How to Apply for Export Market Development Grants
The Export Market Development Grants scheme is to assist exporters. All exporters (including aspiring exporters) are eligible for this scheme. It doesn't matter if you have off-shore sales or on-shore sales, the scheme is designed so that small and medium sized Australian business can develop their export markets. The EMDG scheme achieves this by reimbursing up to 50% of eligible export promotion expenses provided you are able to meet Austrade's criteria.
EMDG is controlled and managed by the Australian Government's Austrade (sometimes known as Australia Unlimited). As such, all applications must go through their office. Before completing the application forms at austrade.com.au, you need to ensure that you are eligible for the government grant and that any they issues you have are clarified. Austrade offers are EMDG mailing list that updates subscribers of any changes made to the scheme and how to apply for the grant. They also offer free coaching sessions, EMDG helplines, helpful publications, and tips and hint fact sheets because they know that preparing your application can be challenging. Austrade also suggests using a consultant to help you with your application. More detail on what o expect from a consultant is provided in the consultant section of this website.
After preparing your complete and accurate application, and checked you have all required supporting documentation you need to lodge the application typically between 1 July and 30 November. It is important to meet any deadlines, regulations, or criteria that Austrade have set because they cannot, by law, accept any late or invalid applications. Schedules need to be submitted at the same time as your application and you need to declare are irregularities. You need to make sure your application is complete and accurate so it can be processed quickly, and because Austrade gives priority to applications in the correct format.
Mistakes in applying for EMDG will cost you both time and money. Some common mistakes to avoid when applying for your grant are; failing to attach all the requirement documents with your application, not substantiating claimed expenses with supporting documentation, applying for the grant in the name of the wrong business entity, claiming expenses that have not yet been incurred, claiming expenses from the wrong year, not structuring the application and business transactions records in a manner suitable for the assessment process, not providing quality details of overseas representatives, and trying to claim for non-promotional expenditure.