Export Assistance: City-State Partner Program
Through AIDEA, small and medium sized businesses have access to the Export-Import Bank of the United States www.exim.gov . The "Ex-Im" Bank, as it is commonly known, has cooperative partnerships with local and state development agencies, such as AIDEA, around the country.
Ex-Im Bank programs are especially applicable for exporters selling into the riskiest emerging foreign markets, which may be ineligible for support from private-sector lenders and insurance companies. In some cases, Ex-Im Bank may be the lender or underwriter of last resort. With no minimum financing fees or minimum annual insurance premiums, Ex-Im Bank may also represent the best starting point for export credit insurance and trade finance for some small-business exporters and companies new to international sales. Ex-Im Bank also helps level the playing field for U.S. exporters who are facing foreign competition from suppliers using their own governments’ export credit programs.
The City-State Partner program is designed to help small businesses involved in export/import transactions make greater use of the Ex-Im Bank’s financing programs, which include:
Trade Finance Guide: A quick reference for U.S. Exporters
EXIM Industry Report: Export with Confidence — Tools and Opportunities for the Seafood Industry