Export Market Development Grants

The Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) scheme offers reimbursements of up to 50 percent of eligible export promotion expenses above $5000, including trade shows, digital advertising, and marketing consultant fees.

Austrade made the announcement at the end of May 2022 that the application portal for the EMDG FY22/23 would be temporarily closed for a short time.

We believe the new Labor Government is reviewing the total pool of funds available, given last years unexpected increase in applications and the result being an 80% reduction in the maximum amounts available for each applicant.

The EMDG is split into three tiers:

Ready to Export

First time exporters
2 year agreement and maximum of $15,000 per financial year.

Expanding

Expanding export promotional activities
3 year agreement and maximum of $24,000 per financial year.

Expanding & Strategic Shift

Expanding export promotional activities and making a strategic shift, for example targeting a new market or a new type of customer
3 year agreement and maximum of $36,000 per financial year.

Eligible expenses

The EMDG grant is provided for expenses in one or more of the following categories, as detailed in the EMDG Guidelines

maintaining a representative in a foreign country
short trips to a foreign country
engaging a consultant to undertake research or promotional activities
short trips within Australia
foreign buyer visits
soliciting for business in a foreign country
providing free samples
producing and providing promotional and advertising material
intellectual property rights
if you are a Tier 1 applicant, obtaining export readiness training.

The New EMDG

From the FY2021/22 year onwards, the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) is now reoriented from a reimbursement program claimed in the year after the eligible expenditure has been incurred, to a pre-approved grant agreement based on your export market plan.

This will give eligible exporters funding certainty before they embark on their marketing and promotion activities.