California STEP Grant – Y11 Round 4

Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development · State of California

At a glance

California STEP Grant – Y11 Round 4 is a closed California state grant opportunity from the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (State of California). The application deadline was August 29, 2025. Individual awards are listed as $500 – $10K. Applicant types listed as eligible include business. It is listed on the California Grants Portal. Cost sharing or matching is required.

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Jun 1, 2025Posted
Aug 29, 2025Application deadline

Opened: Jun 1, 2025
Close date: Aug 29, 2025
Award floor: $500
Award ceiling: $10,000
Est. total funding: Not specified
Expected awards: Not specified
Matching funds: Required
Funding instrument: Grant

Program details (as published on the California Grants Portal)

Type: Grant
Funding source: Federal and State — The California State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) is administered by the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Matching funds: 25% — See page 7 of the Program Guidelines.
Funding method: Reimbursement(s) — See Program Guidelines.
Estimated number of awards: Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
Award period: Sep 1 - Sep 30, 2025
Expected award announcement: Ongoing
Letter of intent: Not required
Geography: Must be organized or incorporated in the United States of America; Must have significant business operations in California. (Substantial presence in terms of workforce, facilities, and economic impact within that state); Must be registered to do business in the State of California and have a good standing with regulatory agencies; GO-Biz will assess the operating status of a company based on the business type: See detailed eligibility.
How to submit: Online: https://step.business.ca.gov/
Latest change note: Changed to active.

Who can apply

Applicant categories as listed on the California Grants Portal. GrantsJunction maps them to detailed applicant types for search and matching.

Business

Additional information on eligibility (from the listing)

For-profit; Business Organized or incorporated in the U.S; Exporting goods or services of U.S. origin or that have at least 51% U.S. content; Meet SBA small business size standards; In business for at least one year See detailed eligibility.

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Purpose and description as published on the California Grants Portal.

Purpose

The California State Expansion Program (STEP) grant offers financial assistance to eligible California small businesses seeking to expand into foreign markets through STEP Events and Export Vouchers.

Description

STEP aims to boost the number of qualified small business exporters and increase the volume of goods and services they export. Eligible California small businesses can participate in up to two (2) STEP events per federal fiscal year, with potential participation in additional events based on space and funding availability. For the Export Voucher, eligible businesses can receive reimbursement for up to 75% of pre-approved expenses, capped at $10,000 per federal fiscal year of October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025.

Program page on the agency site ↗

Past applications & awards

Historical data · not a prediction

Reported by the agency for this listing

Fiscal year 2025–260 applications · 0 awards

Counts as published on the California Grants Portal. Award counts can read zero until decisions are announced.

Program contact (as published)

Jonathan Gasca
STEP@gobiz.ca.gov
1-916-857-9847

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for “California STEP Grant – Y11 Round 4”?

The official listing names these applicant types as eligible: Business. It adds: “For-profit; Business Organized or incorporated in the U.S; Exporting goods or services of U.S. origin or that have at least 51% U.S. content; Meet SBA small business size standards; In business for at least one year See detailed eligibility.” Additional restrictions may apply; review the full guidelines.

How much funding is available through “California STEP Grant – Y11 Round 4”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $500 – $10k.

How do I apply for “California STEP Grant – Y11 Round 4”?

Applications go directly to Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, not through GrantsJunction. Submission: online at https://step.business.ca.gov/. Read the program guidelines on the agency's site first; state programs set their own forms and registration requirements.

Other open California state opportunities, matched on agency, categories and wording.

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