Export Market Development Grant

Export Market Development Grant gives accounting firms a structured framework for helping Australian SME clients investigate the Export Market Development Grant, prepare the export-planning information required and work through the application and post-approval process.

The package includes 18 resources covering EMDG eligibility, the different grant Tiers, Plan To Market preparation, export-promotion expenditure, application support, application outcomes, Grant Agreements, program reference material and presentation resources.

Rather than researching the EMDG program from the beginning whenever a client asks about export assistance, your firm can use an organised set of resources to turn the enquiry into a defined professional advisory engagement.

A Structured EMDG Advisory Framework

The Export Market Development Grant Procedure Control Form provides the overall framework for managing the engagement.

It helps your firm coordinate the major stages of the process, including:

• Understanding the EMDG program
• Considering the client’s potential eligibility
• Identifying the relevant grant pathway
• Developing the client’s Plan To Market
• Reviewing proposed export-promotion expenditure
• Preparing for the application process
• Understanding the application outcome
• Supporting the client following a successful grant offer

This provides a repeatable workflow rather than treating each EMDG enquiry as an isolated grant application.

EMDG Program Guidance

The package includes both an EMDG overview and a more detailed reference paper to help partners and team members understand the broader program framework.

The resources provide useful background across areas such as:

• Program purpose
• Applicant considerations
• Grant Tiers
• Export planning
• Eligible export-marketing activity
• Applications
• Grant Agreements
• Ongoing program requirements

This gives your team a central reference point when preparing to discuss EMDG with suitable SME clients.

Assess Potential Client Eligibility

A dedicated EMDG Eligibility resource helps your firm conduct a more structured initial assessment of the proposed applicant.

The resource supports consideration of the business, its export activities and other matters relevant to determining whether an EMDG application warrants further investigation.

This allows potential eligibility issues to be identified before substantial application and export-planning work begins.

Work with the Current EMDG Requirements

EMDG eligibility, program settings and application requirements can change between grant rounds.

The supplied framework should therefore be used together with the current Austrade rules, guidelines and application requirements whenever your firm assists a live client.

Understand the EMDG Tier Structure

The package includes a dedicated Export Market Development Grant Tiers resource to help your firm and the client understand the different pathways available under the applicable program framework.

This can help determine which planning resource is most appropriate for the client’s current stage of export development.

Three Plan To Market Resources

A major component of the package is the inclusion of separate Plan To Market resources for Tiers 1, 2 and 3.

These provide a structured framework for helping the SME explain:

• What it intends to promote internationally
• Which export markets it wants to pursue
• The marketing and promotional strategy
• The commercial objectives behind the export activity
• How progress and success will be evaluated
• The financial resources required to support the strategy

The detailed Tier-specific questions and working documents remain within the subscriber resources.

Turn Grant Preparation into Export Planning

The Plan To Market resources make the product more than an application-support toolkit.

They give your firm an opportunity to work with the client on the commercial thinking behind its export strategy.

This can create useful discussions around:

• Target markets
• Products and services
• Market-entry strategy
• Marketing activity
• Business objectives
• Budgets
• Measures of performance

This moves the conversation beyond simply asking whether particular costs qualify for a grant.

Export Marketing and Promotional Budgets

The EMDG planning resources help connect the client’s proposed overseas marketing activity with the financial commitment required to undertake it.

This can create an opportunity for your firm to help management consider whether the proposed export program is financially realistic and adequately funded.

Eligible Expenditure Guidance

The package includes dedicated guidance dealing with expenditure that may be eligible under the EMDG framework.

This can help your firm discuss proposed marketing and promotional activity with the client before expenditure is committed.

The objective is to identify which areas may warrant further examination against the current program rules rather than assuming every export-related expense will qualify.

Ineligible Expenditure Guidance

Separate resources also deal with expenditure and activities that may fall outside the permitted use of EMDG funding.

This gives your firm a structured basis for alerting clients that grant funding is subject to specific conditions and cannot automatically be applied to all costs associated with exporting.

Review Expenditure Before the Client Commits

One of the practical advisory opportunities is to discuss proposed expenditure during the planning stage rather than waiting until after the client has incurred significant costs.

This can help management align its promotional program more closely with the current grant framework while still ensuring commercial decisions are driven by the needs of the business.

Application Preparation

The package includes resources supporting preparation of the EMDG application.

These help your firm organise the broader process around:

• Applicant information
• Supporting evidence
• Required declarations
• Application documentation
• Submission preparation
• Record keeping

The detailed application procedures remain within the product and should always be checked against Austrade’s current requirements.

Organise Supporting Information

A strong grant application can depend on the quality and completeness of the information available to support it.

Your firm can use the EMDG resources to help the client assemble the relevant business, export, financial and promotional information before the application is submitted.

