MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The Montana State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant is a state-federal partnership, funded by a grant from the Small Business Administration, providing financial assistance to qualified Montana small businesses for international marketing efforts in beginning exporting or market expansion.

It is designed to help increase the number of small businesses that are exporting and to raise the value of exports for those small businesses that are currently exporting so they can grow and create more jobs.

Eligible Program Activities:

• International Trade Show Exhibition – up to $10,000 reimbursement  + up to $2,000 travel stipend 
• Language Translation Services & Production Fees - up to $3,000 reimbursement
• Market Research and Other Services from the U.S. Commercial Service – up to $5,000 reimbursement  + up to $2,000 travel stipend

Official Program Guidelines

Additional STEP-Supported Activities:

Export Planning Assistance

• One-on-one export counseling: ExportMontana staff will meet with you to help with any of your export questions.
• International market research: ExportMontana staff will research international markets for your export planning needs.

Trade Shows

Eligible companies: First-time or experienced exporters from multiple industries can participate.

Support: Grant funds are available to offset costs: up to $2,000 towards travel costs.

1. Montana Pavilion at IWA Outdoor Classics (show information), March 9-12, 2018, Nuremburg, Germany. Open to any Montana business interested in selling outdoor, hunting, and tactical products to the European market. Our staff contracts for the booth space and provides all the booth amenities (furniture, electricity, etc.), promoting cooperatively as Montana.  Individual companies can promote their products and services from smaller kiosks within the booth and set up one-on-one business meetings. Hosted by ExportMontana with pre-show training and in-country staff support.
2. Montana Pavilion at SPIE Photonics Europe (show information), April 23-26, 2018, Strasbourg, France. Open to any Montana business interested in selling photonics products and services to markets in Europe. Our staff contracts for the booth space and provides all the booth amenities (furniture, electricity, etc.), promoting cooperatively as Montana. Individual companies can promote their products and services from smaller kiosks within the booth and set up one-on-one business meetings. Hosted by ExportMontana with pre-show training and in-country staff support.
3. Montana Pavilion at OptoJapan (show information), October 3-5, 2018, Tokyo, Japan. Open to any Montana business interested in selling photonics products and services to markets in Japan. Our staff contracts for the booth space and provides all the booth amenities (furniture, electricity, etc.), promoting cooperatively as Montana. Individual companies can promote their products and services from smaller kiosks within the booth and set up one-on-one business meetings. Hosted by ExportMontana with pre-show training and in-country staff support.
4. Montana Pavilion at BuildEx Calgary (show information), November 7-8, 2018, Calgary, Canada.  Open to any Montana business interested in selling building materials and construction industry products and services to markets in Alberta, Canada.  Our staff contracts for the booth space and provides all the booth amenities (furniture, electricity, etc.), promoting cooperatively as Montana. Individual companies can promote their products and services from smaller kiosks within the booth and set up one-on-one business meetings. Hosted by ExportMontana with pre-show training and in-country staff support.

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.