Funding

Funding

MITC provides financial support to Maine companies for activities to improve global competitiveness and develop international markets with funding available through grants from the US Small Business Administration, FoodExport USA, and the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

STEP Financial Assistance Awards

Eligible Maine companies may receive up to $20,000 per year.
Ideas for Covered Activities (PDF)
FAQ (PDF)
“MITC through its logistical support and available funding support made it possible for Prapela to attend MEDICA. Our NIH SBIR grant does not allow grant proceeds to support commercialization efforts. As a result, the funds Prapela has available to attend any tradeshow or meeting are very limited. Simply put, we would not have attended MEDICA in 2022 without MITC support.”
John Konsin, Co-Founder & CEO, Prapela(Biddeford, ME)
“This funding was very helpful in reestablishing our international market connections after the COVID-related downturn and opened up connections in the Middle East which we previously did not have.”
Anderson Griffin, Corporate Controller, Montalvo Corporation (Gorham, ME)
Anderson Griffin, Corporate Controller, Montalvo Corporation
"MITC enabled Defendify to take a measured risk in extending our marketing efforts beyond our traditional, US-based market, gaining insights about the Canadian customer and market demand for our products and services. It was an invaluable experience to invest in a test market and learn more about our target audience."
Emily Carville, Chief Marketing Officer, Defendify(Portland, ME)
"Fantastic help - thank you! As a small business, this [financial assistance] was so critical to helping us land on our feet."
Dave Rosin, Vice President of Sales & Business Development, ElleVet Sciences(South Portland, ME)
“This support was exactly what we needed. We need to make potential clients and partners overseas aware of our capabilities, but until now it was difficult to dedicate the funding required to put together a website that had the desired effect. With this STEP funding and with the support of MITC's staff, we were able to get over that hump.”
Tobias Dewhurst, CEO, Kelson Marine Co. (Scarborough, ME)
Tobias Dewhurst, CEO, Kelson Marine Co.
"MITC is both a lifeline when we're challenged and a springboard for our company's growth. Thank you!"
Seth Berry, VP International Business Development, Kennebec River Biosciences, Inc.(Richmond, ME)
"MITC’s market assistance has enabled ORPC to attain positive visibility in international markets and help grow our company and its footprint in Maine."
Morgan Welton, Grant and Technical Writer, Ocean Renewable Power Company, Inc.(Portland, ME)
"Thank you, MITC. These grants are invaluable. "
Patrick Sweeney, CFO, Lanco Integrated(Westbrook, ME)
"MITC has been a great help in our export business. This aid in funding activities has been a real boon to our business."
Dan Cote, Sales Manager, DeepWater Buoyancy, Inc.(Biddeford, ME)
"I want to thank MITC for their support of companies like OSS, and specifically on behalf of OSS a big thank you for this international marketing support. This support is critical as we struggle with developing materials for international business development, which is a difficult task in normal times, but is even more challenging in the age of COVID-19. I can’t help but believe that this support will be a key factor in helping OSS achieve success."
Roland Sirois, CEO, Orono Spectral Solutions (OSS) Inc. (Hermon, ME)
Roland Sirois, CEO, Orono Spectral Solutions (OSS) Inc.
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Guidelines

For information on eligibility, requirements, and timeline for reimbursement, please review the Guidelines and Travel Policy documents (links below) before submitting your STEP Financial Assistance Award application.

As part of the application, a specific activity name, description, start and end dates, and estimated total cost are required. Applications must be received by December 15, 2023. Funded activities must be completed before December 31, 2023.

Are you ready to apply?

To complete a STEP Financial Assistance Award application, you will need to provide the following information:

  • brief project name (e.g., B2B Matchmaking, E-commerce Platform, Export Compliance Audit, Seafood Expo Global 2023, Website SEO)
  • description of the activity
  • top target countries (up to 4)
  • start and end dates
  • estimated total cost

The first step is to create an account. It’s quick and easy. Setting up your company account on this portal will allow you to create, save, and submit applications, as well as invite other members of your team to participate

Due to unprecedented demand, the application process is currently paused. If additional funding becomes available in the future, we will begin accepting applications again. Please check back.

When in doubt, ask MITC

If you have an idea to expand your export sales and are not sure the activity would be covered, contact us to discuss how we may be able to provide financial support. We want to hear from you.

Email STEP@mitc.com

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

The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant initiative of the U.S. Small Business Administration provides funding to increase the number of businesses that export. Administered by Maine International Trade Center (MITC), the objective of the STEP Financial Assistance Award is to encourage Maine companies to seek new international sales through financial support for costs associated with such activities.