EXIM is continuing its efforts to grow exports from U.S. small businesses through its Exporter Forum events each year. The events familiarize U.S. companies and financial institutions with U.S. government financing and insurance products. Local economic development organizations; national industry groups; and a wide variety of business, financial, and governmental partners help bring these resources into communities across America. The forums are town hall discussions – often co-hosted by members of Congress, the Department of Commerce, SBA, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and local officials – which provide small companies with insights from existing EXIM Bank customers and information on U.S. government tools that can equip them to access foreign markets. The attendees can personally relate to the panel discussions and success stories of local companies. EXIM is approaching its sixth anniversary of its first Global Access Forum for Small Business, having hosted more than 95 forums since launching January, 2011.

Past Exporter Forums were held in the following cities.

Special Initiatives

Woman-, Minority-, and Veteran-Owned Businesses:

An area of additional emphasis in EXIM's small business group is firms owned by women, minorities, and veterans. Disparities in capital access for these firms are well-documented. EXIM 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, EXIM is substantially increasing the resources devoted to these enterprises.

Renewable-Energy and Environmental:

EXIM 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:

EXIM 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:

EXIM 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 EXIM 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:

The 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 EXIM, 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 EXIM small business insurance brokers and lenders, ranked by the amount authorized in this past fiscal year.

Insurance Brokers

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

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

Lenders:

• PNC Bank
• Wells Fargo Bank
• JP Morgan Chase
• Bank of America
• Amegy Bank
• Comerica
• Silicon Valley Bank
• Branch Banking and Trust 
• GBC International Bank
• M&T Bank

EXIM's Exporter Forums 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.

Exporter Forum Partners:

• The Department of Commerce
• (U.S. Commercial Service)
• The Office 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