ISTEP Program

Illinois' State Trade and Export Promotion (ISTEP) program provides Illinois' small businesses with both financial and technical assistance to increase their exports. The ISTEP program includes 5 options for Illinois' companies to grow their export sales: Group Trade Missions (GTM), Individual Foreign Market Sales Missions (IFMSM), and Product Compliance (PC), Website Localization (WL), and Ex-Im Bank: Export Credit Insurance (ECI). Illinois businesses must meet the following criteria: -An Illinois firm with either its headquarters and/or a substantial facility located within the State of Illinois. -A small firm as defined by the SBA i.e. less than 500 employees. -In operation for at least one year prior to the date of the trade mission or trade show ("Program") in which the Company seeks to attend. -Profitable with gross annual revenue of at least $250,000 (a lesser annual revenue may be acceptable if in the opinion of DCEO-OTI the company substantially contributes to Illinois job creation and/or retention efforts. -Products and/or services must contain at least 51% U.S.A. and 25% Illinois content, or in the opinion of OTI, product and/or services substantially contribute to Illinois job creation/retention efforts. -The Company is not applying for or receiving any other Local, State, or Federal grant funds associated with export promotion assistance from any outside sources for the mission, compliance, or support, except for ExporTech program, for which this application requests funds from DCEO-OTI.