The Washington State Department of Commerce’s Export Voucher Program provides direct cash assistance to qualifying small businesses to help them expand their international sales.
Are you eligible?
Qualifying companies must:
- Be organized or incorporated and operating in the U.S.
- Be a registered business in Washington state.
- Meet a) the applicable industry-based small business size standard established under section 3 of the Small Business Act; or b) the alternate size standard applicable to the program, under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act and the loan program, under Title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 695 et seq.) The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) size standards are found at 13 C.F.R Part 121. Use this link for information on size standards for your business based on your NAICS code.
- Be in good standing with the Washington State Department of Revenue.
- Have a Federal Identification Number tied to a Washington address.
- Adhere to the following additional program criteria:
- have been in business for not less than the 1-year period ending on the date on which the Export Voucher is to be awarded;
- demonstrate understanding of the costs associated with exporting and doing business with foreign purchasers;
- export goods or services of US origin or have at least 51% US content (ex-factory price of a good minus the aggregate value of foreign sources equals more than 51%);
- have in effect a strategic plan for exporting;
- demonstrate export readiness; and
- Agree to provide information on export sales data resulting from the Export Voucher-supported activity, and respond to all subsequent Commerce surveys on a timely basis. Commerce will send surveys every six months, for up to 4 years. By applying for an export voucher, you are agreeing to respond to these confidential surveys with information on export sales data.
We have listed the eligible activities and reimbursement levels. If your business qualifies, you may receive up to the maximum allowed for that activity, or a lesser amount. Awards are granted based on committee review of your export voucher application.
- Design of international marketing, digital advertising
- Website design, maintenance and international payment handling
- Online market listing fees
- E-commerce platform fees
- Expenses to set up a website to accept international payments
- Services of the U.S. Commercial Service
- International shipment of product samples
- Compliance requirements to enter an export market
- Export research tool subscription
- Cost associated with international IP protection (limited to the following–USPTO PCT transmittal fee, filing fee, search fee; Hague Intl Design App transmittal fee, Trademark Madrid Protocol fee)
- International business travel (airfare only)
- International trade show or trade mission fees (virtual or in-person)
- Foreign market sales trips
- Translation of marketing media, including audio/video
- EXIM Credit Insurance fees
Resources
Once you review the eligibility requirements and feel that your business qualifies, your next step is to register and apply for the program through the application portal — it’s a straightforward and easy-to-follow process.
Register for and complete your export voucher application.
Remember, if you have questions, please contact our STEP Export Voucher team,
- Callum Cleary: 206-256-6145
- Nicole Gunkle: 206-256-6131
Or email the STEP Export Voucher team at Step.Vouchers@Commerce.wa.gov.
Questions about Commerce’s Export Voucher Program? Here are some answers to the questions we receive most often.
How many vouchers can I receive?
Companies can qualify for one STEP voucher per federal fiscal year (Oct to September of the preceding year).
If a company’s application for a voucher is denied, can they re-apply for a different event or activity in the same year?
Yes.
Can a company apply for an export voucher after they have already attended an event or activity?
Applications for an export voucher will only be considered for events or activities taking place in the future.
Can an export voucher be used for more than one sales trip or trade show?
No.
Can one trip with multiple stops qualify for an export voucher?
Yes, as long as the destinations are within the same general region of the world. The export voucher cannot be used to fund “around the world” tickets.
If I was awarded a voucher for a specific event, can I use that award for another event if our plans change?
No. The voucher must be relinquished and you must submit another application for the new event.
Can a distributor who plans to purchase goods for export receive a voucher?
Vouchers may be approved for these companies if at least 51% of the product’s value-added (including R&D) is from the U.S.
How do I know if I’m an SBA defined small business?
You can go to the WA Department of Revenue website to look up your NAICS code. Then you can look up your NAICS code in the SBA table to determine if you are an SBA defined small business.
What is a Statewide Vendor Number (SWV#) and why do I need one?
The state of Washington requires vendors (which include Export Voucher recipients) to have a Statewide Vendor Number (SWV#) before they can be paid by any state agency. If the Department of Commerce approves your Export Voucher application, this is how you will receive your reimbursement.
What is a cash match?
In compliance with SBA’s regulations, a voucher cannot cover more than 75 percent of a company’s expenses for an event. Therefore, a company must demonstrate that they have paid the amount covered by the voucher, and an additional 25 percent which will not be reimbursed.
What conditions must be met for my airfare to be reimbursed?
You must fly basic economy and use a US carrier when available, or an airline from an Open Skies Partner if a US carrier is not available. When you return from your trip, you must submit your boarding passes and the email confirmation from the airline stating your itinerary and confirmation of payment.
When can I expect to be reimbursed after my trip?
All necessary documents must be submitted 30 days after the last travel date. Once everything is submitted, you can expect to see your reimbursement in about three weeks.
What other financing options besides the Export Voucher program are available to help Washington small businesses?
Companies that meet the criteria for an Export Voucher may also be eligible for other Department of Commerce initiatives. These services leverage federal, state and private funding to increase small business access to capital that helps grow businesses and create new jobs.
More than 900 companies have used export vouchers to offset their exporting expenses. From mobile app developers and wakeboard manufacturers to remanufactured engine specialists and turnkey metalworkers, Washington State small businesses brought home more than $750 million in new export sales with assistance from this popular program, State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), funded through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Anderson Hay and Grain
Over the last several generations, Anderson Hay & Grain Co., Inc. has become the leading exporter of hay and straw products, specializing in timothy hay, alfalfa hay and grass straw products. Customers from Asia to the Middle East prize the company’s hay and grain products.
Exporting forms the foundation of Anderson Hay & Grain’s business, and the company ranks as one of the top 50 exporters in the United States! The company’s nimbleness, openness to new ideas, and strategically-based port facilities near the Port of Tacoma and the Port of Seattle enabled the company to export efficiently and build a broad customer base overseas.
General Plastics Manufacturing
This Tacoma company successfully leveraged STEP support through the Export Voucher and Europe Market Accelerator programs to increase its export sales by more than $500,000.
General Plastics Manufacturing is a leading innovator in polyurethane foam and provides unique chemistry-based solutions that support engineer and design teams in diverse industries such as composites, aerospace, tooling and prototyping. This Tacoma company successfully leveraged STEP support through the Export Voucher and Europe Market Accelerator programs to increase its export sales by more than $500,000.
General Plastics first participated in the STEP program with an Export Voucher to offset the expenses of attending the JEC Composites Show in Paris in March 2014. The experience convinced the company to join the Washington State Department of Commerce (Commerce) delegation the following year at JEC, a decision that provided immediate export results with a strong outlook for future growth.
“We gained more than $100,000 in aerospace orders and $25,000 in tooling materials,” said Brian Sweeney, the company’s sales director. In addition to 53 qualified leads, General Plastics Mfg. Co. met with a dozen existing key accounts and obtained valuable competitive information.
Enabling small businesses to attend some of the largest international trade shows, which can produce huge benefits but at a cost of thousands of dollars, is a cornerstone of the Commerce STEP program. The initiative has contributed to an overall aggregate of $200 million in new export sales among the 450 small businesses that have participated in the STEP program to date.