New STEP Funds Available from DECD

Grant designed to spur exporting

New funding opportunities are available through Connecticut’s State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program. Applications for reimbursement are now being accepted under the Connecticut Export General Assistance Fund (Round 2) grant program.

The Connecticut Export General Assistance Fund (Round 2) aims to provide STEP funding to eligible small businesses for participation in export opportunities. The program goal is to aid companies in expanding their export initiatives and to increase eligible Connecticut companies’ export sales by spurring participation in export opportunities.

Important Deadlines

Review the program and application guidelines here. Applications will need to be submitted for approval prior to any proposed export activity and no later than Aug. 15, 2014.

All approved export activities must be completed prior to Sept. 29, 2014. Final reimbursement requests must be submitted back to the Department of Economic and Community Development for processing within two weeks of a completed activity and no later than Oct. 13, 2014. For more information, contact the DECD’s Aaron Knight at 860.270.8059 or aaron.knight@ct.gov.