RESI Continues to Monitor Export Policy Developments: Why EMDG Deserves the Attention of Export-Focused Businesses

RESI Continues to Monitor Export Policy Developments

Why EMDG deserves the attention of export-focused businesses

For businesses seeking government funding support, GrantConnect remains an essential official resource to monitor. As the Australian Government’s central platform for publishing grant opportunities, it enables businesses to identify more quickly which programmes are currently open, which have closed, and which policy windows may be worth planning for in advance. In practice, what matters is not simply knowing that a grant exists, but being able to identify early which opportunities are relevant to your business and which are worth evaluating in greater detail.

If your business is expanding internationally, building an overseas brand presence, or preparing to take Australian products and services abroad, this is the first programme worth reviewing

Export Market Development Grants (EMDG)

For businesses seeking to expand into overseas markets, promote Australian products and services internationally, attend international trade exhibitions, or invest in offshore marketing activity, the appeal of this programme is very clear. Public information indicates that EMDG provides matched funding to eligible Australian exporters and representative bodies to support promotional, marketing and training expenditure at different stages of the export journey, helping Australian products and services enter, expand within and diversify across international markets.

This programme is particularly well suited to small and medium-sized businesses that already have a product, a service offering, and a degree of domestic market presence, but are now preparing to extend their business into overseas markets. Common eligible expenditure includes overseas marketing costs, travel, participation in international trade events, and offshore intellectual property registration. Unlike many grants that are more research-led or focused on technical validation, EMDG is more directly designed around the practical realities of market expansion. For that reason, it is especially attractive to businesses that have moved beyond simply thinking about exporting and are now preparing to engage seriously with international markets.

• Tier 1: A$20,000–A$30,000 per year
• Tier 2: A$20,000–A$50,000 per year
• Tier 3: A$20,000–A$80,000 per year
• Representative Bodies: up to A$50,000 per year

From a funding perspective, EMDG also offers a meaningful level of support. This means that businesses at different stages of the export journey may be able to identify a level of support that is broadly aligned with their needs.

However, what makes EMDG genuinely worth paying attention to is not the funding amount alone. Because its rules and funding rounds can change over time, businesses need to focus more carefully on their current stage of export readiness, whether they are realistically positioned to enter the next round, and whether their proposed international market activity is underpinned by a sufficiently clear plan. In other words, the value of this programme lies not only in the availability of funding, but also in the fact that it requires businesses to think through their export pathway properly in advance.

What can RESI do?

RESI continues to monitor policy developments and to review the application logic, core process requirements and common barriers associated with relevant grant opportunities. Our aim is to help the industry assess, at an earlier stage, whether a particular opportunity is suitable, whether it is worth pursuing, and what the next step into the process may look like. For many businesses, gaining clarity on direction before formally commencing an application is often more valuable than rushing into the process too early.

Contact RESI

If you are currently exploring overseas market expansion, international marketing, or export growth, then policy opportunities such as EMDG are worth reviewing sooner rather than later. As eligibility criteria, entry pathways and documentation requirements are often complex, it is generally advisable to undertake an initial feasibility and suitability assessment before committing to a formal application. If you would like to assess whether your project may be well positioned to proceed, you are welcome to contact RESI.