Eligibility
EMDG is an eligibility-based, demand-driven program. This means that for Rounds 1, 2 and 3 all eligible applicants received a grant from the available funds. We do not base grants on the maximum grant tier caps. The grant amount depends on the:
- number of eligible applications in the round (referred to as demand)
- available program budget shared among all eligible applicants.
More about Eligibility.
Types of grants for exporters
Grants are for eligible promotional activities undertaken by small to medium sized exporters and representative bodies. Small to medium enterprise (SME) exporters can apply for grants over 8 years in total, not necessarily consecutively. Representative bodies have no maximum grant years. Grants for businesses are available in 3 tiers with each providing a different level of support for SMEs as they grow their export markets. The tiers are:
- Ready to export
- Exporting and expanding
- Exporting, expanding and strategic shift.
Businesses don’t have to start at Tier 1 and progress to Tier 2 and 3. They can apply for any grant tier at any time depending on the business need.
The lengths of these grants reflect the different stages of an exporter’s journey.
Grant agreement terms are offered in each round subject to:
- the availability of funds
- the maximum allowable grant term for the relevant tier under the EMDG rules.
Read more about the 3 tiers and grants for representative bodies at Types of grants.
How to apply for a grant
The EMDG program bases criteria on eligibility, not competition. All eligible applicants receive a grant. The process is as follows:
- Apply for a grant for eligible promotional activities you plan to undertake.
- After all applications are assessed, Austrade offers a grant agreement to each eligible applicant.
- If you agree, you enter into a grant agreement with Austrade. Grant agreements will clarify the maximum funding amounts per financial year over the term of your grant agreement.
- You lodge a milestone report to request milestone payments as per your grant agreement. Your grant agreement will state when we make your milestone payments and what you need to do to get these payments
More about How to apply.
When we make grant payments
We set the timing of grant payments by your grant agreement. Your grant agreement will state when you should submit your milestone report.
Before we process a payment, we check payment information to ensure bank details are valid.
More about Grant payments.
How we distribute funds
EMDG is an eligibility-based, demand-driven program. This means that for Rounds 1, 2 and 3 all eligible applicants will receive a grant from the available funds. Austrade will calculate how much funding will be given to all eligible applications based on the demand in that round. Each eligible applicant will receive a grant agreement with the approved grant amount.
You must match the dollar value of the grant monies you receive. This means you must spend double the grant amount to receive the grant.
More about Grant amounts.
Previous EMDG reimbursement scheme
The current eligibility-based, demand-driven program replaced the previous EMDG reimbursement scheme. The previous scheme closed permanently on 30 June 2022.
Applicants or agents in the previous scheme can check their historical application details using the EMDG online portal. For enquiries, contact EMDG.help@austrade.gov.au.
Grant round updates
Round 4: Applications expected to open late 2024 or early 2025
Round 4 will likely open for applications after we complete the program’s strategic refocus, including:
- developing and approving revised EMDG rules and grant guidelines
- developing program documentation
- conducting communication and outreach activities
- making changes to the EMDG online portal and the grants management platform.
Amended rules are expected to apply to Round 4 of EMDG. These can be found in the Export Market Development Grants Rules 2021.
The explanation for the changes can be found in the Federal Register of Legislation - Export Market Development Grants Amendment Rules 2024 - Explanatory Statement.
We will communicate the opening dates for applications when they are confirmed. To get regular updates, subscribe to the EMDG Update newsletter.
We will be working towards Round 4 grantee payments to start from July 2025.
Round 3: Applications closed
Grant agreements
For Round 3 we have:
- assessed all applications
- executed 2,056 grant agreements.
Round 3 grant agreements are for:
- one year for eligible applicants who planned expenditure for 2023-24 (35% of applicants)
- 2 years for eligible applicants who planned expenditure for 2023-24 and 2024-25 (65% of applicants).
We will make payments to Round 3 grantees. We do this after we receive and assess milestone reports for the relevant expenditure year.
Grant agreements outline reporting and payment schedules.
Read more about accepting a grant agreement.
View these videos to learn more:
Read more about these grants in the EMDG Round 3 Information session (DOCX357KB) held on 1 March 2023 for new and returning applicants.
Changes in Round 3 include the following:
- Grant agreements will be for one year with a possibility of extension subject to the availability of funds. This is to ensure we can better manage the available funding in future.
- We have updated the definition of strategic shift for Tier 3 grantees, based on feedback that the definition needed to be clearer and to focus on market diversification.
- Austrade requires businesses meet their taxation obligations and comply with all relevant Australian Taxation Office (ATO) legislation, rulings, and guidelines. During the assessment process we may ask businesses to provide evidence they have satisfied their tax obligations.We will use this information as part of the application assessment.
Round 2: Applications closed
Milestone reports
Milestone reports for Round 1 and Round 2 grantees for expenditure incurred in the 2022-23 financial year were due by 31 October 2023.
We must assess your milestone report before we can pay you. We assess milestone reports in the order we receive them. Inaccurate bank account details cause payment delays. To avoid delays, please ensure your details are accurate and up to date.
All grantees must submit a milestone report. If you had already received a grant payment for expenditure incurred in 2022-23, you were still required to submit your milestone report.
Payments
As at 30 April 2024, more than 2,400 Round 2 grantees were paid $45.8 million in total. This is for expenses incurred in 2022-23.
The remaining Round 2 grantees, who have met milestone requirements, will be paid in coming months.
Round 1: Applications closed
Milestone reports
Round 1 and Round 2 milestone reports for expenditure incurred during the 2022-23 financial year were due by 31 October 2023.
We must assess your milestone report before we can pay you. We assess milestone reports in the order we receive them. Inaccurate bank account details cause payment delays. To avoid delays, please ensure your details are accurate and up to date.
All grantees must submit a milestone report. If you had already received a grant payment for expenditure incurred in 2022-23, you were still required to submit your milestone report by 31 October 2023.
Payments
As at 30 April 2024, more than 4,700 Round 1 grantees were paid $230 million in total. This was $120.8 million for expenses incurred in 2021-22 and $109.6 million for expenses in 2022-23.
The remaining Round 1 grantees, who have met milestone requirements, will be paid in coming months.
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