Grant will help businesses grow, hire workers thanks to Small Business Jobs Act

October 4, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today announced a $239,318 grant that will help increase the value and number of exports from Nevada small businesses and help them put people back to work. The grant is a result of the Small Business Jobs Act that, despite strong Republican opposition, Reid led to passage in September 2010.

“I thank the Obama Administration for helping small businesses put people back to work in Nevada through this grant program,” Reid said. “This will provide crucial resources to Nevada’s small businesses, which are the engine of economic growth and vital to job creation in the state.”

The grant has been awarded through the Small Business Administration’s State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program.  The STEP program is a 3-year pilot trade and export initiative authorized by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. This program will promote the value of exports to the economy and job creation, and engage Nevada small businesses with the potential to export. These funds will help the State launch a “New Market Access Program,” and conduct a state-directed trade show and outbound trade mission.

BACKGROUND

Just last week, Reid announced that the Nevada Commission on Economic Development will receive a $13.8 million grant for small business lending to help Nevada small businesses grow and create jobs.  That grant also comes as a result of the Small Business Jobs Act that Reid led to passage despite strong Republican opposition. 

This week, Reid is working to make exports from Nevada and around the country more valuable through a bipartisan bill that would prevent currency manipulation by the Chinese government.  Nevada has lost more than 14,000 jobs to China trade and currency manipulation.