Recognizing the increasingly important role that U.S. environmental technologies and services play in infrastructure and industrial projects, several U.S. government agencies provide financing programs to assist U.S. companies in their environmental export activities. Several other international and regional development agencies, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), also provide trade and project financing in developing countries.
United States Department of Commerce (DOC). DOC encourages, serves, and promotes the nation’s international trade, economic growth, and technical advancement. DOC assists U.S. companies in targeting finance assistance programs and provides counseling on multilateral development bank operations, programs, and resources supporting exports of environmental technologies.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).USAID offers loans and grants on concessional terms to less developed countries for further development plans in eligible recipient countries. A variety of USAID programs help U.S. firms take advantage of international environmental market opportunities. Led by USAID, the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) seeks to address Asia’s environmental problems through the sharing and promotion of U.S. experience, technology, and practice. Private sector involvement is the key to this initiative. US-AEP coordinates the efforts of 25 U.S. government departments and agencies and thousands of business and non-governmental organizations.
Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank).To facilitate export, Ex-Im Bank offers financing support to foreign buyers of U.S. goods and services. Ex-Im Bank’s loan guarantee and insurance programs help U.S. exporters compete in overseas environmental markets. Ex-Im Bank also holds regular seminars and group briefings on international finance and the organization’s assistance programs.
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). OPIC encourages and assists U.S. private investment in eligible developing countries. It finances investments through direct loans and loan guarantees, provides political risk insurance, and offers investor advisory services. These programs, which must involve U.S. investment, are available for new environmental projects or expansion of existing facilities.
Small Business Administration (SBA).SBA offers financial assistance, counseling, export workshops, and training for U.S. exporters. SBA helps firms enter international environmental markets by providing loans and loan guarantees for equipment, facilities, materials, working capital, and business development support for selected export market development activities. International trade officers located in districts throughout the Unites States can refer small businesses to SBA, state, and federal resources.
Trade and Development Agency (TDA).TDA provides funding for pre-export studies and planning conducted by U.S. firms for major industrial, municipal, energy, and infrastructure projects. TDA supports U.S. environmental firms through feasibility studies, orientation visits and reverse trade missions, technical symposia, business conferences, training grants, and procurement information on major projects in developing and middle-income countries.
Financing, Investment, and Insurance Programs
Department of Commerce/ITA/Multilateral Development Bank Operations (MDBO). MDBO is the central repository within ITA responsible for providing the U.S. exporting community with comprehensive information on all multilateral development bank programs and procurement opportunities for infrastructure and privatization projects in developing countries.
Contact: Multilateral Development Bank Operations (202) 482-3399
Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank)/Export Financing Hotline.Through its special toll-free number, the Ex-Im Bank provides information on its export credit insurance and pre-export financing through working capital guaranteed loans and medium and long-term loans and guarantees to overseas buyers. Information is accessible through e-mail, from a fax system, on the Ex-Im Bank Internet home page, and on a bulletin board service. Ex-Im Bank offers briefing programs to the business community, including regular seminars and groups briefings offered both at Ex-Im Bank and at locations around the country.
Contact: 800-565-EXIM (3946), (202) 565-3946 (Alaska, Hawaii, and District of Columbia);
Fax retrieval 1-800-565-EXIM, press 1, press 2;
E-mail bdd@exim.gove;
Internet http://www.exim.gov
Ex-Im Bank/Environmental Export Programs. Ex-Im Bank is committed to increasing the level of support it provides to exporters of environmentally beneficial goods and services as well as to exporters participating in foreign environmental projects. Features of the program include the new short-term Environmental Export Insurance Policy and market-specific financing packages.
Contact: Office of Business Development (202) 565-3939
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)/Information Line. OPIC encourages U.S. businesses to invest in developing countries and emerging market economies to create U.S. jobs and exports and to promote economic growth at home and abroad. OPIC has led investment missions targeted directly at envirotech industries. The OPIC hotline responds to all preliminary inquiries or initial requests for information regarding OPIC programs and services, including investment insurance and finance programs.
