Export Market Development Grants (EMDG)

What is EMDG?

The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme is a key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current exporters. Administered by Austrade, the scheme supports a wide range of industry sectors and products, including inbound tourism and the export of intellectual property and know-how outside Australia.

The EMDG scheme:

• Encourages small and medium sized Australian businesses to develop export markets
• Reimburses up to 50% of eligible export promotion expenses above $5,000 provided that the total expenses are at least $15,000
• Provides up to eight grants to each eligible applicant

To access the scheme for the first time, businesses need to have spent $15,000 over two years on eligible export marketing expenses. 

Applications for expenditure incurred in the financial year being claimed will open on 1 July of the following financial year and close on the 30th November of that year. 

For Example, applications for expenses in the 2018/19 financial year open 1 July, 2019 and close 30 November, 2019.

Who can apply for EMDG?

Any Australian individual, partnership, company, association, co-operative, statutory corporation or trust that has carried on export promotion activities during the year for which they wish to apply for an export grant.

To be eligible, the business must have:

• Income of not more than $50 million in the grant year
• Incurred at least $15,000 of eligible export expenses under the scheme (first-time applicants can combine two years expenses)
• Principal status for the export business (some exceptions apply, eg. event promoters)
• The business also must have promoted one of the following:
• The export of goods and most services
• Inbound tourism
• The export of intellectual property and know-how
• Conferences and events held in Australia

To find out more about EMDG see www.austrade.gov.au