WILMINGTON, Del. — When a small business in Delaware wants to grow by selling to customers in other countries, costs can add up quickly, especially with trade shows, international travel, insurance and market research. The Compass Scholarship helps cover those costs.
Administered by Export Delaware, a division of the Delaware Department of State, Compass Grant offers Delaware small businesses up to $10,000 per year for international business development activities. In the last fiscal year, the State awarded $85,355 in 29 grants. The return was extraordinary: participating companies report $10 million in new international sales as a direct result, that is, $117 in new income for every $1 invested by the State.
The results go beyond sales figures. The companies hired 21 new employees to keep pace with growth and retained 166 more. And because international sales cycles are long, participating companies project an additional $21 million in new sales over the next 18 months.
Grant-funded activities ranged from exhibitions at trade fairs to customer visits abroad and the purchase of EXIM credit insurance, which helps protect companies against the risk of foreign buyers not paying them. Here’s what some Delaware businesses accomplished:
- A Georgetown-based aviation company used the grant to cover EXIM credit insurance premiums and reports $4.6 million in new international sales.
- A Wilmington manufacturer exhibited at a trade show in Germany and reports $100,000 in new sales.
- A Delaware accounting firm attended a trade show in Japan, signed new agreements with clients and reports $15,000 in new sales.
“Delaware’s small businesses depend on this program,” said David Máthé, Director of International Business Development for the State of Delaware. “In just the first few weeks of the new funding year, applicants have already applied for nearly half of what was awarded in all of last year. That shows how much they care about this program.”
The Compass Grant launched in 2023 and has grown steadily, with many businesses returning each year to apply for additional funding. Stephen Zwidler of Accudyne Systems summed it up simply: “Keep up the great support of First State Businesses.”
A new round of Compass Grant funding opened on July 1, 2026. Delaware small businesses are encouraged to apply at export.delaware.gov.
About Delaware Export
Export Delaware is the State of Delaware’s official resource for small businesses looking to sell their products and services internationally. Export Delaware, a division of the Delaware Department of State, provides personalized guidance, market expertise, and access to financing programs like Compass Grant to help businesses of all sizes reach new customers around the world. For more information, visit export.delaware.gov.
