DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

The Montana International Marketing Assistance Grant is funded through a $307,848 award from the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) State Trade and Export Promotions (STEP) Program with a $117,993 match by the Montana Department of Commerce.

The program is part of a 3-year pilot trade and export initiative authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 as part of the President’s National Export Initiative which is working to double U.S. exports and give America a stronger competitive edge in the global market.

Most of the 50 states and U.S. territories were awarded grant funds in varying amounts.  Each one, like Montana, developed their own program to best suit the needs of their small businesses.

Montana's program focuses almost exclusively on getting dollars into the hands of current and potential exporters to help them mitigate risk by taking advantage of U.S. Commercial Service trade contact and research services, to procure the marketing materials necessary to succeed in countries that speak a different language, and by giving them access through trade shows and events to introduce their products and services to new markets.