Assessment and payment amounts

Assessment procedure

It pays to lodge early. We aim to pay most applications submitted by 30 September within four weeks. Please make sure that your application is complete and accurate so that we can process it as quickly as possible.

Assessment of your application may vary from a telephone call to a visit to your premises.

Once an application has been lodged, there are strict limitations on adding to the amount originally claimed.

Documentation for all expenses and export earnings claimed should be maintained and be readily available for audit verification. To find out more about what documentation is required for each expense category attend an EMDG coaching session in your area.

Payment amounts

Once assessment of your application has been completed, your provisional grant entitlement will be calculated. Your grant will then be paid under a split-payment system which ensures that spending under the EMDG scheme is kept within budget, and that all eligible applicants receive a grant.

Under this split-payment system, grants are paid in two rounds

• Round 1: an initial payment of grant entitlements up to the initial payment ceiling amount
• Round 2: a second tranche payment of grant entitlements above the initial payment ceiling amount

Calculating your provisional grant entitlement

Austrade will calculate your provisional grant entitlement based on a formula: 

• 50% of (total eligible expenses - $15,000 non-reimbursable threshold amount)

For example, if total eligible expenses were $55,000, the provisional grant entitlement would be $20,000. A minimum grant of $5,000 applies.

The maximum grant for eligible applicants is $150,000, subject to funds available in the scheme.

Initial payment ceiling amount

The initial payment ceiling amount is the maximum amount payable as an initial payment to eligible EMDG applicants. This amount is determined in June each year before the application period opens.

The initial payment ceiling amount for the 2007-08 grant year is $40,000.  This means that, all successful 2007-08 grant year recipients qualifying for grants of up to $40,000 will receive their full grant entitlement on assessment.  Those qualifying for grants over $40,000 will receive $40,000 on assessment and a second tranche payment at the end of June 2009.

Initial payments

If your provisional grant entitlement is below the initial payment ceiling amount, you will be paid your full entitlement in one payment shortly after Austrade has determined your application.

If your provisional grant entitlement is above the initial payment ceiling amount, you will be paid:

1. part of your entitlement in an initial payment equal to the initial payment ceiling amount shortly after Austrade has determined your application, and
2. a second tranche payment at the end of the financial year

Second tranche payments

The value of your second tranche payment will be based on two factors:

1. the amount of your provisional grant entitlement above the initial payment ceiling amount
2. a payout factor that Austrade will determine at the end of the financial year based on the amount of EMDG funds remaining in the EMDG budget once all recipients' initial payments have been made

The second tranche payout factor for the 2006-07 grant year was 24.4 cents in the dollar. The second tranche payout factor for the 2007-08 grant year will be determined in June 2009.

You should not plan or make financial commitments which assume you will receive any particular level of second tranche payment for which you provisionally qualify. Austrade assumes no liability for any loss arising from the actions of an applicant who assumes any particular level of payment under the EMDG scheme.