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EMDG Consultants for the Export Market Development Grant
Avant Group’s EMDG consultants help Australian exporters, and businesses getting ready to export, claim the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG). We confirm your eligibility, prepare and lodge your application, manage milestone reporting and annual claims, and support you through Austrade audits.
Our EMDG service is led by Managing Director Kate Whitehead, who has 24 years’ experience with the EMDG program. Since 2015 we have lodged 1,600 EMDG claims and secured $54 million in export funding for Australian businesses. In Round 4, Avant Group was one of only two of the 187 grant agents to lodge 100 or more EMDG applications.
What is the Export Market Development Grant (EMDG)?
The Export Market Development Grant (EMDG) is an Australian Government grant, administered by Austrade, that reimburses up to 50% of eligible export marketing and promotion costs. Businesses can receive up to $770,000 over eight financial years, on a matched funding basis, to promote their products and services in overseas markets.
For a full explanation of how the program works, see our guide to the Export Market Development Grant.
Who is eligible for the EMDG grant?
The EMDG is open to Australian manufacturers and service providers that are exporting, or ready to export, their products and services. To apply, your business must:
- hold an ABN and have operated under the same ABN for at least two years
- have annual turnover under $20 million
- meet the minimum turnover threshold for the tier you apply for
- be a sole trader, trust, company or representative body promoting Australian products or services overseas
Not sure where you fit? Book an obligation-free EMDG eligibility check.
EMDG funding tiers
Round 4 offered three tiers for businesses and a separate stream for representative bodies. Average planned yearly export marketing spend gives a sense of scale for each tier.
| Tier | For businesses that are | Average planned spend a year |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Ready to export | $57,821 |
| Tier 2 | Exporting within existing markets | $97,576 |
| Tier 3 | Exporting to new key markets | $148,148 |
| Representative bodies | Supporting their members to export | $95,403 |
Source: Austrade, Round 4 key statistics. Grant caps for each tier are set in the guidelines for each round.
What EMDG expenditure can you claim?
The EMDG reimburses up to 50% of eligible spending on promoting your products or services to overseas buyers. Typical categories include:
- overseas marketing visits
- trade shows and promotional events
- overseas representatives
- promotional material and advertising aimed at overseas markets
- free samples
What qualifies depends on the guidelines for your round and how each expense relates to your export marketing. Our EMDG consultants confirm which expenses qualify before you spend, so nothing eligible is missed.
When can you apply for the EMDG grant?
EMDG applications open in rounds, and some tiers close within hours. In Round 4, Tier 2 opened at 10 am on 12 November 2024 and closed at 1:30 pm the same day. Across the round, 2,693 applications were received and demand exceeded the available budget.
Austrade has not yet announced the timing of Round 5. Speak with us now so your plan, budget and documentation are ready to lodge as soon as the next round opens.
EMDG milestone reporting, claims and payment
The EMDG is paid as a reimbursement. Once you have a grant agreement, you track eligible export marketing spend from 1 July each financial year. After the year ends, you lodge an annual claim and the required milestone reporting, and the grant for that year is paid once the claim is assessed.
Our EMDG consultants monitor your spend through the year, answer eligibility questions as they arise, prepare and lodge each annual claim, and manage your milestone reporting for the life of the agreement.
EMDG audits
90% of EMDG claims are reviewed by Austrade and one in 10 is fully audited, meaning an in-depth compliance review such as a site visit or comprehensive desk audit (Source: Australian National Audit Office). Failing an audit can mean repaying ineligible funding and having upcoming grant agreements terminated.
We reduce that risk by advising on eligible expenditure and making sure every claim is backed by documented evidence. Audit support is included at no extra cost.
Do EMDG consultants make a difference? What Austrade’s Round 4 data shows
Austrade’s published Round 4 statistics compare applications lodged by businesses themselves with those lodged by grant agents such as EMDG consultants. Of 2,693 applications, 1,680 (62%) were lodged by 187 grant agents.
| Self-lodged | Agent-lodged | |
|---|---|---|
| Applications lodged | 1,013 | 1,680 |
| Found ineligible at first assessment | 549 (54.2%) | 581 (34.6%) |
| Ineligible applicants who requested an internal review | 301 (54.8%) | 512 (88.1%) |
| Reviews resulting in an eligible outcome | 263 (87.4%) | 458 (89.5%) |
| Final eligible rate | 71.8% | 92.7% |
Source: Austrade, Round 4 key statistics. Final eligible rate is applicants eligible at first assessment or after internal review, as a share of applications lodged.
Fewer ineligible decisions at the first assessment
Agent-lodged applications were found ineligible far less often: 34.6%, compared with 54.2% of self-lodged applications. Put another way, 65.4% of agent-lodged applications were eligible at first assessment, against 45.8% of self-lodged applications.
