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Florida offers grants to help companies grow their export sales through overseas international trade shows.
Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) offers reimbursable Target Sector Trade Show Grants to help Florida small to medium-sized companies generate or increase their export sales overseas. Expanding into international markets can be vital to the success of a company’s growth strategy and studies demonstrate that companies with a significant international portfolio grow faster, are more profitable, and less susceptible to domestic downturns.
To help your company increase export sales and enter new global markets, Enterprise Florida provides event-specific grants on a reimbursable basis to eligible manufacturers and select professional services providers in target sectors. The grants can be used for trade shows on the Enterprise Florida calendar of events, where Enterprise Florida is organizing a Florida Pavilion, Florida Section, or has staff actively recruiting for and attending the event.
Find out where Enterprise Florida is connecting exporters to some of the largest international trade shows in the world!
Please contact your local EFI trade representative for more information and to receive the grant application.
All grant applicants must meet the minimum grant qualifications found here.
1. Applicant MUST be one of the following:*
a. New to show.
b. Second year participant (a company that was “new to show” the previous year of show).
c. Company has not participated in the previous three (3) years of the show or previous three bi-annual shows, as applicable.
*For events that rotate to different markets, please contact your regional trade manager.
2. Grants can only be used for trade shows that are currently on the Enterprise Florida calendar of events, where Enterprise Florida is organizing a Florida Pavilion, Florida Section, or has staff actively recruiting for and attending the event.
3. International trade exhibitions must be held outside the United States, including commonwealths and territories, and will be approved by Enterprise Florida.
ONLY eligible trade show exhibition expenses will be covered, as determined by Enterprise Florida
Examples of eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
Examples of ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
The following documents will be required during the online application process:
1. Proof of company registration with Florida Division of Corporations from www.sunbiz.org.
2. Proof of event registration that includes cost of basic turnkey booth package.
3. Proof of partial or full payment.
Grantees will be required to submit the following in order to receive reimbursement:
1. An invoice billing EFI for grant award amount. Grant payments will only be issued via ACH.
2. Signed and dated IRS W-9 Form. W-9 must be dated within the last 24 months.
3. Proof of payment for all expenses submitted.
4. Completed Export Sales Report.
A company may receive a maximum of three trade grants each year between July 1 to June 30 (EFI’s fiscal year), subject to the limitations below:
Submission Process: Applicants must request from EFI an online Grant Application (“application”) and submit all required documentation at least 15-days prior to the start of the international trade event. Grants must be approved prior to the first day of the trade show or they will not be considered. No exceptions.
Evaluation Process: Enterprise Florida staff will review all applications and make a determination regarding the applicant’s eligibility and grant award amounts within ten (10) days of receipt of application.
If the Grantee does not submit the invoice, receipts and Export Sales Report within thirty (30) calendar days after the end of the trade show, Enterprise Florida reserves the right to cancel the grant award without reimbursement. If Enterprise Florida learns that any of the information provided on the application is false, Enterprise Florida has the right to cancel the reimbursement if not already paid, or require repayment of funds already disbursed.