Unlock export growth with an International Market Access Grant
Companies have until March 15 to apply for grant funds
MADISON, WI. FEB. 1, 2024 – Wisconsin businesses aiming to grow or jump-start export success can apply for grants of up to $25,000 through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to help cover expenses in navigating global trade.
Applications for International Market Access Grants are open through March 15. Companies can begin the application process or ask questions by contacting Global Trade and Investment Grant Manager Katie Ujdak at 608.210.6773 or katie.ujdak@wedc.org.
To apply, a Wisconsin company must have been in operation for at least a year; must have annual revenues less than $100 million; and must manufacture, process, assemble, or distribute a product or offer services able to be exported. Wisconsin cost inputs must make up at least 35% of the value of an exported product or service, and companies must match 30% of the grant funding received.
The grants, available to companies new to exporting and to those with previous export experience, provide two levels of support.
Graduates of ExporTech™, a WEDC-sponsored program that helps small and midsize Wisconsin manufacturers tap into new markets with a customized export expansion strategy, are eligible to receive up to $25,000. Eligible applicants that have not completed ExporTech can receive up to $10,000.
Recipients can be reimbursed for trade show attendance, marketing and promotion, export education, and consulting services. In their proposals, applicants should focus on a single country or small group of nations with a clear reasoning for targeting the area and should strategically identify activities that will advance their export goals.
For example, the West Salem-based MacDonald & Owen Veneer and Lumber Co. used grant funding to gain international exposure. “We were able to get to more trade shows because of those grants,” Clint West, the firm’s CEO, said in accepting the 2023 Governor’s Export Achievement Award. “We were able to completely catapult the business into a broader market space.”
S3 Aero Defense LLC, a Milwaukee firm that provides spare and repair parts for military operators globally, also used the grants. Another winner of the Governor’s Export Achievement Award, the company used the grant funds to conduct market assessments, attend a trade mission, and exhibit at the Dubai Air Show, one of the aviation industry’s premier events.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Sixteen businesses named as finalists for 2024 MARKETPLACE Wisconsin awards
Nov 18th, 2024 by Wisconsin Economic Development CorporationWinners will be announced on Dec. 12 at conference in Milwaukee
Diverse businesses encouraged to attend MARKETPLACE Wisconsin
Oct 29th, 2024 by Wisconsin Economic Development CorporationDiscounted early-bird registration available through Nov. 4
Sauerkraut giant sweet on Wisconsin
Oct 28th, 2024 by Wisconsin Economic Development CorporationFermented Food Holdings Inc. leverages state tax credits and local expertise to boost statewide sauerkraut production and create 60 full-time jobs