I hope this message finds you well. We wanted to provide a quick update regarding our planning for administering the MI-STEP grant in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). At this time, we are still awaiting official information and guidance from the federal government on the status of our FY26 STEP application. We should have an update by the end of September on the amount Michigan will receive from the Small Business Administration (SBA). As soon as we receive our official Notice of Award, we will be sure to communicate FY26 MI-STEP information with you promptly.

In the meantime, we are actively planning for several programmatic changes for FY26. While these plans are still preliminary and subject to adjustment based on final grant terms, we wanted to share some of the updates we are considering to help you prepare for potential shifts in your scope or priorities.

• Planned adjustments to program eligibility criteria:
  • Adding international certifications
  • Adding compliance testing cost of an existing product for export market entry
  • Adding international marketing media and translations
  • Increasing STEP reimbursement to 75% (up from 50% in FY25)
  • Removing domestic trade shows attendance (regardless of international presence)
• Anticipated timelines:
  • MI-STEP application window opens, and applications will be accepted, for activities taking place October 15, 2025* – September 15, 2026
    • Note: We cannot retroactively approve activities from October 1, 2025 – October 14, 2025. Thank you for your understanding.
    • *October 15, 2025 is our goal to open the MI-STEP application window pending the outcome of Michigan state budget deliberations
• Additional opportunities to engage: MEDC’s International Trade program is proud to continue offering services including technical export development assistance, trade missions, and foreign office customized market research. Pending state budget outcomes, we plan to provide these critical export development tools into FY26 in addition to MI-STEP funding.

We understand the importance of early communication, especially when planning collaborative efforts, and we appreciate your patience as we wait for official notification regarding funding. We value our partnership and look forward to working with you to ensure a smooth and successful FY26.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to schedule time to discuss potential changes further with your dedicated International Trade Team Manager: Weiwei Lu, Chris Bosio, and Brendan Cherry.