Grant recipients may elect to utilize the services available from the U.S. Commercial Service, the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, to assist with entering or expanding their markets; choosing the best market for their products or services; evaluating prospective foreign business partners; increasing market potential; and gold key matchmaking services.

Grant funds can be used for translating websites into foreign languages, localizing websites to foreign markets, and search engine optimization for foreign markets.

Marketing media is used to promote a company’s product or service to strengthen its export sales potential, ability to reach its target audience, and/or export market opportunities using brochures, social media platforms, websites, billboards, newspapers, branding and advertising, posters, advertisements in international magazines, or other media approved in advance by DCCED.

A company can apply for reimbursement to showcase and demonstrate its products and services at an international trade show. This includes foreign trade shows for company export development and domestic trade shows. Special rules apply for domestic trade show participation. Please reach out to the ITAG Program Manager for details.

To use grant funds, training workshops and education courses must have a direct benefit to, and assist, companies with gaining credible knowledge of export policies, regulations, and/or best practices. Outcomes, such as export plans, strategies, and best practices handouts should be deliverables.

This activity is only allowable after company consultation with DCCED and the U.S. Department of Commerce to avoid duplication of services. Eligible expenses can include consultant fees, market research fees, certification and compliance testing fees, and licensing fees.

STEP 11 funds are available from September 30, 2023-September 29, 2025. The SBA allows 2 years to expend all STEP funds. DCCED will accept applications from eligible small business concerns beginning December 18, 2023, until September 29, 2024. The application period will close early if all available funds have been prescribed. If more STEP 11 funding becomes available after September 29, 2024, DCCED will reopen the program for applications.

The Alaska ITAG program is a passthrough of federal funds. All entities applying for federally funded awards are required to have a valid unique identifier. A Unique Entity ID (UEI) is issued by SAM.Gov. Registering for a UEI is free for all entities doing business with the State of Alaska or the Federal Government. To obtain a UEI, go to SAM.Gov and follow the instructions to register your entity.

Alaska International Trade Assistance Grants are awarded to small businesses that meet the U.S. SBA's definition and can self-certify their eligibility. Small businesses are generally defined as those with 500 or fewer employees; however, SBA might have different parameters based on your company’s NAICS code. Candidates must evaluate and certify their eligibility by submitting two required SBA forms and one business survey form: Debarment Certification, SBA Self-Representation as a Small Business, and the DCCED Small Business Survey.

Additional eligibility criteria:

• Products or services must be of U.S. origin or have at least 51% U.S. content;
• Companies must have been in business for at least one year prior to application;
• Businesses must be headquartered in Alaska, and at least 50 percent of the business's employees must be employed in Alaska;
• Companies must be either “new to export” or engaging in “market expansion”—that is, the event/activity must help them to enter a new market or expand where they do not already have significant export sales.
• Companies must have access to sufficient resources to bear the costs associated with international trade, including the costs of packing, shipping, freight forwarding, and customs brokers.
• Companies must have a valid Unique Entity ID (UEI) issued by SAM.gov and an active SAM.gov Registration. Proof provided must show that the business or business owner is not debarred from participation in a grant program by any Federal department or agency.

Funded in part through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), money is available to assist Alaska small businesses seeking to begin or grow international sales. ITAG reimburses up to 75 percent of a company's eligible expenses, with a maximum reimbursement amount of $10,000 for the current grant cycle. Eligible applicants may apply for multiple activities until they reach the maximum reimbursement amount for that program performance period.

Applications are processed and awarded on a rolling first-come, first-served basis until all funds are expended. Applications should be completed and submitted with ample time for DCCED's review and approval before the start of any intended activity. A grant agreement must be signed before initiation of covered activities. Grants will not cover any activity retroactively.

Required Documents: Download, print, and sign the Self-Representation as an Eligible Small Business Concern and Debarment Certification forms and complete the DCCED Small Business Survey. These forms are required and will need to be submitted along with your application. Proof of an active SAM.Gov registration is also required. A screenshot of the website that shows your company’s active status will suffice.

International Trade Assistance Grant Application: Complete the ITAG application by downloading the PDF application and guidelines from the ITAG website. Submit your completed application to DCCED’s ITAG Program Manager via email.

Application Review: Once your application is submitted, it will be reviewed by DCCED. This process may take two to three weeks and involve communications between DCCED and the applicant, so please be sure to submit your application as early as possible to have an adequate amount of time for the review process.

Application Approval: If your application is approved, you’ll receive a confirmation email that will include your ITAG Grant Document Packet as well as the next steps for completing the grant reimbursement process. Your ITAG Grant Document Packet will include:

• Grant Agreement: This document will detail the requirements for your grant. Once reviewed, this will need to be signed by a member of the management team from the participating company and returned by email to DCCED. This document must be signed and submitted no later than two weeks before the start date of the tradeshow/event.
• Immediate Performance Report: This form will detail your experience and immediate sales associated with the attended tradeshow or other eligible event. This form is required to complete the reimbursement and must be submitted within 45 days of the final date of the tradeshow/event listed on the grant agreement.
• Expense Detail Report: This form will compile all eligible expenses that you would like to consider for your grant reimbursement. Complete this form by listing all eligible expenses associated with the tradeshow or other eligible event. Please be sure to submit all receipts/proof of payment for any expense listed on this form. Any expense listed on this form that does not include a valid proof of payment will not be included in your grant reimbursement. This form is required for reimbursement and must be submitted within 45 days of the final date of the tradeshow/event listed on the grant agreement.

Yes. The SBA requires the state to report on all STEP fund recipients after their activity has concluded. Your company will be required to fill out quarterly reports for the duration of the program performance period (September 29, 2025). Not completing the reporting requirements will result in your company being ineligible to receive future grants from the ITAG program, forfeiture of any remaining grant funds under ITAG, and reimbursement to DCCED of grant funds already expended.

Reimbursements will be awarded up to 75 percent of the total costs submitted. The minimum award amount is $1,000 and the maximum award amount is $10,000.

For example, if your company applies to the ITAG program to attend an export training that costs $1,500 and your application is accepted for 75 percent reimbursement, the calculation would be $1,500 x 0.75= $1,125. Your company would receive a reimbursement of $1,125 for that application.

Total costs cannot be lower than $1,335 to meet the 75 percent reimbursement floor of $1,000. The maximum amount a company can be reimbursed is $10,000 regardless of the total costs in the application. For example, if your company applies for expenses totaling $15,000, your reimbursement will still be $10,000.

Activities may be awarded for reimbursement that is less than 75 percent of expenses due to the availability of funds.

Yes, eligible activities can be combined into one application to meet the $1,000 reward floor. For example, your company may opt to apply for export training that costs $1,200 and utilize a U.S. Department of Commerce subscription service that costs $500. You would list both activities in your application with the total expected cost of $1,700.