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The U.S. Small Business Administration granted the New Jersey Business Action Center $1 million to help promote small business exports, the administration announced Monday.

With a $333,333 match from New Jersey, small businesses statewide now have access to $1.3 million in funding to help them enter and compete in the global marketplace under the agency’s State Trade Expansion Program.

The SBA granted a total of $19 million to 48 states to increase exporting by small businesses across the country; New Jersey’s $1 million was the second highest total overall after Michigan and Washington state received $1.3 million each.

“This SBA STEP award provides New Jersey small businesses with the critical funding they need to thrive internationally while creating jobs and strengthening their communities,” said SBA New Jersey District Director Alfred Titone in a prepared statement. “We know that our 10-year partnership with the New Jersey Business Action Center has been a tremendous boost for small businesses to grow through exporting, and has contributed to the $36 billion in products that were exported to other countries in 2019.”

Small business owners may use STEP Grants to participate in foreign trade missions, foreign market sales trips, subscription services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as for the design of international marketing campaigns, export trade show exhibits, and website translations.

SPEX CertiPrep of Metuchen was looking to expand its market reach to Middle Eastern countries and used a STEP Grant of $10,000 to attend the 2019 Arab Lab trade show. SPEX CertiPrep manufactures materials in testing levels of pesticides in organic foods or for levels of cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic in medicines, and the trade show is designed to showcase laboratory and chemical technology from companies around the world.

As a result of attending the trade show, SPEX CertiPrep secured a sizable order with a company in Saudi Arabia.

“The STEP Grant has been a contributing factor to our growth,” said Kevin McKeown, SPEX CertiPrep’s vice president of sales, in a prepared statement. “The Arab Lab show gave our company exposure to potential customers from Dubai, Vietnam and other parts of the Middle East and Asia. Getting out in front of people helps you develop contacts and sell products.”

“The SBA’s partnership with the New Jersey Business Action Center on the STEP Grant initiative is having a tremendous impact on small businesses that want to initiate an export program or expand their footprint in international sales, like SPEX CertiPrep did with their recent STEP grant,” said SBA Regional Administrator Steve Bulger.

“By funding states and their export development partners, the SBA is delivering the tools and resources required for small businesses to launch their services and products abroad,” Bulger said. “This unique partnership that we have with the State of New Jersey is vital to unlocking additional trade opportunities for small businesses that will only contribute to future economic growth and expansion throughout the state.”

For information on how a small business can receive a STEP grant to help expand its exporting efforts, contact the New Jersey Business Action Center’s Office of International Business Development at (866) 534-7789 or online.

The office is now accepting applications from small businesses for fiscal year 2021.