Export Virginia

Export Virginia is the international trade assistance program of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a state authority created in 1995 by the Virginia General Assembly and headquartered in Richmond. The program specifically helps Virginia companies sell their products overseas through practical trade development services tailored to small businesses that lack dedicated export departments. What makes this program distinctive is its Virginia Export Promotion Fund, a state-funded grant program that reimburses Virginia companies up to five thousand dollars per fiscal year for eligible export marketing expenses including international trade show booth fees, translation of marketing materials, international travel costs, and foreign market research subscriptions. The organization staffs a team of international trade managers based in Richmond who provide one-on-one export counseling, helping companies navigate Harmonized System classification codes, Export Administration Regulations compliance, Bureau of Industry and Security license requirements, and sanctions screening. Trade specialists organize group pavilions at international exhibitions such as MEDICA in Dusseldorf, Hannover Messe, and the Paris Air Show where Virginia companies share booth space and split costs. The program leverages the Port of Virginia in Norfolk, the deepest natural harbor on the East Coast, as a logistics advantage for Virginia exporters shipping containers to Europe and Asia.