Reviews, research, data and analysis

Strategic refocus and reviews

EMDG independent review

The Export Market Development Grants Act 1997 mandates an independent review of the program every five years. 

On 15 March 2025, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism announced  Mr Tim Yeend, former Associate Secretary for Trade and Investment at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia’s most senior trade and investment official), would lead this review.  

Minister Farrell has asked for the review to be completed by November 2025.

Further details will be published shortly. If you have questions about this review, please email emdgreview@austrade.gov.au.

2023 EMDG strategic refocus – consultation

Austrade sought feedback in 2023 from EMDG recipients, businesses and other stakeholders. This was done to consider improvements to the EMDG program that would:

• increase grant amounts
• better align the program with the Australian Government’s trade policy priorities
• achieve quality outcomes within the available annual budget.

Findings from this consultation and previous reviews helped inform changes to the EMDG program.

Read the EMDG program strategic refocus - consultation summary.

Operational review

Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism, released the EMDG Operational Review in 2023.

To help improve delivery of the EMDG program, the review considered program design, client experience and communications.

Read the Operational review.

Review of financial assistance to SME exporters

In 2020, the Review of financial assistance to SME exporters, the Fisher Review, was published. It is the most recent independent review of the EMDG legislation.

The Fisher Review considered how government could better assist small and medium exporters to increase export sales through EMDG. It recommended simplifying and streamlining EMDG to help SME exporters.

Read the Review of financial assistance to SME exporters.

Research reports

Assessment on the value of EMDG

This 2023 report analyses how businesses that received a grant have performed. Austrade’s Office of the Chief Economist conducted this research.

The analysis shows:

• Larger firms are more likely to achieve success in exporting than smaller firms.
• EMDG merchandise exporters have better outcomes than other exporters.
• EMDG recipients have better turnover growth and are more likely to continue exporting.

Read the Assessment on the value of EMDG.

Profile of EMDG recipients

This report profiles EMDG recipients, including:

• their size by turnover and employment
• industry sectors
• export markets.

Statistics across 3 rounds of the EMDG program show:

• over 60% of grantees declare a turnover of under $1 million
• approximately 60% of grantees have 2 to 9 employees
• the majority of grantees target 2 to 10 export markets
• the most popular markets for grantees are the USA (approximately 50% of grantees), the UK (over 35%), and Canada (19%)
• Services and Technology is the main industry, consistent across the 3 rounds.

Ten years’ worth of EMDG reimbursement scheme and program data shows, on average, exporters have:

• participated in the program for 3.4 years
• been in business for 8 years.

Read the Profile of EMDG recipients as of February 2025.

For statistics on individual grant rounds, see Statistics and data below.

Applicant survey results

This survey, undertaken in January 2022, measured grantees' experiences with EMDG Round 1.

Read the EMDG Applicant Survey Results 2022 (DOCX 392KB).

Grant agent survey results

Austrade engaged Paper Giant in 2022 to survey grant agents about their experiences with EMDG Round 1. This information helped Austrade to improve the EMDG program, including communication.

Read the Export Market Development Grants Program Research Report, including an evaluation summary.

Statistics and data

Read key statistics on past grant rounds including application data, export market analysis and grant delivery data.

• Round 1 key statistics
• Round 2 key statistics
• Round 3 key statistics