By Mike Lynch, program director
In 2023, Forward Sioux Falls joined nearly 30 organizations, along with the State of South Dakota to provide funding for South Dakota Trade (SDT), which focuses on export education, STEP Grant hosting, international trade consulting and trade missions.
In its inaugural year, SDT has achieved several key milestones including:
- Procuring $375k in federal grants
- Providing continuing education to 70+ trade practitioners
- Hosting delegates from over 10 countries
- Providing over 400 hours of free and confidential consulting to small businesses
- Conducting the state’s first trade mission in 10 years which generated more than a 60x return on investment (over $1.5 million in direct sales). In total, SDT has directly supported more than $3 million in sales for South Dakota companies this year
If any Forward Sioux Falls investors desire assistance with any aspect of international trade, we encourage them to utilize the services SDT provides. Click here for contact information and to learn more about SDT programming.