If you export products then it’s highly recommended to check if you’re eligible for Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants (EMDG). This grant program helps small to medium Australian enterprises grow internationally through export.
Types of Export Market Development Grants
Grants in the EMDG program are available in 3 stages, related to where a business might be in their growth and development. If you’re applying for a grant and your business is not new to export, then you don’t have to apply to tier 1, you can apply for any grant in any tier, it all depends on the needs of your business. To see if you’re eligible read through the eligibility criteria on the Aus Trade website.
Each tier has 3 rounds of grant agreements, with different timeframes. Grant agreements in rounds 1 and 2 are for up to 2 years. Grant agreements in round 3 are offered for 1 year with the possibility to extend subject to fund availability. While the actual grant amounts can vary for each round based on the number of eligible applicants in that round.
Tier 1: New to Export
This is for eligible businesses who have not exported products before but have the skills needed to market products in a foreign country.
The maximum grant amounts for tier 1 are:
- Round 1: up to $15,000 per financial year
- Round 2: up to $10,000 per financial year
- Round 3: up to $12,000 per financial year
Tier 2: Exporting and Expanding
This one is for eligible businesses who export eligible products and are expanding their export promotion activity.
The maximum grant amounts for tier 2 are:
- Round 1: up to $24,600 per financial year
- Round 2: up to $18,000 per financial year
- Round 3: up to $20,000 per financial year
Tier 3: Exporting, Expanding and Strategic Shift
The final tier is for eligible businesses who:
- Export eligible products.
- Want to expand their export promotion activity.
- Are going through a strategic shift and changing their business strategy by targeting a new export market or offering a new or updated product to an export market.
The maximum grant amounts for tier 3 are:
- Round 1: up to $36,600 per financial year
- Round 2: up to $28,000 per financial year
- Round 3: up to $30,000 per financial year
Grants for Representative Bodies
It’s not only businesses that may be eligible for grants as part of the EMDG program. Representative bodies, being industry bodies and alliances, can also access the grant program if they are:
- Undertaking promotional activities in international markets on their members’ behalf.
- Are providing their members with training to help them be ready to export.
The maximum grant amounts for representative bodies are:
- Round 1: up to $90,000 per financial year
- Round 2: up to $50,000 per financial year
- Round 3: up to $45,000 per financial year
You can find more information on Export Market Development Grants for representative bodies in the EMDG guidelines (see section 4.3).
How to apply for an Export Market Development Grant
It’s all based on eligibility. It’s not a competitive process but a demand driven program, so all applicants that are eligible will receive a grant.
Applications for 2023/2024 are closed. It’s expected that applications for the next grant round will open early 2024.
Of course, there are guidelines to follow, and there are 3 governing documents for the Export Market Development Grants.
Businesses can apply for the grants over 8 years. So… If the helping hand is available, take it!
If you’re going to apply, the Aus Trade website outlines the application process.
If you need pallets for exporting your products to new markets overseas get in touch with our team!