Washington, D.C. – The Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that Arizona will receive a $656,000 grant through the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program. The funds, authorized in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 – which Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva supported – were awarded through a competitive application process meant to increase the number of small businesses interested in exporting and increasing the value of those exports.

According to SBA information, the Arizona grant will help translate marketing materials, identify potential investors in foreign markets, and find overseas agents, distributors, sales representatives, and business partners.

“Increasing exports and finding new markets for goods and services directly creates jobs, and that’s why I so strongly support this law and these grants,” Grijalva said. “This is good for the state and the whole country, and people will be put directly to work because we invested wisely in our own economy.”

The SBA intends to conduct a new competition for STEP program grants during the winter. Awards will be made in September 2012. Interested participants should check the list of organizations serving Arizona that can assist in the process at http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2889/resources/14315.

For more information about the STEP program, created as a three-year pilot initiative, visit http://www.sba.gov/content/state-trade-and-export-promotion-step-fact-sheet.