Global Access for Small Business

Chairman's Message

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is supporting American companies and workers at levels greater than at any time in our 76-year history. As a self-sustaining agency, the Bank does this work without any cost to the American taxpayer.

In particular, we are working diligently to ensure that small businesses - the foundation of our economy - are at the forefront of our outreach efforts. That is why I am proud to introduce our new Global Access for Small Business initiative to engage more of these companies in foreign sales.

Of Ex-Im Bank's fiscal year 2010 authorizations, more than $5 billion was for small businesses - a record for the Bank. We conducted extensive outreach around the country to inform business owners of our products. These efforts paid off with more than 700 small businesses working with Ex-Im Bank for the first time. In addition, approximately 85 percent of the Bank's transactions were with such American companies, and Ex-Im Bank has helped a total of nearly 2,000 small businesses expand their export sales in 2010. We also took concrete steps to improve turnaround time for clients and are building on these efforts.

We understand the unique needs of small businesses that are pursuing opportunities to export their products, and we continue to create financing tools tailored to guarantee that these companies have the capital required to gain access to key foreign markets.

As these successful Ex-Im Bank's transactions add up, more U.S. goods and services are being sold in more key markets abroad, creating more profits and more good jobs here at home.

Increasing exports and access to foreign markets is a proven tool for strengthening our economy and creating durable jobs. The United States is well positioned to capitalize on the types of products and services that fast-growing markets around the world are demanding. Ex-Im Bank is committed to ensuring that American small businesses can compete in this global climate.

Fred P. Hochberg
Chairman and President

Special Initiatives

Woman-, Minority-, and Veteran-Owned Businesses:
An area of additional emphasis in Ex-Im Bank's small business group is firms owned by women, minorities, and veterans. Disparities in capital access for these firms are well-documented. Ex-Im Bank has a dedicated team that directs its outreach activity to these organizations that represent African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, woman-owned and veteran-owned enterprises.

The Bank is stepping up its coverage of these groups and identifying more effective means of reaching them and helping address their financing challenges. To achieve lofty targets, Ex-Im Bank is substantially increasing the resources devoted to these enterprises.

Renewable-Energy and Environmental:
Ex-Im Bank offers enhanced financing for renewable energy and environmentally beneficial exports, including repayment terms up to 18 years for renewable-energy and water-treatment projects, capitalization of interest during construction, and support for local costs up to 30 percent of the U.S. scope of supply. Visit the Environmental Exports Progam page for more information.

Medical Technologies:
Ex-Im Bank also supports enhanced buyer financing for medical technology and services, including payment terms up to 7 years, capitalization of interest during installation, and support for local costs up to 30 percent. Visit the Medical Technologies Program page for more information.

Sub-Saharan Africa:
Ex-Im Bank provides U.S. exporters with the financing assistance to compete successfully for business in Africa. The Bank's products and initiatives help U.S. exporters in all regions of Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Visit the Sub-Saharan Africa page for more information.

New Policies

Transaction Time:
Increased importance is being place on turning transactions around faster. In fact, this process was cut by about a third from FY'09 to FY'10.

Eligibility:
This policy change expands criteria to enable more of a company's products and services to be included in an Ex-Im Bank working capital or trade credit insurance transaction.

Other Government Resources

There is plenty of information and support to assist current exporters and new-to-export companies in building their international sales and succeeding in today's global marketplace.

Market Research:
Companies can access current and cumulative U.S. export and import data for over 18,000 export commodities and 24,000 import commodities with USA Trade Online! This service is offered by the Foreign Trade Division of the U.S. Census Bureau at http://www.usatradeonline.gov or call 800.549.0595 (option 4). Customized market research to answer particular international business questions can be found in the "Opportunities" section on
http://www.export.gov
.

Locate Buyers and Distributors:
Th e U.S. Commercial Service can help businesses find qualified international buyers, partners or agents without having to travel. Trained specialists can deliver detailed company information on international companies that have expressed an interest in a company's products and services. Visit the "Solutions" section on http://www.export.gov.

Financial Support:
In addition to Ex-Im Bank, the Small Business Administration (SBA) also has three loan guarantee programs to help small businesses access the capital needed to provide goods and services to the global marketplace. Visit http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/internationaltrade/index.html.

Most Active Partners

Listed below are the most active Ex-Im Bank small business insurance brokers and lenders, ranked by the amount authorized in fiscal year 2010.

Insurance Brokers (ranking is based on FY2011 small business authorizations excluding bank policies):

  • Trade Acceptance Group, Ltd.
  • Altus Multinational Group
  • International Risk Consultants
  • Meridian Finance Group
  • Export Insurance Services, Inc.
  • Penn International Insurance
  • The Credit Insurance Source
  • Global Business Solutions, Inc.
  • World Trade Consult, LLC
  • Brett Tarnet Insurance Services

Lenders:

  • PNC Bank
  • Wells Fargo Bank
  • Silicon Valley Bank
  • JP Morgan Chase
  • Comerica
  • Bank of America Merrill Lynch
  • Citibank

Ex-Im Bank's Global Access for Small Business is being supported by a wide variety of business, financial and government partners and is part of President Obama's National Export Initiative. This group has joined the Bank in increasing the number of small businesses exporting goods and services produced by U.S. workers.

Global Access Partners:

  • The Department of Commerce
  • (U.S. Commercial Service)
  • The Offi ce of the U.S. Trade Representative
  • (USTR)
  • U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce
  • National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • FedEx
  • HSBC Bank USA, N.A.
  • Wells Fargo Bank
  • PNC Bank
  • Bank of America Merrill Lynch


page last updated  2012-Aug-09