anticipates making maximum 56 awards subject to available funding for proposed activities and requested amounts.
Estimated Total Program Funding: $20 Million
Award Ceiling: $900,000
Award Floor: $100,000
CFDA Number 59.061 – State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:
Non-federal entities may not use program income for the purpose of meeting their match
Eligible Applicants:
15 U.S.C. § 649(l) 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 submit an application for evaluation and 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.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .