Hoping to increase the number of local businesses with an overseas reach, Gov. Martin O'Malley said Thursday that the state will restart a program that gave $5,000 export-assistance grants to firms but had its funding frozen this fiscal year thanks to the budget crisis.

The planned July 1 revival of the Export MD program is part of his newly announced Maryland Export Initiative, which O'Malley hopes will create jobs by connecting more firms to foreign markets. Just 3 percent of Maryland companies currently export overseas, he said.