An ineligible decision is often not the final word
Of the 813 applicants who requested an internal review, 721 (88.7%) were subsequently found eligible. Once a review was lodged, success rates were similar whether the application was self-lodged (87.4%) or agent-lodged (89.5%).
The difference is who asked for a review. Only 54.8% of self-lodged applicants found ineligible went on to request one, compared with 88.1% of agent-lodged applicants. Many self-lodged applicants may not have known a review was available, or did not have the grounds and evidence prepared to pursue one. Given that nearly nine in 10 reviews succeeded, many of those businesses may well have been eligible.
The result: 92.7% compared with 71.8%
Taken together, 92.7% of agent-lodged applications were ultimately found eligible, compared with 71.8% of self-lodged applications. The gap comes less from reviews themselves than from two things an experienced EMDG consultant provides: an application that is right the first time, and the knowledge to challenge a decision when it is not.
Of the 187 grant agents that lodged Round 4 applications, only two lodged 100 or more, and Avant Group was one of them (Austrade, Round 4 key statistics). That volume means we understand how Austrade assesses applications and when a review is worth pursuing.
Our EMDG consulting services
Our dedicated EMDG consultants work with you through each stage of the Export Market Development Grant:
We hold an EMDG onboarding meeting to plan your export activities, prepare a budget and complete the documentation needed for lodgement. An accurate, compliant application is essential to receiving a grant agreement.
We prepare and lodge your EMDG application on your behalf.
From 1 July each financial year we monitor your export expenditure. Contact us at any time about whether a cost is eligible, what we need for your claim or anything else about the program. We also manage your milestone reporting throughout your grant agreement.
At the end of each financial year we prepare and lodge your annual grant claim, and manage any EMDG audit on your behalf.
Once your claim is assessed, your grant is paid for that financial year.
Why choose Avant Group as your EMDG consultant
We offer
Success-only fees
A dedicated 1:1 account manager to guide you every step of the way
Audit support included at no extra cost
Monitoring of EMDG legislative changes, so your application stays eligible and compliant
Avant Group is
Highly experienced
We have lodged 1,600 EMDG claims since 2015, worth $54 million to Australian exporters, and were one of only two of 187 grant agents to lodge 100 or more applications in Round 4.
Technically skilled
Our team includes in-house accountants and people with professional experience and qualifications in marketing, law, STEM, engineering and defence.
Accredited
We are an Australian Government Approved Supplier for delivery under a range of federal and state grant programs.
An SME
We are an SME like you, so we understand the challenges and needs of Australian small and medium enterprises.
Meet our EMDG consultants
Kate Whitehead is Founder and Managing Director of Avant Group and leads the firm’s EMDG service, with 24 years’ experience with the Export Market Development Grant. She is Chair of the Export Chamber of Australia Incorporated (ECAI), the peak industry body for EMDG applicants and consultants, Vice President of the Fight Cancer Foundation, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
She holds a Masters in Marketing and a Post Graduate Diploma of Business Management from Melbourne Business School, with postgraduate qualifications in Taxation and Law, and is a Registered Tax Agent.
Idris Cesur is a Senior Accountant at Avant Group, working across financial management, reporting and compliance, including EMDG claims. He brings a strong background in corporate accounting and is an Associate Member of CPA Australia.
He holds a Master of Professional Accounting (Advanced) from Torrens University Australia and a Master of Business Administration from Beykent University.
Hugh Menting is a Key Account Executive at Avant Group, managing major client relationships, including EMDG clients. He brings expertise in key account management, business development and client relationships, and works closely with clients to deliver tailored solutions.
He holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and postgraduate studies in Nuclear Medicine from La Trobe University, and a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking from Kaplan.
Mariana James is a Grants Associate at Avant Group, preparing applications across government grants, funding strategy and commercialisation. Her qualifications span psychology, marketing, project management and finance, and she combines analytical skills with clear communication to prepare high-quality applications across diverse industries.
She holds a Bachelor of Psychological Science from Deakin University and a Graduate Certificate in Marketing from RMIT University.
Book your obligation-free EMDG eligibility assessment
Find out whether you are eligible, which tier you fit and what you could claim.
EMDG grant FAQs
What does EMDG stand for?
EMDG stands for Export Market Development Grant. It is an Australian Government grant, administered by Austrade, that reimburses up to 50% of eligible export marketing and promotion costs for Australian businesses that are exporting or ready to export.
Why should I engage an EMDG consultant?
In Round 4 of the EMDG, 62% of the 2,693 applications were lodged by grant agents such as EMDG consultants (Source: Austrade, Round 4 key statistics).
The main reasons businesses engage a consultant are to confirm eligibility, claim all eligible expenditure, keep documented evidence ready for an audit, manage milestone reporting and variation requests, and lodge applications on time.
