Question: Why does the U.S. Small Business Administration, an independent domestic agency of the federal government, have an international trade mission? Answer: Because doing business internationally is where future growth lies for many small businesses!

It is just that simple.

Two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power and 96 percent of the population are outside of the United States. The SBA, as well as other federal agencies, is well-prepared to help small businesses go global, from training and counseling in the techniques of exporting; to providing on-the-ground representation for small businesses in overseas markets; to providing these businesses with the necessary financing for export working capital and acquisition of plant and equipment for their international sales.

As an international office in a domestic agency, the SBA is able to work with both the rapidly growing number of U.S. small business exporters and support the government’s international commercial policy objectives.

The SBA’s goal is to encourage economic growth, generate jobs and create wealth for U.S. small business. More than 230,000 small businesses now export more than $1 billion a day of products and services from the U.S., and that expansion may continue for years to come.

SBA leverages itself through partnerships with like-minded government agencies, private sector groups and even countries. The agency’s partnerships, and resulting programs, range from working with the Export-Import Bank or U.S. Commercial Service to financing small business exporters, encouraging banks to make export loans, and aiding a local or state agency to conduct export seminars.

SBA participates with the State and Commerce Departments to represent the U.S. at international business or economic forums, and contributes expertise to federal interagency groups in support of trade policy, or participates in Presidential international initiatives related to small business. One such program, the SBA’s Export Express Loan Program, can even finance the translation of a small businesses brochures and Web site into foreign languages, as well as cover the expenses for a small business to participate in an international trade mission or show.

Co-located in SBA’s local office are International Trade Specialists from the U.S. Commercial Service. They have expert knowledge about industries, international trade, and U.S. companies, and provide customized, expert help at every step of the trade process. Arizona small businesses, associations and organizations, are encouraged to go to SBA’s website – http://www.sba.gov – or the U.S. Commercial Service –http://www.export.gov/cs – for information and assistance in expanding, or further expanding, their business into global markets.

SBA’s focuses are largely in export finance, international trade counseling and export promotion. This is the "retail" or service delivery function, focusing on individual small businesses. The retail function is accomplished through a nationwide field network of regional international trade program managers, based at the U.S. Export Assistance Centers (USEACs). Experts in the highly specialized area of international trade finance, the Arizona staff make up an on-the-ground presence and provide direct services to individual small businesses and local export service providers. Arizona small businesses can access these services at (602) 745-7200 for support and assistance.

Internationally, SBA’s mission is to support the international trade and economic policies of the United States as they relate to small business, which is typically accomplished through collaboration with the government’s international affairs agencies.

SBA also provides a variety of useful information about exporting, including an online copy of Breaking Into the Trade Game, a helpful guide to companies that want to get into exporting. You can find a copy of the guide, and other helpful export tips, on the SBA’s International Trade’s website: http://www.sba.gov/oit/.