STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM (STEP)

Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement — STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM (STEP) — is cataloged under number SB-OITST-25-001 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 59.061, posted by Small Business Administration. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as closed, first posted on June 16, 2025 and last updated on July 11, 2025. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.

Award economics. The award range on file is $100,000 -- $900,000. It expects to issue 55 awards. Cost sharing or matching funds are required, meaning applicants must contribute a portion of the project budget from non-federal sources — factor this into your financial plan before drafting the proposal. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.

Deadline and action path. This opportunity closed on July 31, 2025. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number, so monitoring the parent program page is the most reliable way to catch re-announcements. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully — federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed — it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities.