Funding & grants.
Grant money is available to US and Canadian companies for participation at international trade shows. Ask early: applications run months ahead of the show.
United States: STEP grants
The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) is an ongoing export initiative that makes matching-fund awards to states to help small businesses enter and succeed in the international marketplace. STEP activities are managed and provided at the local level by state government organizations and at the national level by the US Small Business Administration's Office of International Trade.
If you plan to participate at one of Koelnmesse's international trade shows in Germany or elsewhere, contact your in-state economic development agency for details. Funding to defray your company's participation costs may be available.
Canada: CanExport
CanExport is a Government of Canada program that provides direct financial assistance to small and medium-sized businesses registered in Canada that are developing new export opportunities and markets. The program reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible expenses, including international trade show participation.
If you plan to exhibit at one of Koelnmesse's trade shows in Germany or elsewhere, contact the Trade Commissioner Service for details on eligibility and deadlines.
STEP contacts by state
Copied from the SBA's STEP awardee table and last checked October 19, 2026. SBA lists awards for FY24 and FY23, so a state whose latest award is older may not be running STEP right now. Confirm with the state before you plan on the money.
| State or territory | STEP contact | Phone | Latest award listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Christina Stimpson | 334-539-7955 | FY24 |
| Alaska | Laura Vaught | 907-269-7387 | FY23 |
| Arizona | Kevin J. O’Shea | 602-845-1217 | FY24 |
| Arkansas | Trish Watkins | 479-418-4827 | FY24 |
| California | Mariana Guevara | 916-397-8085 | FY24 |
| Colorado | Sophia Gonzalez-Mayagoitia | 720-703-2471 | FY24 |
| Connecticut | Laura Jaworski | 860-500-2368 | FY24 |
| Florida | Greg Britton | 850-898-3480 | FY24 |
| Georgia | Alice Carson | 404-962-4112 | FY24 |
| Guam | Melvin Tabilas | 671-647-4332 | FY24 |
| Hawaii | Jamie Lum | 808-587-2753 | FY24 |
| Idaho | Tina Salisbury | 208-334-2470 | FY24 |
| Illinois | Margo Markopoulos | 312-636-9456 | FY24 |
| Indiana | Roger Howard | 317-766-1416 | FY24 |
| Iowa | Lisa Day | 515-348-6159 | FY24 |
| Kansas | Chang Lu | 913-515-8541 | FY24 |
| Kentucky | Mary NeCamp | 502-782-1961 | FY24 |
| Louisiana | India Bellard | 225-342-2537 | FY24 |
| Maine | Wade Merritt | 207-541-7408 | FY24 |
| Maryland | Jessica Reynolds | 410-767-6300 | FY24 |
| Massachusetts | Melissa Clary | See SBA table | FY23 |
| Michigan | Natalie Sandborn | 517-599-0359 | FY24 |
| Mississippi | Vickie Watters | 601-359-2070 | FY24 |
| Missouri | Shannon O’Hagan | 573-522-6524 | FY24 |
| Montana | Angelyn DeYoung | 406-431-5075 | FY24 |
| New Hampshire | Alan Dillingham | 603-271-0323 | FY24 |
| New Jersey | William Spear | 609-777-4125 | FY24 |
| New Mexico | Sara Gutierrez | 505-827-0249 | FY23 |
| New York | Lennox Ruiz | 212-803-2344 | FY24 |
| North Carolina | Mike Hubbard | 919-447-7757 | FY24 |
| North Dakota | Mathew Warsocki | 701-721-6938 | FY24 |
| Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) | Kioshi Cody | 670-664-3077 ext. 107 | FY23 |
| Ohio | Courtney West | See SBA table | FY24 |
| Oklahoma | Kathy Gain | 405-830-9098 | FY24 |
| Oregon | Steve Thompson | 971-374-3076 | FY24 |
| Pennsylvania | Katherine Skopp | 717-720-7361 | FY24 |
| Puerto Rico | Leonyl Ortiz | 787-758-4747 | FY24 |
| Rhode Island | Benjamin Weinstein | 401-232-6516 | FY24 |
| South Carolina | Carla Edwards | 803-609-9946 | FY24 |
| South Dakota | Christina (Chris) Martin | 605-338-3424 | FY24 |
| Tennessee | Jeffrey Overby | 615-460-6499 | FY24 |
| Texas | Mindy Fryer | 512-463-2496 | FY23 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands (USVIEDA) | Nadine Marchena Kean | See SBA table | FY23 |
| Utah | Anna Maidon | 801-532-8080 | FY24 |
| Vermont | Daegan Goodman | 802-622-4193 | FY24 |
| Virginia | Hannah Robertson-Forrest | 804-241-6519 | FY24 |
| Washington | Mary Ferguson | 206-256-6130 | FY24 |
| West Virginia | Jesus Velasco | 304-352-3957 | FY24 |
| Wisconsin | Aaron M. Zitzelsberger | 608-210-6734 | FY23 |
| Wyoming | Kaley Holyfield | 307-286-3668 | FY24 |
Source: SBA, State Trade Expansion Program. Names and numbers change, and the SBA page is the authority.