Step Grant

Nevada STEP Grant

STEP Year 8/ FY 2019

Application Period is Now Closed.

Our nation's small businesses are facing an unprecedented economic disruption due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Nevada is taking steps to reopen the economy which involves assisting small, export ready businesses fund activities that will prepare them for when trade normalizes. U.S. Small Business Administration has adapted their regulations to encourage virtual tools in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while also allowing businesses to resume some international trade initiatives. This includes, but is not limited to: virtual service offerings, virtual trade shows, export research tools, online export trainings, etc. With the current economic climate, the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) aims to assist as many small businesses as possible and believes that opening the STEP application process on a rolling basis is important to meet this objective.

GOED has been awarded $257,914 through the STEP administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The purpose of the grant is to assist Nevada Eligible Small Business Concerns (ESBCs) to enter or expand into global markets.

Understanding difficulties when it comes to travel restrictions, with STEP grant funding, GOED’s International Division plans to provide new opportunities for Nevada small business community and financial assistance awards to Nevada ESBCs to enable participation in the following approved activities:

Virtual service offerings – U.S. Commercial Service, Department of Commerce:

  • Market intelligence:
    • Customized Market Research answers questions about an overseas market including market trends and size, customary distribution and promotion practices, market entry requirements, regulations, product standards and registration, key competitors and potential agents, distributors, or strategic partners.,
    • The Initial Market Check is an initial assessment of the market potential of a product or service in a targeted market. The service gauges the potential of a specific product or service in a market by gathering feedback from up to five industry participants and provides recommendations on whether to pursue the target market.
  • Matchmaking Services:
    • International Partner Search provides U.S. firms with a list of up to five agents, distributors and partners that have expressed an interest in your product or service.,
    • International Partner Search Plus Virtual Introductions provides U.S. firms with a list of up to five agents, distributors and partners that have expressed an interest in your product or service, and includes virtual introductions via teleconference to the identified contacts.
  • eCommerce Innovation Lab provides U.S. exporters with tools/resources to explore and leverage eCommerce channels. Learn more at https://www.trade.gov/ecommerce
  • Due Diligence on Foreign Parties:
    • International Company Profile - Full  in -depth background check information on a specific foreign company to help determine its suitability as potential business partner
    • International Company Profile – Partial
  • In-Country Promotion of Products or Services:
    • Single Company Promotion provides U.S. companies with promotional services to help increase the awareness of their product/service in a specific market. The promotion may consist of targeted direct mail or e-mail campaigns.
    • Featured U.S. Exporters Listing provides U.S. companies with an opportunity to enhance their international marketing efforts through improved search engine optimization.
  • RAISE (Rural America Intelligence Service for Exporters) is a new research service for rural companies used for worldwide matrix, country research, potential partner search (https://2016.export.gov/rural/raise/)

Contact: U.S. Export Assistance Centers of Nevada: Las Vegas and Reno (https://2016.export.gov/nevada/)

Other allowable expenses and offerings:

  • Participation in online export training workshops;
  • Shipping sample products;
  • Compliance testing existing product for entry into an export market;
  • Website translation into foreign language, search engine optimization, and localization services;
  • Design of marketing media;
  • Virtual trade shows;
  • Other U.S. Commercial Service subscription services, such as Gold Key Service.

Nevada STEP Grant Application

For any questions, please contact us by email at NVSTEPGrant@diversifynevada.com.

Funded in part through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration:

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