Gov. Steve Sisolak speaks at a roundtable discussion with reporters about the 2021 session in Carson City on June 1, 2021.
Photo: David Calvert / The Nevada Independent
The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development used federal grant money to help 39 small Nevada businesses develop their export sales over the past year.
The money is from a State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to a June 23 press release from GOED.
“One of our main goals emerging from the pandemic is to assist the small business community as it plays an integral role in the state and global economy,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said in a statement. “Increased exporting through the SBA STEP Grant helps Nevada businesses with productivity growth, supporting research and development and, most importantly, creating more jobs for Nevadans.”
Through GOED, Nevada businesses were able to make connections in 19 countries and generate more than $13 million in export sales this past year. Since 2017, export sales by GOED assisted companies have increased to more than $32 million.
According to the June 23 release, Nevada companies in manufacturing, information technology, professional, scientific, and technical services; agriculture and wholesale trade made connections in Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
“One in five jobs are supported by international trade in our state,” Sisolak said. “STEP funding opens many doors for small businesses in Nevada to the global marketplace.”
Since 2012, GOED has received $1.7 million in STEP funding. Over the last four years, GOED has supported 142 small businesses in their export promotion endeavors.
