Alaska small businesses can apply for up to $10,000 in export cost reimbursements

The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development is accepting applications for the State Trade Expansion Program, or STEP, which can reimburse qualified Alaska small businesses up to $10,000 for international business development costs, the department announced Tuesday.

The U.S. Small Business Administration funds STEP, and the state runs the reimbursements. The department's Office of International Trade received a $100,000 SBA STEP grant in 2023, which the department said was Alaska's first in six years.

Eligible costs may include foreign trade missions and sales trips, trade show registration, booth costs and travel, U.S. Department of Commerce export services, export training, market research and international marketing. Website work can qualify too, including translating pages for foreign markets and setting up e-commerce.

Both first-time and existing exporters can qualify if the activity helps them enter a new market or expand in one where they do not already have significant export sales, according to the application page.

Expenses a business has already paid may still qualify. For the FY25 grant cycle, costs incurred as far back as Sept. 30, 2025 may be eligible, and the grant period has been extended through Sept. 29, 2027.

The STEP application page lists an Aug. 1, 2027 deadline.