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Delaware small businesses may apply for a Compass Grant to support marketing and sales activities around the world. Compass Grant funds may be used to reimburse up to 50 percent of all pre-approved, eligible, international marketing expenses, up to a maximum of $10,000 per fiscal year, per company.
Are you wondering how to connect with new customers around the world?
Do you feel you’ve exhausted your pipeline of clients domestically?
Do you plan to exhibit at an upcoming international trade show? If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place!
It’s more expensive to travel now than ever before. It can also be very challenging to connect with new customers around the world. That’s why the Delaware Department of State created the Compass Grant, to help Delaware small businesses navigate international business development.
Companies that sell internationally (export) are more profitable, grow faster, and are more resilient to economic fluctuations. They also create local jobs!
You don’t have to be a huge company to sell internationally. According to the SBA, some of the most successful exporters are innovative small- and medium-sized businesses (which account for 98 percent of U.S. exporters).
Travel expenses (hotel and airfare) for visiting potential clients or distributors in another country
Fees to work with Prime Target to obtain customized market reports
Fees to work with the US Commercial Service on International Partner Search
Fees associated with obtaining your CE Mark
Expenses for translating your product manual into another language
Expenses for optimizing and localizing your website for a foreign market
Export Delaware’s Business Trips
In addition to these activities, Delaware Small Businesses may participate in Export Delaware’s Business Trips. These trips are an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with distributors and potential customers – all with the assistance of seasoned global trade experts. Travel expenses on these trips are eligible for reimbursement through the Compass Grant.
Note, to be eligible to receive a Compass Grant, your business must have a physical operation and employees in Delaware and meet additional grant requirements listed below.
Watch the Compass Grant Briefing
In this one-hour video, you’ll discover:
If your business qualifies for funding, and what activities are eligible
How to submit a strong application
What’s new at Export Delaware and the 2026 grant cycle
Insights from our new program director, David Máthé
How you can use the grant to fund services from the U.S. Department of Commerce
Success stories from past Compass Grant awardees
Early access to the grant application—exclusively for webinar attendees
Important deadlines and how to get started
How it Works
Apply for a Compass Grant if you’re seeking financial assistance for expanding into new international markets.
Apply
Complete an online Compass Grant Application to apply. List the amount of funds you are requesting on your application. Note that the maximum grant award amount you may be eligible for is $10,000.
Award
If your business meets the Compass Grant requirements, and there are funds available, you will be awarded a grant to move forward on the project.
Project Execution and Payment
Conduct your international business in a professional manner and maintain accurate records and receipts of your expenses throughout. Please note the allowable and unallowable expenses as outlined in the Compass Grant Guidelines below.
Reimbursement
Once the project or trip is complete, you can submit your reimbursement request to Export Delaware per the Compass Grant guidelines. You will be reimbursed 50% of the costs associated with your project, provided they meet the requirements. For example, if the project costs $10,000, you may submit a reimbursement request for $5,000 (50% of the cost).
Does My Business Qualify?
The Compass Grant is for export-ready Delaware small businesses. Please note the Compass Grant is NOT for startups.
Compass Grant Eligibility Requirements
Your business must meet the following requirements to qualify for Compass Grant funds:
Company must have operations in Delaware
Those companies incorporated in Delaware without physical operations here are not eligible for Delaware grant funding.
Applicant must be a U.S. citizen
Product must be made in the USA
There is a 51% U.S. content requirement.
Company must meet SBA size standards for eligibility
Company must be in business for no less than one year to qualify for grant funding.
Export cost knowledge
Company must demonstrate an understanding of the costs associated with exporting and doing business with foreign producers, including costs of freight forwarding, customs brokers, packing and shipping.
A strategic export plan in effect
Eligibility for professionalservice firms with international clients
Accounting, Legal, and Technical Service Firms may be eligible, provided they have international clientele and can prove the intent to expand their business of exporting professional services.
Competitive Grant Awards with a Commitment to Inclusive Opportunity
Compass Grant Awards from the State of Delaware are awarded on a competitive basis. At the Delaware Department of State (Export Delaware), diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into everything we do. We aim to help Delaware small businesses of all types and backgrounds succeed and thrive, and we believe that promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential to achieving that goal. We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all constituents.
Compass Grant Eligible Expenses
Click each item category below to find out which expenses are eligible (and ineligible). If you have questions about whether an expense is eligible, please contact Export Delaware before incurring any expenses.
Travel expenses can only be reimbursed for ONE traveler per company. An exception may be made if the second traveler is a technical person who is needed to facilitate sales.
Allowable Expenses:
Coach airfare* – Please see below for new regulations for premium economy or business class travel
Ground transportation fees
Baggage fees
Parking fees at the U.S. airport of departure
Lodging – Up to 150% of the maximum lodging rate of the federal per diem for each city of travel.
Fees for shipping sample products
Language interpretation services on your trip
Unallowable Expenses:
Travel expenses for more than one company representative
Expenses related to the entertainment of current or prospective clients or government officials
Passport and visa fees
Immunizations
International cell phone charges
Printing of marketing materials
Meals while traveling
Seat assignment fees/upgrades
Flight change fees
Flight Policy
*If you elect to fly an upgraded flight class, such as premium economy or business class, your ticket may be eligible for reimbursement if it meets the following criteria:
The flight destination must be outside of North America and Europe The flight must be pre-approved by Export Delaware. If approved, Delaware will reimburse you up to 50% of the upgraded ticket upon receipt of compliant documentation.
