A nearly $400,000 grant has been awarded to the state of Maryland to help companies create jobs and access new foreign markets.

The funding, awarded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is the ninth investment from SBA's State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) in the state, which has contributed close to $5 million in Maryland over the past decade.

The federal grant will support the Maryland Department of Commerce’s international efforts, including participation in virtual conferences as well as attending overseas trade shows in targeted industry sectors, and help fund the state’s ExportMD program, which provides matching grants of up to $5,000 to help Maryland companies market their goods and services to global customers.