Promote:
Find public support
The organizations that help companies export from and invest in Kentucky, grouped by what you need. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
1. Where to start
Kentucky Export Initiative, Cabinet for Economic Development and Kentucky SBDC: the guide’s first stops, of the 12 organizations below.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
- Get advice
State export promotion program
Kentucky Export Initiative
Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, Kentucky Export Initiative
Runs one-on-one export counseling, trade education and the State Trade Expansion Program grant for Kentucky small and mid-sized companies.
Visit Kentucky Export Initiative (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky Export Initiative, about page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Get advice
State economic development agency
Cabinet for Economic Development
Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development
Leads Kentucky business attraction and runs financial incentive programs through the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority.
- Get advice
Small business advising network
Kentucky SBDC
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
Gives Kentucky companies no-cost trade advising, export business planning, foreign market research and trade training through its International Trade Team.
Visit Kentucky SBDC (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky SBDC, exporting page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
2. Export development and market information
2 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State export promotion program
Kentucky Export Initiative
Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, Kentucky Export Initiative
Runs one-on-one export counseling, trade education and the State Trade Expansion Program grant for Kentucky small and mid-sized companies.
Visit Kentucky Export Initiative (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky Export Initiative, about page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Get advice
Small business advising network
Kentucky SBDC
Kentucky Small Business Development Center
Gives Kentucky companies no-cost trade advising, export business planning, foreign market research and trade training through its International Trade Team.
Visit Kentucky SBDC (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky SBDC, exporting page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
3. Investment and business setup
2 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State economic development agency
Cabinet for Economic Development
Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development
Leads Kentucky business attraction and runs financial incentive programs through the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority.
Government contracting assistance center
Kentucky APEX Accelerator
Gives Kentucky companies free counseling and connections for selling products and services to government agencies.
Visit Kentucky APEX Accelerator (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky APEX Accelerator, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
4. Customs and tax
4 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Meet requirements
State tax authority
Department of Revenue
Kentucky Department of Revenue
Issues retailer and seller permits for each place of business, the first step in collecting Kentucky sales tax.
Visit Department of Revenue (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky Revised Statutes, section 139.240 (opens in a new tab) · as of August 1, 2008
- Meet requirements
Inland river port authority
Louisville Riverport
Louisville and Jefferson County Riverport Authority
Runs a public riverport in Louisville that handles barge cargo, with loading equipment bought through the state's riverport grant program.
- Meet requirements
Inland river port authority
Paducah Riverport
Paducah-McCracken County Riverport Authority
Runs the Paducah inland river port, with barge, rail and container-on-barge handling, and is the grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone 294.
Air cargo and passenger airport
CVG
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Runs the Northern Kentucky airport, which handled 1.7 million tons of air cargo in 2025 and hosts two global air cargo hubs.
Visit CVG (opens in a new tab)Source: CVG Airport, fact sheet, February 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
5. Standards and sector requirements
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Meet requirements
Plant health and export certification
State Entomologist
University of Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist
Inspects plants and issues phytosanitary certificates for exports from Kentucky, and licenses nursery stock sellers.
Visit State Entomologist (opens in a new tab)Source: State Entomologist, export certification page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Meet requirements
State agriculture department
Department of Agriculture
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Runs a Farm to School team that connects Kentucky farmers and processors with school districts buying Kentucky-grown food.
Manufacturing extension center
Kentucky MEP
Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Helps Kentucky manufacturers improve operations and quality systems, including ISO, IATF, VDA and AS9100 certification.
Visit Kentucky MEP (opens in a new tab)Source: Kentucky MEP, operations and efficiency page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
6. Chambers and industry associations
1 organization. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
Regional chamber of commerce
Commerce Lexington
Commerce Lexington Inc.
Supports Lexington-area business with economic development resources, a business directory, small business help and relocation guides.
Visit Commerce Lexington (opens in a new tab)Source: Commerce Lexington, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
7. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare potential export marketsSee which markets import what you sell, ranked on public trade data, and read each country before you commit.
- Check duties and document requirementsCheck the duty, the origin conditions for a preferential rate and the documents a shipment needs.
- Compare the United States with other countriesSet the United States beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your Kentucky project.
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Promote:Kentucky is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 4, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.