Please note that if you wish to fly an upgraded class of travel and do not meet the above state criteria, you may provide Export Delaware with the following documentation for reimbursement:
FLIGHT ITINERARY, AND COST FOR THE COACH FARE ON THE SAME DATE YOU PURCHASED YOUR UPGRADED FLIGHTS. THESE MUST BE FOR THE SAME FLIGHTS ACTUALLY FLOWN. YOU MUST ALSO PROVIDE THE ITINERARY, COST, AMOUNT PAID, AND PROOF OF PAYMENT FOR YOUR UPGRADED CLASS OF TRAVEL. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE. THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF STATE REIMBURSES UP TO 50% OF THE ELIGIBLE COACH CLASS FARE. The flight must be pre-approved by Export Delaware.
International trade shows where your business is exhibiting or have one-on-one business meetings with prospects at the show.
Allowable Expenses:
Registration fees for technical conferences and symposiums (with approval from Export Delaware)
Exhibition booth fees for international trade shows
Raw booth space
Design costs of the booth – this may include signage, furniture costs, and graphics
Trade show catalog listing fees
Trade show advertising fees
Travel costs for one traveler per company (airfare, ground transportation, parking, taxis, Ubers, mileage, tolls, and other associated and allowable travel expenses). Refer to “International Business Trips” above for details on specific eligible and ineligible travel expenses.
Fees for shipping sample products
Design of marketing material fees to bring to the show
Unallowable Expenses:
Expenses related to the entertainment of current or prospective clients or government officials
Passport and visa fees
Immunizations
International cell phone charges
Printing of marketing materials
Seat assignment fees/upgrades
Flight change fees
Consultant fees for international compliance testing for a foreign market.
Export credit insurance premiums.
Allowable Expenses:
Fees incurred for export credit insurance policy (including EXIM Bank fees and private sector providers)
Monthly “pay-as-you-go” fees from EXIM Bank
Initial annual premium from private providers
Foreign buyer credit reports
Fees associated with designing, creating, and producing marketing materials for a specific international market.
Allowable Expenses:
Design of marketing brochures for specific international markets
Design of social media platforms for specific international markets
Design of websites for a specific international market
Design of billboards for a specific international market
Design of newspaper ads with an international focus
Design of advertisements in international magazines
Design of posters for a specific international market
Design of product labeling for a specific international market
Translation of items above
Other media may be approved in advance by Export Delaware as consistent with its definition of marketing media
Unallowable Expenses:
Printing costs for any of the above activities
Must be pre-approved by Export Delaware.
Allowable Expenses:
Customized Market Research
Initial Market Check
International Company Profile
International Partner Search
International Partner Search + Virtual Introductions
Gold Key Service (GKS)
Hosting a trade event
Participate in/attend a certified trade mission
Participate in/attend a Dept. of Commerce seminar or webinar
Website globalization support
Unallowable Expenses:
Please note that fees related to the U.S. Commercial Service Tradewinds exhibition, including travel, are not eligible under the Compass Grant. Certain portions of B2B meetings may qualify pending approval from the Delaware Department of State. Contact Export Delaware for more details if you are seeking to include Tradewinds in your grant application.
For costs associated with optimizing a website or webpage for a specific international audience.
Allowable Expenses:
Develop localized web pages for specific international markets
Translate pages of a website for specific markets
Conduct a search engine optimization (SEO) project for a website in a specific market
Create a mobile app integration, creation, and updates to support your company in selling product(s) in a specific market
Develop a webstore setup and/or maintenance costs
Set up to receive and/or process online payments and orders for an international market
Create a platform to sell online using, but not limited to: Amazon Services, Walmart Marketplace, Alibaba Inc., FlipKart, and Rakuten
Develop cybersecurity protection to support exports
Unallowable Expenses:
Design of a company’s website
Allowable Costs:
Export training registration fees
Export training materials
International travel expenses to/from training(s)
Development of training materials related to exporting
Venue fees to host a training
A/V fees for the training
Speaker fees
Export certification or training workshops offered by SBA resource partners, such as, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women Business Centers (WBCs), and SCORE
U.S. Commercial Service trainings that assist companies going to market and with executing strategic export plans
ExporTech program – jointly offered by the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership and federal/state export partners
New to Export SIDO ESBC Training
Export compliance training from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), Department of Commerce, Defense Directorate of Trade Controls (BIS), U.S. State Department, and U.S. Census Bureau
State and local training programs by private-sector consultants, including compliance, logistics, financing, and international marketing
Unallowable Expenses:
Food and beverage costs at the training
Costs for printing training material
Testimonials
“Funds were provided to visit our two distributors in China and have meetings at key accounts. This account will help generate a large percentage of sales over the next several years.”
– Stephanie Rosenberg, Advanced Materials Tech
“This program helps us meet existing needs and develop new distribution channels for our products. The two largest medical trade shows in the world were part of our itineraries. The grant, and all the other excellent support we receive from Export Delaware, has been an invaluable aid to our expansion overseas.”
– Andy Wood, LiteCure
“Export Delaware is very helpful to small businesses who want to export. They have a great team, who are ready to help.”
– Naresh Batta, Batta Environmental
“The folks at Export Delaware have been very helpful with our efforts to reach prospects outside of the US by taking away the fear of the unknown.”
– Jeff Palmer, OASIS Inspection Systems
Additional Funding For Export Activities
Additional capital resources are available from the federal government and other organizations for export activities. Options range from tax credits to low-interest loans and other financing plans. Search here to find the right option for your business.
Name of Incentive: International Trade Loan Program
Issuing Organization: SBA
Details: Loans available to small businesses in a position to expand existing export markets or develop new export markets, or that have been adversely affected by import competition and can demonstrate that the loan proceeds will improve their competitive position.
