Every programme in detail
Read the exclusions before the eligibility. It is faster to find out you are ruled out than to find out you qualify.
Global NY State Trade Expansion Program (STEP 14)
OpenEmpire State Development, with the U.S. Small Business Administration · State
Up to $10,000 per funding period, combined across up to three activities a year.
STEP 14 runs 30 September 2026 to 29 September 2027. Awards are first-come, first-served until the funds are gone, so the closing date is not the real deadline.
What it funds
- Foreign trade missions
- International and domestic trade shows
- Department of Commerce subscriptions
- Foreign language translation
Who qualifies
- For-profit business headquartered in New York with employees physically present in the state
- Trading at least one year and in good standing with state agencies
- Export-ready product with at least 51% United States content
- Meets SBA size standards
Who does not qualify
- Retail operations
- Cannabis companies
- Law firms, intermediaries, nonprofits and educational institutions
- Companies recruiting foreign investment rather than exporting
How to apply
- Confirm your product meets the 51% US content rule
- Apply through the Empire State Development STEP portal
- Apply early in the period, because awards run until the money is spent
🪤 Round numbers move. Our own previous New York page advertised a STEP window that had closed in December 2024, and an earlier fix in this project cited STEP 13. The current round is STEP 14. Always check the round number, not just the programme name.
Amber Grant for Women
RollingWomensNet · Private
Three $15,000 grants every month, plus three $75,000 year-end grants.
Monthly. Applications close on the last day of every month, and winners are announced by the 21st of the following month.
Who qualifies
- Woman-owned business
- One application enters you for both the monthly grant and the year-end grant
Who does not qualify
- Businesses that are not majority women-owned
How to apply
- Apply online before the month-end deadline
- Describe the business and what the money would do
Not Georgia-specific; open across the US and listed here because Georgia applicants qualify. The widely republished figures of $10,000 monthly and $25,000 annual are out of date. As of 27 October 2026 it is $15,000 and $75,000.
Global NY Grant Fund
RollingEmpire State Development · State
Grants and loans to help small and medium-sized New York businesses export. Amounts set per award.
Applications accepted on a continuous basis.
Who qualifies
- Small and medium-sized businesses based in New York State
- Export development and job creation projects
Who does not qualify
- Businesses with no export activity or plans, as the fund exists to grow international sales
Continuous intake, which is rare. Note it offers grants AND loans, so confirm which you are being offered before counting the money as free.
NYSTAR Innovation Matching Grants
ClosedEmpire State Development, Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) · State
State match against a federal SBIR or STTR award.
Round 5 is closed. Watch for a Round 6 announcement.
Who qualifies
- When open: New York small businesses actively applying for, or recently awarded, a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II award
Who does not qualify
- Everyone, currently, because Round 5 has closed
- Businesses with no federal SBIR or STTR involvement
Runs in rounds rather than continuously, so the programme page can read as live while no round is actually open. Check the round status, not the page.