Contact: Information Officer (202) 336-8799
Fax (202) 408-5155; fax retrieval (202) 336-8700
OPIC/Global Environment Fund (GEF).The GEF seeks to find and invest in innovative companies and projects whose products, services, and technologies contribute actively to environmental improvement. In particular, the Global Environment Emerging Markets fund, a privately managed $70 million venture, seeks to invest in environmental companies and projects in emerging markets and developing countries. The fund especially seeks co-investment opportunities with established U.S. companies engaged in joint ventures and other operational partnerships with local firms serving environment-related industries in eligible emerging markets.
Contact: H. Jeffrey Leonard, President, Global Environment Management Corporation
(202) 789-4500; fax (202) 789-4508
Small Business Administration (SBA)/Business Loan Guarantee Program. Financing for fixed-asset acquisition or general working capital purposes may be obtained through SBA. The program encourages private lenders to make loans of up to $750,000 to borrowers who could not borrow on reasonable terms without government help.
Contact: Office of Financial Assistance (202) 205-6570; fax (202) 205-7064
SBA/Export Working Capital Program (EWCP).The EWCP provides short-term financing to small businesses for export-related transactions. The SBA guarantees up to 90 percent of a secured loan or $750,000, whichever is less. Proceeds from the export sales are the primary source of repayment.
Contact: Office of International Trade (202) 205-6720; fax (202) 205-7064
SBA/Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC). Licensed by SBA, firms whose investment strategies include export activities may receive equity capital or term working capital in excess of SBA’s 750,000 statutory limit.
Contact: Investment Division (202) 205-6510; fax (202) 205-6959
U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA)/Environmental Projects. One of the most important sectors promoted by TDA is U.S. environmental technology goods and services. TDA’s efforts include the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, training grants, and conferences. In addition, TDA has established trust funds at the World Bank and other multilateral development banks (MDBs). These MDBs use TDA funds to hire U.S. consultants for projects being considered for financing by the multilateral banks.
Contact: Environmental Project Manager (703) 875-4357; fax (703) 875-4009
USAEP and the National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA)/The Environmental Technology Fund. An initiative of the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) and the National Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA), the Environmental Technology Fund provides grants up to $20,000 to U.S. small and medium-sized businesses for the purpose of facilitating the transfer of environmental technologies to the Asia-Pacific region. Environmental activities eligible for a grant include technology workshops or seminars, focused business development missions, and technology or equipment demonstrations.
Contact: Environmental Technology Fund
National Association of State Development Agencies
750 First St. NE, Suite 701
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 898-1302; fax (202) 898-1312
International Finance Corporation (IFC). The IFC is unique compared with other multilateral financial institutions in that it lends directly to he private sector (as opposed to the government) of a developing country. There is no standard application procedure for obtaining IFC financing; companies must arrange for a meeting with a project officer or submit a preliminary proposal to the IFC.
Contact: Environmental Division Manager (202) 473-0661
Development Project Opportunities
World Bank / Environmental Information Data Sheets. World Bank information on environmental projects to be undertaken around the world is available both on-line and at Public Information Centers. In addition, the World Bank lists projects that will be open for international competitive bidding and that are under consideration by the World Bank in its Monthly Operational Summary (MOS). Contact: World Bank Public Information Center (202) 458-54554; fax (202) 522-1500; Internet: http://www.worldbank.org. To subscribe to Monthly Operational Summary, call (202) 473-1155 or fax (202) 676-0581. For more information, contact the Environmental Department Director at (202) 473-3299.
World Bank/Global Environment Facility (GEF). GEF is a multilateral lending organization managed by the World Bank for the United Nations Environment Program. It provides quarterly operational summaries of all upcoming and ongoing projects eligible for funding through GEF. These operational summaries are available quarterly through the GEF secretariat.
Contact: GEF Secretariat (202) 473-0508; Internet http://www.gefweb.org
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB awards projects through a competitive international bidding process. Announcements of project opportunities can be found in a biweekly United Nations’ publication called Development Business or in ADB Business Opportunities. To subscribe to Development Business, call (212) 963-1515 or fax (212) 963-1381. To subscribe to ADB Business Opportunities, write:
Subscriptions-Information Office
c/o Asian Development Bank
ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong
Metro Manila, Philippines
