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International Trade Assistance

RivCoED is available to assist you with international investment, exports, underwriting, banking with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, EB-5 Regional Investment Centers & programs, and international investment programs abroad. International Trade Assistance also maintains the county’s official diplomatic relationship with 180 nations in an effort to increase trade, investment, and build lasting international partnerships that help the private sector create jobs and investment in the County of Riverside.

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Our Mission

RivCoED assists business owners, corporate officers, investors, and entrepreneurs with export and import assistance with the objective of creating new jobs and investment within the county. RivCoED serves as your link to developing and existing markets overseas, including our United States Export Assistance Centers, Foreign Agricultural Services, United States Chambers of Commerce operating abroad, United States Commercial Service, Foreign Trade Offices, and investors from other nations interested in establishing a business location in the County of Riverside.

International Trade Assistance is also directly responsible for government-to-government relations, as it pertains to economic development, trade, tourism, and goodwill building with the Organization of American States, United Nations, and all nations and governments formally recognized by the government of the United States of America. International Trade Assistance is strategically placed within RivCoED to have direct access to the vast resources, support and assistance from its team of highly dedicated professionals within the department.

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International Trade Quick Facts

  • Riverside County is home to 633 businesses from around the globe
  • Foreign owned enterprises employ nearly 19,000 individuals and account for an estimated $937 million in wages in Riverside County
  • Riverside MSA ranks among the top 15% as an export region in the United States
  • Our export growth has been above the national average, expanding at 11.0%
  • Top 5 export destinations for Riverside MSA are Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and the Netherlands

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Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ)

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U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones are considered outside of U.S. commerce for Customs purposes. This enables companies to defer duty payments on merchandise until it is entered into U.S. commerce. If the merchandise is subsequently re-exported from the FTZ, no Customs entry is filed, and no duty paid on the merchandise. The U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones program offers substantial advantages to U.S.-based manufacturers and distributors, many of which are not available under free trade zone regimes abroad. In general, merchandise in a zone may be: assembled, exhibited, cleaned, manipulated, manufactured, mixed, processed, relabeled, repackaged, repaired, salvaged, sampled, stored, tested, displayed, and destroyed.

Click Here to visit our Foreign-Trade Zones page.

 

Riverside County Manufacturers

CLICK HERE for a Map of Riverside County Manufacturers

Financial Resources

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THE STATE TRADE AND EXPORT PROMOTION (STEP)

The STEP Program is a pilot export initiative to make matching-fund awards to states to assist small businesses enter and succeed in the international marketplace. Activities to support small business exporting under the STEP Program are provided to eligible small business concerns (“STEP Clients”) located in states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

The program’s objectives are to increase the number of U.S. small businesses that export and to increase the value of exports by small businesses.

STEP activities are managed and provided at the local level by state government organizations. The Program is managed at the national level by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of International Trade. The Program was appropriated $8,000,000 in in FY 2014 funding for the third round. For more STEP information follow the link. 

STEP Information

EB-5 PROGRAM

Riverside County has been a strong supporter of the program and has implemented it throughout the county with dozens of EB-5 projects, principally for its economic benefits. To learn more about the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

EXPORT LOANS

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides a number of loan programs specifically designed to help develop or expand trade and export activities. Visit the SBA website for more information.

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FINANCING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS EXPORTS

Learn about the government's loans, insurance and grant programs to help you become an exporter or expand your exporting business. Click here for more information.

 

International Trade Partnerships

ITC Diligence

An international trade and foreign trade zone consultant, national corporate Customs Agency and one of the largest independent General-Purpose Zone Operator of Foreign Trade Zones in Southern California.

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SBDC International Trade

Learn more about importing and exporting and get to know some of the international trade resources that can help you expand your business globally.

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Media & Events

BANNING'S INTERNATIONAL TRADE WORKSHOP

PIVOT, ACCELERATE AND GROW YOUR EXPORT BUSINESS WITH ECOMMERCE

Click on the links below to view the presentations from this event

WEBINAR: HOW TO BENEFIT FROM FOREIGN TRADE ZONES - NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Click on the links below to view the presentations from this event

Contact Us

INTERNATIONAL TRADE ASSISTANCE
3403 10th Street, Suite 400, Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 955-8916

Kimberly Wright
Economic Development Manager
Riverside County Office of Economic Development 

Email: [email protected]