Export Market Development Grant (EMDG)

Secure cash flow funding opportunities for your sustainable global business

The Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) is a financial assistance program administered by Austrade, and supports small-to-medium businesses seeking to grow into global markets (for both product and service orientated businesses). It encourages businesses to increase international marketing and promotion expenditure to develop export markets, attract overseas customers, and build more sustainable international sales.

What are the benefits?

You must match, as a minimum, the same dollar value of the grant you receive. That is, half the cost of eligible expenses could be covered under the EMDG, noting:

If you spend more than the grant amount –

you will not receive more grant money. The amount in your grant agreement is the maximum you will receive.

If you spend less than the grant amount –

you will only receive an amount equal to the amount you contributed.

Small to medium enterprise (SME) exporters can apply for 3 separate grant agreements over an 8-year period for eligible marketing and promotional activities. You will be able to apply for EMDG grants up to $770,000 per applicant over the full 8-year period.

EMDG grants are available in 3 tiers, designed to provide targeted support to you as you grow your business in overseas markets through different stages of your business lifecycle:

Tier 1 – is for eligible businesses who are ready to start exporting, with grants up to $40,000 per financial year for 2 years.

Tier 2 – is for eligible businesses who plan to expand exporting activities, with grants up to $80,000 per financial year for 3 years.

Tier 3 – is for eligible businesses who plan to make a strategic shift in existing exporting activities, with grants up of to $150,000 per financial year for 3 years.

Representative body provides assistance for industry/representative bodies and alliances to helping members who are new to export to become export ready, with grants of up to $150,000 per year.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible, you will need to be an Australian person, have eligible products and expenses, and meet the minimum criteria:

Have turnover of less than $20 million for financial year
Be an Australian person as defined in the EMDG Rules,
Have an Australian Business Number.

What are eligible products?

EMDG funds must be used for marketing and promotional activities to market eligible products in overseas markets.

To be eligible, your product must be of substantially Australian origin that is:

Goods
Services
Events
Intellectual property or know-how
Software.

What EMDG Tier applies to me?

You should select a tier level that suits your export strategy:

Tier 1 is for businesses that are ready to start exporting.

Tier 1 businesses have not previously exported eligible products, and have appropriate skills in marketing eligible products in an overseas country, demonstrated by either a declaration by you that you have used Austrade’s export readiness tool, or you have completed export readiness training

Tier 2 is for businesses that have already exported.

Tier 2 businesses must be expanding overseas marketing and promotional activities

Tier 3 is for businesses that have already exported. Tier 3 businesses must be making a strategic shift in their marketing and promotional activities.

A strategic shift includes – a change in direction in order to access a new market or market segment driven by a business plan.

Representative body is for an organisation that is ready to start exporting.

The organisation must be a representative body helping members who are new to export to become export ready.

Businesses do not have to progress through each Tier in succession or in consecutive years.

What are eligible expenses?

The EMDG aims to fund expenses in one or more of the following eligible expense categories:

Maintaining a representative in an overseas country
Short trips to an overseas country
Engaging a consultant to undertake research or promotional activities
Short trips within Australia
Foreign buyer visits
Soliciting for business in an overseas country
Providing free samples
Producing and providing promotional and advertising material
Intellectual property rights
For Tier 1 applicants, obtaining export readiness training.

How we can help you

Blackwattle Tax specialises in helping small-to-medium businesses access the EMDG. As experienced the EMDG specialists from global accounting firms, our knowledge of the latest legislation and guidelines have secured critical government funding for our clients.

We can help you:

Identify eligibility and potentially eligible EMDG related activities and costs
Collecting and preparing supporting documentation
Prepare and lodge your EMDG application with Austrade

Our experienced team can help you access the EMDG program. Book your complimentary 30-min grant eligibility assessment session to identify your business’s eligibility for EMDG or other Government grants.

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