EXIM’s Make More in America: Strengthening U.S. Export Capacity Through Domestic Investment

As global trade tensions persist and unpredictable tariffs reshape supply chains, U.S. manufacturers are increasingly looking to reshore production capabilities. The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) offers a financing solution through its Make More in America Initiative (MMIA). For the first time, EXIM's financing programs are available for domestic manufacturing facilities and infrastructure projects directly tied to exports. The initiative aims to bolster American manufacturing competitiveness on a global scale.

MMIA emerged in 2022 from a broader effort to address vulnerabilities in critical U.S. supply chains, including sectors like semiconductors, batteries, critical minerals and pharmaceuticals. It’s one of the programs we learned about during our recent webinar with EXIM. The full recording is available on-demand here: Growing Your Exports: What the EXIM Bank Can Do for You.

How Make More in America (MMIA) Works

MMIA leverages EXIM's existing financial tools—loans, loan guarantees and insurance—to support domestic projects that contribute to U.S. exports. While all sectors are eligible, priority is given to climate technologies, small businesses and "transformational export areas" such as semiconductors, biotech, renewable energy and energy storage.

MMIA: Key Eligibility Requirements

Export Nexus Requirements

• Standard sectors: 25% of production must be for export
• Priority sectors (small businesses, transformational exports, and environmentally beneficial projects): 15% export threshold
• Suppliers can qualify if their products contribute to downstream exports meeting these thresholds

Job Creation and Financing 

• Financing scaled to job creation (approximately $205,336 in financing per job-year)
• Maximum support limited to 80% of project financing
• Term loans available for capital investment, including facility construction and equipment purchases
• Land acquisition costs eligible as part of larger qualifying projects

MMIA Benefits for U.S. Exporters

The initiative offers several advantages for companies looking to enhance their global competitiveness:

• Access to competitive financing for domestic manufacturing expansion
• Support for modernizing production facilities to meet international demand
• Flexibility in structuring deals (corporate, structured or project finance basis)
• Special consideration for small businesses and environmentally beneficial projects

For American manufacturers struggling to find financing, MMIA could be an important resource. The program seeks to not only increase exports but also to enhance the resilience of supply chains and bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. To learn more about EXIM and MMIA, watch our webinar and read these articles from EXIM: 

• EXIM's Make More in America Initiative Can Be a Game Changer to Help U.S. Companies Grow Through Exporting 
• Make More in America Initiative
• MMIA FAQs

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