The Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT) Grant Program now available

The emerging markets of Eurasia present significant commercial potential to American companies, but also entail certain risks. Many small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) face significant market access barriers in this region, and do not have the institutional capacity to effectively conduct business development. Therefore, it is important for you to be aware of SABIT and the opportunities SABIT can provide to the SME’s that you serve.

(Thanks to Steve Grover [email protected] -Director of the Small Business Development Center for the Montana Community Development Corp. for passing this along.- Russ)

The Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT) is a U.S. Department of Commerce initiative to build partnerships between American and Eurasian organizations. Through two types of technical assistance training programs, SABIT promotes trade and commercial opportunities for its American participants, and facilitates economic development and market-based reforms through its Eurasian trainees.

The SABIT Grant Program provides reimbursable funding for U.S. companies and organizations to train individual managers and scientists from Eurasia, and thereby to establish or extend commercial relationships with strategic partners in the Eurasian markets. In January 2005, SABIT will open the next round of Grant funding. SME’s entering into joint ventures, or other contractual arrangements, find great value in the SABIT Grant Program, as it enables them to train Eurasian prospective partners for 3 – 6 months in the United States. More information can also be found at: http://www.mac.doc.gov/sabit/grant_program.html

SABIT also operates a Group Program, which generates business development opportunities for U.S. host companies, and provides technical assistance for upper-level management from Eurasia through industry-specific training. SABIT organizes twelve Group Program training sessions each year. More information, including the 2005 Group Program calendar, can be found on SABIT’s website: http://www.mac.doc.gov/sabit/group_program.html

Feel free to contact me with any questions, or suggestions of specific companies and organizations in your area that are interested in the Eurasian markets. Thank you.

Regards,

Patrick Brennan

SABIT Marketing Coordinator

International Trade Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce

T-(202) 482-2077

F-(202) 482-2443

[email protected]

Visit http://www.mac.doc.gov/sabit