SBDC’s New Partnership Adds Tools to Global Business Program

More financial and informational tools to help small companies grow global businesses will be available through a new agreement between the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (EXIM) and Duquesne’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

The new agreement will be celebrated on Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Rockwell Hall. The SBDC will be promoting and training local businesses on EXIM’s programs to provide financial support and risk reduction for export transactions. The EXIM Bank assumes commercial and political risks of buyer non-payment.

“Businesses, particularly small ones, traditionally have been unfamiliar with EXIM’s wide array of lending products and opportunities,” said Dr. Mary McKinney, SBDC director.  “EXIM can be an active partner with businesses to help them secure export orders and comfortably offer credit terms to the foreign buyer that are backed up by EXIM’s export credit insurance.”

Additionally, EXIM offers lending programs to support foreign buyers’ purchases of capital goods from U.S. firms.

The SBDC will promote and offer training, support and advocacy of these EXIM programs that enable small businesses to access growing foreign markets.

“Duquesne SBDC’s Global Business Program assists businesses in overcoming trade hurdles and we are delighted to now have a closer partnership with EXIM Bank, which should bring this financing to more local businesses,” McKinney said.