I want to sell abroad, or I've won an export order. How do I pay for it?
Government-backed export loans, export grants through the states, and trade finance, cheapest first.
Selling abroad often means paying for materials, staff and shipping long before a foreign buyer pays you. The SBA says most US banks see loans to exporters as risky, so two federal agencies share the risk with your lender. You still borrow from a bank or other lender, not from the government.
- SBA export loans come with a guarantee of up to 90% to the lender: Export Express loans of up to $500,000, and Export Working Capital and International Trade loans of up to $5 million.
- EXIM's Working Capital Loan Guarantee backs 90% of a loan used to fill export orders, with no minimum or maximum amount, for exporters whose goods or services have at least 10% US content. EXIM also sells export credit insurance, which protects money owed by foreign buyers against commercial and political losses.
- STEP grants come from the SBA through state and territory governments, and help established small businesses pay for trade missions, trade shows, translation, international marketing and export training.
6 routes to look at, cheapest first
Compare the first 4 side by side- L0
Free or nearly free
Little or no cash cost, though most take time and admin. Some bring money in, and a few have small fees. - L2
Mainstream secured debt
Standard borrowing from banks, credit unions and mainstream lenders, often secured on assets or backed by a personal guarantee.- Government-backed and community lending
EXIM working capital guarantees and export credit insurance
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) guarantees 90% of a bank's working capital loan to an exporter, and insures exporters against foreign customers not paying. Its authority to take on new business ends on December 31, 2026 unless Congress extends it.
Weeks - Government-backed and community lending
SBA export loans
Bank loans and lines of credit of up to $5 million for small businesses that sell outside the US, with the SBA guaranteeing up to 90% so lenders take on export risks they would otherwise turn down.
WeeksUp to $5mPersonal guarantee likely
- Government-backed and community lending
- L3
Specialist secured debt
Borrowing secured on specific assets such as invoices or inventory, with more fees and conditions than mainstream debt.- Asset-based and specialist lending
Invoice factoring
A finance company (a factor) buys your unpaid invoices to other businesses at a discount, pays you for them before your customers do, and collects the money from your customers.
Days - Asset-based and specialist lending
Purchase order and contract financing
Money to fill a specific order or contract you have won but cannot afford to carry out, repaid when your customer pays. The SBA backs one version through banks; specialist finance companies offer others on their own terms.
WeeksUp to $5mPersonal guarantee likely - Asset-based and specialist lending
Trade finance and letters of credit
Bank tools that make buying from or selling to other countries safer and easier to finance: letters of credit, documentary collections, standby letters of credit and forfaiting. They cost fees, need careful paperwork, and each suits a different level of trust between buyer and seller.
Weeks
- Asset-based and specialist lending
Worth knowing
- Ask your bank whether it makes SBA export loans or works with EXIM. The SBA publishes a list of participating export lenders, and EXIM has a lender locator for its working capital guarantee.
- U.S. Export Assistance Centers can help you build an export plan, and Small Business Development Centers give free business advice.
- STEP grants are run by each state's own office. Find yours in the SBA's directory of STEP awardees before you book a trade show or mission.
- Agree payment terms and the currency with a foreign buyer before you borrow against the order.
Sources
- SBA: Trade tools for international sales (export finance programs, export plan help) · checked October 20, 2026
- SBA: Grants, including the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) and its directory of awardees · checked October 20, 2026
- EXIM: Working Capital Loan Guarantee · checked October 20, 2026
- EXIM: Export Credit Insurance · checked October 20, 2026
Facts about each route are sourced on its own page.