Authority (MIDFA) (Code 1957, Art. 83A, sec.
2-107).

OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
Robert E. MacDonald, Director of Marketing
333-8184

Formed by the Department in 1988, the Office
of International Business Development works with
international businesses considering investment in
Maryland.

MARYLAND SISTERS PROGRAM
Jean Van Buskirk, Director
333-3072

The Maryland Sisters Program was initiated in
1986. The Program is based on special formal
agreements between Maryland and states or provin-
ces in other countries to stimulate the exchange of
trade and of cultural, educational and scientific
information. Maryland presently has four sister
states: Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan; Anhui
Province, People's Republic of China; Nord Pas de
Calais, France; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In addi-
tion, Maryland has special relationships with the
Walloon Region in Belgium and the Lodz Region
in Poland.

The Program also helps promote Maryland's 29
other sister relationships with counties, cities, and
ports in 21 countries abroad.

MARYLAND INDUSTRIAL
DEVELOPMENT FINANCING AUTHORITY
EXPORT FINANCE PROGRAM

Mane V. Torres, Director
333-8189

To encourage Maryland businesses to expand
their efforts to export Maryland products and ser-
vices, the Export Finance Program was established
under the Maryland Industrial Development
Financing Authority (MIDFA). The Program is
designed to provide pre-export working capital
and/or financing of shipments abroad. Actual financ-
ing is provided by lending institutions, with the
Authority serving as an insurer of the obligation.
The Export Finance Program also works with
the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-
imbank) to help Maryland businesses obtain financ-
ing assistance from Eximbank by packaging
Eximbank's Working Capital Guarantee Program
applications and obtaining foreign credit risk
protection through the Foreign Credit Insurance
Association's Umbrella Policy

MARYLAND ECONOMIC GROWTH
FUNDS

Arthur S. Drea, Jr., Assistant Secretary for
Financing Programs

217 E. Redwood St.
Baltimore, MD 21202 333-6932

The Assistant Secretary for Financing Programs
is responsible for six programs: Maryland Industrial
and Commercial Redevelopment Fund; Maryland
Industrial Land Act Program; Community
Development Block Grant Program; Maryland In-
dustrial Development Financing Authority;
Maryland Small Business Development Financing
Authority; and Day Care Financing Program.

MARYLAND INDUSTRIAL &
COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT FUND

MARYLAND INDUSTRIAL LAND ACT
PROGRAM

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT PROGRAM
James R. Garto, Director
333-4304

The Maryland Industrial and Commercial
Redevelopment Fund (MICRF) began operations in
1980. To provide supplemental financing that sup-
ports local commercial or industrial redevelopment
efforts, the Fund administers State loans, grants,
and loan guarantees to local governments.
Fund money is used to promote private invest-
ment in industrial and commercial redevelopment
projects that retain jobs, create new jobs, and in-
crease tax revenues. MICRF funds may be ex-
pended direcdy by a local jurisdiction, or passed
through to a third party committed to carrying out
the project (Code 1957, Art. 83A, sees. 5-501
through 5-507).
The Maryland Industrial Land Act (MJLA) Pro-
gram began in 1972 (Chapter 360, Acts of 1972).
The intent of the Program is to ensure appropriate
sites for industry throughout the State. The Pro-
gram may acquire and preserve such sites for the
State in partnership with the local government
(Code 1957, Art. 83A, sees. 5-401 through 5-414).
Annually Maryland receives federal funds for the
Community Development Block Grant Program ad-
ministered by the Department of Housing and
Community Development. A certain percentage of
those funds is set aside to provide grants to
municipalities to assist in economic growth
programs with an industrial or commercial focus.
That set-aside amount is administered through the
Maryland Economic Growth Funds in the Depart-
ment of Economic and Employment Development.