California STEP Grant – Y11 Round 2

The California State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) is administered by the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The program is designed to increase the number of small business exporters in California and expand their export volume by providing financial assistance for trade promotion activities. The program operates during the federal fiscal year from October 1, 2024, to September 28, 2025. STEP funding is provided through three types of financial assistance: STEP Events: Pre-selected trade shows or missions organized by GO-Biz or trade promotion partners. Eligible small businesses may participate in up to two events per federal fiscal year, with additional participation possible based on space and funding availability. Export Vouchers: These provide reimbursements of up to 75% of pre-approved expenses for a company’s export promotion activities, with a cap of $10,000 per federal fiscal year. Export Training: Funding for export-focused training workshops and education courses, with varying amounts depending on the program. Eligible applicants must be for-profit businesses with significant operations in California. They must be registered with the California Secretary of State, in good standing with regulatory agencies, and meet the Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards. Businesses must be engaged in exporting goods or services of U.S. origin or products containing at least 51% U.S. content. Ineligible applicants include businesses that: Do not meet SBA small business size standards Are based outside of California Derive more than one-third of annual revenue from legal gambling activities Engage in activities deemed illegal under federal, state, or local law Are non-profit organizations Have tax delinquencies with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration Are actively participating in a STEP program from another U.S. state The application process varies depending on the type of funding requested. STEP Event applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with deadlines specific to each event. Export Vouchers have three application rounds, requiring applications at least 2-3 weeks before the planned activity. All applications must be submitted through the GO-Biz Grants Management System. Eligible expenses for STEP funding include costs related to: Trade show participation (booth rental, marketing, logistics) International advertising and marketing materials Compliance testing, product certification, and labeling for international markets Website globalization (multilingual website development, SEO) Export training and market research Funding is competitive and subject to availability. Preference is given to first-time STEP applicants and businesses that are “new to export.” Businesses are required to provide documentation for reimbursement within 14 days of completing the approved activity. Reimbursements are typically processed within 45-60 days after approval. For more information, businesses can contact Mariana Guevara (Export Program Manager) at Mariana.Guevara@gobiz.ca.gov or Jonathan Gasca (International Trade Analyst) at Jonathan.Gasca@gobiz.ca.gov. General inquiries can be sent to STEP@gobiz.ca.gov. Further program details and application links can be found on the GO-Biz website.