Application Accuracy and Client Responsibility

The resources reinforce the importance of complete and accurate information throughout the grant process.

Where your firm assists with an application, the client should continue to understand its responsibility for the information and declarations submitted to Austrade.

Application Outcomes

A dedicated Notification of Application Outcomes resource helps your firm understand the next stage once Austrade has assessed the application.

This can assist with explaining the outcome to the client and identifying what action may be required next.

Any review rights or formal response options should be considered against the legislation and program rules applying to the specific decision.

Grant Agreement Guidance

Where an application is successful, the package includes a dedicated Export Market Development Grant Agreement resource.

This helps your firm introduce the client to the significance of the agreement and the ongoing obligations associated with accepting grant funding.

Broad areas can include:

• Grant conditions
• Payment arrangements
• Reporting
• Record keeping
• Continuing compliance

The actual Grant Agreement issued for the client should always be reviewed on its own terms.

Support the Client Beyond Approval

A successful grant application does not necessarily end the advisory engagement.

Your firm may continue assisting the client with financial and management information as the export-marketing strategy is implemented.

This creates an opportunity to stay involved as the client moves from planning into actual overseas promotional activity.

Milestone and Progress Reporting

The EMDG resources introduce the relationship between the client’s approved export-marketing plans and the reporting that may be required during the grant period.

Your firm can assist management in maintaining the financial and supporting information needed to demonstrate progress against the agreed program.

Keep the Plan To Market Relevant

The Plan To Market can also become a useful management document after the application stage.

Your firm can periodically discuss:

• Export-marketing activity undertaken
• Progress towards business objectives
• Actual expenditure
• Changes in market conditions
• Whether the export strategy needs to be adjusted

EMDG Rules, Act and Guidelines

The package includes dedicated references relating to the EMDG Rules, Act and Guidelines.

These give advisers a pathway back to the formal program framework where eligibility, expenditure, application or Grant Agreement issues require further checking.

Presentation Material

A comprehensive EMDG presentation is included to support adviser familiarisation and appropriate client education.

This can help partners and team members explain the broad program framework and the planning required before an application is undertaken.

Support New Exporters

For businesses at an earlier stage of export development, the EMDG resources can provide a framework for discussing how the company intends to approach international markets.

This can create advisory opportunities around:

• Export readiness
• Market selection
• Marketing strategy
• Financial planning
• Funding requirements

Support Existing Exporters

Existing exporters may use EMDG as part of a wider strategy to expand promotional activity or pursue new market opportunities.

Your firm can use the planning resources to help management assess the financial and commercial implications of that expansion.

Connect EMDG with Business Planning

An export strategy can have significant implications for the wider business.

The EMDG process may identify a need for further Business Planning around:

• Growth
• Management capability
• Operations
• Financial resources
• New markets
• Business risk

Where required, this can be developed as a separately scoped advisory engagement.

Budgets & Cashflow Forecasts

Export expansion may require substantial expenditure before new overseas revenue is generated.

The Plan To Market and promotional budget can therefore create a natural pathway into more detailed Budgets & Cashflow Forecasts.

Your firm can help the client assess:

• Expected promotional expenditure
• Timing of cash requirements
• Funding requirements
• Expected export revenue
• Financial scenarios

Measure Export Performance

The planning process can also help management establish appropriate measures for reviewing whether the export strategy is producing the expected commercial results.

This can create an ongoing management-reporting role after the grant application has been completed.

Scope EMDG Assistance as a Professional Service

The resources allow your firm to treat EMDG assistance as a defined advisory assignment rather than absorbing significant grant research and application support into general client work.

The engagement can be scoped according to the individual client’s requirements and the amount of planning, eligibility assessment and application assistance required.

Coordinate Other Specialist Advice

Export activity can involve taxation, legal, customs, intellectual-property, international trade and other specialist issues beyond the EMDG application itself.

Your firm can help identify these areas and coordinate appropriately qualified advisers where additional expertise is required.

A Repeatable Export Grant Advisory Service

Together, the 18 Export Market Development Grant resources give your firm a practical framework for helping SME clients investigate EMDG, prepare the commercial planning behind an application and work through the major stages of the grant process.

Your firm can help clients assess potential eligibility, identify the relevant grant pathway, develop a Plan To Market, consider expenditure, organise application information and understand the requirements that follow a successful grant offer.

This creates a natural pathway from grant assistance into broader export planning, Business Planning, Budgets & Cashflow Forecasts and ongoing financial-management services.

EMDG operates through changing grant rounds and program settings. Eligibility requirements, Tier arrangements, eligible expenditure, grant amounts, opening dates and application procedures should therefore always be checked against current Austrade requirements before the resources are used for a live client engagement.