Here is $746800 in a federal grant for North Carolina small businesses

The West Virginia First STEP-Next STEP program will provide additional assistance to West Virginia small businesses that export goods to worldwide markets.

Connecticut is receiving $350,000 from the federal Small Business Administration to help boost state exports.

The federal agency did not immediately make available the match amount that each of this year’s award recipients are providing. The announcement was made today by Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet on a conference call with reporters.

Rose said the state hoped to have more information for small businesses interested in the STEP grant funds posted online this fall.

The objectives include participation in foreign-trade missions, foreign-market sales trips, subscription services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, along with the design of international-marketing campaigns, export trade-show exhibits, and training workshops, according to the SBA. The SBA said programs such as this are important because small businesses don’t have the deep pockets bigger businesses do to introduce themselves to larger markets. Expanding the base of small business exporters and making the process as easy as possible is a key component of the Administration’s National Export Initiative. “And third, it helps them grow their revenue and work force by entry into trade jobs that are higher paying”, Contreras-Sweet said in her remarks. This year’s award totaled $207,535.