Promote:
Find public support
The organizations that help companies export from and invest in Ohio, grouped by what you need. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
1. Where to start
Department of Development, JobsOhio and Commercial Service Cleveland: the guide’s first stops, of the 16 organizations below.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
State trade assistance agency
Department of Development
Ohio Department of Development
Runs Ohio's export grant, in-market representative and export internship programs for small and medium-sized companies.
- Get advice
State economic development corporation
JobsOhio
Helps companies choose Ohio sites, line up incentives and reach international consultants before a move or expansion.
Visit JobsOhio (opens in a new tab)Source: JobsOhio, International Investment page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
Export assistance center
Commercial Service Cleveland
U.S. Commercial Service Cleveland
Counsels companies in Northern Ohio counties on exporting, with a director and a trade specialist listed for the counties it covers.
Visit Commercial Service Cleveland (opens in a new tab)Source: ITA, Commercial Service Cleveland contact page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
2. Export development and market information
5 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
State trade assistance agency
Department of Development
Ohio Department of Development
Runs Ohio's export grant, in-market representative and export internship programs for small and medium-sized companies.
Export assistance center
Commercial Service Cleveland
U.S. Commercial Service Cleveland
Counsels companies in Northern Ohio counties on exporting, with a director and a trade specialist listed for the counties it covers.
Visit Commercial Service Cleveland (opens in a new tab)Source: ITA, Commercial Service Cleveland contact page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
Export assistance center
Commercial Service Toledo
U.S. Commercial Service Toledo
Counsels companies in seventeen Ohio counties on exporting, and takes referrals from the vacant Cincinnati office.
Visit Commercial Service Toledo (opens in a new tab)Source: ITA, Commercial Service Toledo contact page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
Export counseling center
Cleveland State ITAC
International Trade Assistance Center
Hosts advisors of the Ohio SBDC Export Assistance Network who counsel small and medium-sized companies on export readiness, documents and financing.
- Meet requirements
Regional food export association
Food Export Midwest
Food Export Association of the Midwest USA
Regional body
Works with member state agriculture departments, Ohio among them, to help food and beverage suppliers sell abroad.
Visit Food Export Midwest (opens in a new tab)Source: Food Export Midwest, member states page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
3. Investment and business setup
1 organization. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State economic development corporation
JobsOhio
Helps companies choose Ohio sites, line up incentives and reach international consultants before a move or expansion.
Visit JobsOhio (opens in a new tab)Source: JobsOhio, International Investment page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
4. Customs and tax
4 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Meet requirements
State tax authority
Department of Taxation
Ohio Department of Taxation
Registers employers and vendors for state taxes and publishes a small business tax guide that lists the other agencies a new Ohio business meets.
- Meet requirements
Port authority
Port of Cleveland
Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority
Holds the grant for Foreign-Trade Zone 40 and describes cargo terminal and development financing services.
Visit Port of Cleveland (opens in a new tab)Source: Port of Cleveland, Foreign Trade Zone page, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of June 25, 2025
- Meet requirements
Port authority
Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority
Holds the grant for Foreign-Trade Zone 8 and offers bond, loan and capital lease financing for projects in Northwest Ohio.
- Get advice
Port authorities association
Ohio Port Council
Ohio Council of Port Authorities
Describes how Ohio's port authorities own and finance sites and buildings for companies.
Visit Ohio Port Council (opens in a new tab)Source: Ohio Council of Port Authorities, home page (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
State agriculture department
Department of Agriculture
Ohio Department of Agriculture
Lists an Agricultural Export Administrator as its export contact for food and farm companies in the Food Export Midwest network.
Visit Department of Agriculture (opens in a new tab)Source: Food Export Midwest, member states page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 2, 2026
- Meet requirements
State regulatory agency
Department of Commerce
Ohio Department of Commerce
Issues nearly 600,000 licenses, permits, registrations and certifications a year, liquor permits among them, as the state regulator a new business meets.
University farm law program
OSU Farm Office
Ohio State University Farm Office
Publishes plain-language guidance for Ohio landowners and farm businesses, including a summary of the state's farmland ownership law.
Visit OSU Farm Office (opens in a new tab)Source: Ohio State University Farm Office, Ohio farmland law summary (opens in a new tab) · as of November 9, 2023
6. Chambers and industry associations
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
State manufacturers' association
Ohio Manufacturers Association
Ohio Manufacturers' Association
Represents manufacturers on legislative and regulatory issues and offers members webinars and workers compensation management services.
- Get advice
District export council
Northern Ohio DEC
Northern Ohio District Export Council
Business leaders appointed by the Secretary of Commerce who advise Northern Ohio exporters and list export events on the shared Ohio council site.
Visit Northern Ohio DEC (opens in a new tab)Source: Ohio District Export Councils, home page, 2026 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 3, 2026
- Get advice
District export council
Southern Ohio DEC
Southern Ohio District Export Council
Business leaders appointed by the Secretary of Commerce who advise Southern Ohio exporters and list export events on the shared Ohio council site.
Visit Southern Ohio DEC (opens in a new tab)Source: Ohio District Export Councils, home page, 2026 (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 Ohio project.
Use Promote:Global to explore markets, understand requirements and organize your next steps.
Promote:Ohio 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 3, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.