Although the EMDG is an entitlement program, it has a set annual budget, and Austrade closes the application window when it expects funding to be fully allocated. In Round 4, Tier 2 applications opened at 10 am and closed at 1:30 pm on the same day (Source: Austrade, Round 4 key statistics).
An EMDG consultant lodges your application on your behalf and takes care of milestone reporting, taking away the pressure of applying yourself.
Can I self-submit my EMDG claim?
Yes. However, the EMDG is subject to strict legislative requirements and is highly audited. If your claim is audited and found to be incorrect, or you do not have sufficient evidence to support it, you may be required to repay grant funding and have future funding terminated.
An EMDG consultant keeps you across legislative changes and what they mean for your claim, makes sure you are claiming correctly and supports you through an audit.
Am I eligible for the EMDG grant, and am I maximising what I can claim?
The EMDG is open to Australian manufacturers and service providers that are exporting, or planning to export, their products and services into international markets. Businesses with an ABN, including sole traders, trusts, companies and representative bodies, can apply.
Your business must have operated under the same ABN for at least two years, have annual turnover under $20 million, and meet the minimum turnover threshold for the tier you apply for.
Avant Group offers obligation-free EMDG eligibility checks and can advise on your eligibility, which tier you fall into and which expenses you can claim.
Do I need to be exporting already to apply for the EMDG?
No. Tier 1 is for businesses that are ready to export but have not yet established export markets. Tier 2 supports businesses exporting within existing markets, and Tier 3 supports businesses expanding into new key markets.
What expenses are eligible for the EMDG?
The EMDG reimburses up to 50% of eligible expenditure on promoting your products or services to overseas buyers. Typical categories include overseas marketing visits, trade shows and promotional events, overseas representatives, promotional material and advertising aimed at overseas markets, and free samples.
Eligibility depends on the current grant guidelines and how each expense relates to your export marketing. An EMDG consultant can confirm which of your expenses qualify before you spend.
How much is the EMDG grant?
The amount depends on your annual turnover, your tier and your eligible expenditure. The grant reimburses up to 50% of eligible expenditure, and the maximum a business can receive is $770,000 over eight financial years.
How and when is the EMDG paid?
The EMDG is paid as a reimbursement. After the end of each financial year, you lodge an annual claim for the eligible expenditure you incurred, together with the required milestone reporting. Once the claim is assessed, the grant is paid for that financial year.
When does the next EMDG round open?
Austrade has not yet announced the timing of Round 5. Round 4 opened in November 2024, and some tiers closed within hours. Speak with us now so your application is ready when the next round opens.
What happens if my EMDG application is found ineligible?
You can request an internal review of the decision. In Round 4, 721 of the 813 internal reviews lodged (88.7%) resulted in the applicant being found eligible (Source: Austrade, Round 4 key statistics). Many first decisions are overturned once further information or clarification is provided.
Am I likely to have my EMDG claim audited by Austrade?
Yes. 90% of EMDG claims are reviewed by Austrade and one in 10 is fully audited, meaning an in-depth compliance review such as a site visit or comprehensive desk audit (Source: Australian National Audit Office).
Failing an audit can mean repaying ineligible funding and having upcoming grant agreements terminated.
Avant Group reduces this risk by advising on eligible expenditure and making sure every claim has documented evidence. Audit support is included at no extra charge.
How much do EMDG consultants charge?
Fees vary between firms. Avant Group works on a success-only fee basis, so you pay our fee only when your grant is paid. We confirm your fee in writing before you engage us.
Is the EMDG grant taxable income?
Yes. Grants are generally treated as taxable income, while the corresponding export marketing expense is generally tax deductible. Confirm the treatment for your business with your tax adviser.
What are the changes to the EMDG?
EMDG legislation can change, including eligibility criteria, eligible expenditure and the application process. The program is independently reviewed every five years. The latest independent review occurred in 2025, and its recommendations were released on 2 July 2026.
The recommendations most likely to affect applicants, if implemented, include:
- Replacing the first-in, best-dressed model with a merit-based application process
- Replacing the three tiers with two: one for export-ready businesses and one for established or growing exporters
- Returning to annual application rounds and annual grant agreements
- Reviewing international air travel caps and per diem rates
The Export Chamber of Australia Incorporated (ECAI), the peak industry body for EMDG applicants and consultants, has published its position on the review’s 29 recommendations. Read the ECAI statement.
Talk to an EMDG consultant
Whether you are preparing for the next round or want to understand how the EMDG review may affect you, our EMDG consultants can help. Email [email protected] or phone our head office on (03) 8567 7500.
This page is general information only and does not constitute tax, financial or legal advice. Grant program details and funding amounts change; confirm current guidelines with Austrade.
