Types of grants

Grants for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and representative bodies provide different levels of support for the various stages of an exporter's journey.

SME exporters can apply for grants over 8 years in total (but not necessarily consecutively). Grants are for eligible promotional activities.

Grants are available in 3 stages (tiers). Each tier gives a different level of support for SMEs as they grow their export markets. The lengths of these grants reflect the different stages of an exporter’s journey. You don’t have to start at Tier 1 and progress to Tier 2 and 3. You can apply for any grant tier at any time depending on your business need.

To ensure we can better manage the available funding in future, Austrade has decided to only issue Round 3 grant agreements for one year or two years, with a possibility of extension subject to the availability of funds. You can still access EMDG grants for up to 8 years. 

Tier 1: New to export

For eligible SME exporters who:

• have not exported eligible products before
• have appropriate skills in marketing eligible products in a foreign country, demonstrated by:
  • a declaration that you have used Austrade's Go Global Toolkit to undertake the 'Are you ready to export? quiz' and as a result believe you are ready to export, or
  • completed export readiness training provided by the Commonwealth, a state or territory or a representative body, or any other person or body.

In Round 1 and Round 2, grant agreements were offered for up to 2 years.

In Round 3, grant agreements will be offered for one year with the possibility of extension, subject to the availability of funds.

For more information on Tier 1, read section 4.2.2 in the EMDG Guidelines.

Tier 2: Exporting and expanding

For eligible SME exporters who are:

• exporting eligible products
• seeking to expand export promotion activity for eligible products.

In Round 1, grant agreements were offered for up to 3 years. In Round 2, grant agreements were offered for up to 2 years.

In Round 3, grant agreements will be offered for one year with the possibility of extension, subject to the availability of funds.

For more information on Tier 2, read section 4.2.3 in the EMDG Guidelines.

Read about exporting and expanding.

Tier 3: Exporting, expanding and strategic shift

For eligible SME exporters who are:

• exporting eligible products
• seeking to expand export promotion activity
• undertaking a strategic shift. This is a change in your business strategy which supports:
  • expanding your marketing or promotional activities to target a new export market in a new country, and/or
  • expanding your marketing or promotional activities to support a substantive change of product, to be exported to a new market in a new country, or an existing export market. A 'substantive change of product' is a new and separate eligible product or eligible service that is independent of and substantially different from any previous export product or service.

In Round 1, grant agreements were offered for up to 3 years. In Round 2, grant agreements were offered for up to 2 years.

In Round 3, grant agreements will be offered for one year with the possibility of extension, subject to the availability of funds.

Read section 4.2.3 and 4.2.4 in the EMDG Guidelines for more information on Tier 3. Read examples of expanding and strategic shift.

Please note: This amended definition of strategic shift for Round 3 does not affect Round 1 or Round 2 tier 3 grantees. These tier 3 requirements remain the same as detailed in your grant agreement.

Grants for representative bodies

Representative bodies are industry bodies and alliances. If you are a representative body, you are able to access a grant to:

• undertake promotional activities on behalf of your members in international markets
• provide training to help your members become export ready.

There is no limit on the number of times you can apply for a grant.

You can only have one grant agreement operating at a time.

In Round 1, grant agreements were offered for up to 3 years. In Round 2, grant agreements were offered for up to 2 years.

In Round 3, grant agreements will be offered for one year with the possibility of extension, subject to the availability of funds.

For more information on representative bodies, read section 4.3 in the EMDG Guidelines.

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• Phone: 13 28 78
• Email: EMDG.help@austrade.gov.au