Expanding Business Overseas?We can assist you with export grants

Export Grants

The Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) is the Federal Government principal programme to assist Australian businesses to export its products, services and know-how overseas.

This entitlement-based program helps defray the costs associated with setting up an overseas office and employing an overseas representative, including the cost of overseas office rent and on-costs. The program also features provisions for engaging an overseas marketing consultant, attending trade shows and conferences, creation and dissemination of promotional literature and free samples, and IP registration and insurance costs.

Applicants can often find it difficult to understand how to apply the eligibility criteria to their business, in particular when setting up an office or representative overseas, or working within multi-entity group. We can assist in helping you identify eligible expenditure, eligible activities and which entity is entitled to make a EMDG claim.

What We Can Do For You

First time applicants will be required to meet the ‘Grants Entry Test’; be able to demonstrate ‘principal status’; show that they are genuinely carrying on a business; has sufficient financial resources to carry on it’s intended activities; has taken reasonable steps to prepare for export; and proposes export activities that are not unlawful or impracticable. If a business has already received grants it may also be required to meet the ‘Australian Net Benefits test’ depending on its export income. We can assist with:

• Advice on compliance issues to ensure you receive your full grant entitlement
• Review current structure, ‘Principal status’, distributor and overseas office arrangements
• Assess overseas representative arrangements
• Assist in preparation of the ‘grant entry test’ for the first time claimants
• Review relevant expenditure, collate and assess appropriateness of documentation
• Assist you in meeting the ‘Australian Net Benefits’ test should this be applicable
• Assist in export planning and documentation

Whilst the EMDG is an entitlement-based program; and even if you have received grant funding under this program in previous years; all applicants must ensure ongoing compliance under the program.

How Can We Help

• Undertake an assessment of marketing/promotional activities being undertaken and assist you in identifying eligible activities to be included in the claim;
• Undertake site visits, meetings and EMDG documentation (such as export plans, commercialisation plans or business strategy documents to meet the initial ‘grant entry test’) as required;
• Disseminate and collate any other relevant material necessary to adequately prepare the EMDG Application;
• Identify and communicate potential compliance issues associated with the promotional activities, including the appropriateness of any contemporaneous documentation;
• Assist with the identification and collation of eligible EMDG expenditure;
• Prepare and lodge the EMDG Application for submission with Austrade;
• Assist you with any queries that may arise during the application process, including attending at any audit of EMDG claims by Austrade.