The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program, administered by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), is a government initiative that provides financial assistance to Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their representative bodies. The purpose of the program is to support these organisations in their efforts to market and promote their goods and services on a global scale, as well as to undertake export training activities.
The EMDG program is structured into three tiers, each designed to cater to businesses at different stages of their export journey:
- Tier 1: Small and medium enterprises that are ready to begin exporting.
- Tier 2: Small and medium enterprises that are already exporting and seeking to expand within their existing markets.
- Tier 3: Small and medium enterprises that are aiming to enter new key markets.
In addition to supporting individual businesses, the program also offers grants to representative bodies that assist their members—primarily SMEs—in achieving export success through promotional activities and export training.
Austrade is currently overseeing four rounds of grant applications. While the first three rounds are now closed, Round 4 is approaching, with applications opening as follows:
- Representative bodies: Applications open at 10:00 AM AEDT on 6 November 2024.
- Tier 1 (Ready to export): Applications open at 10:00 AM AEDT on 12 November 2024.
- Tier 2 (Existing markets): Applications open at 10:00 AM AEDT on 12 November 2024.
- Tier 3 (New key markets): Applications open at 10:00 AM AEDT on 12 November 2024.
Eligible businesses and representative bodies are encouraged to review the detailed eligibility criteria and prepare their applications well in advance. For comprehensive guidelines and to apply, visit the Austrade EMDG page.
