Secure your share of the · Austrade pool.
EMDG rounds are first-come, first-served and the pool is finite. We pre-qualify you, draft the mandatory Plan to Market, and lodge through the Austrade portal the moment the next round opens — so you're at the front of the queue, not the back.
Maximum grant
$80,000 / yr
Minimum matched spend
$20k
- No Austrade portal delays once the round opens
- End-to-end lodgement, RFI handling and milestone reporting
- Audit-ready evidence locker for every eligible expense
Sources: austrade.gov.au · business.gov.au
Has your business been operating under the same ABN for at least 2 years?
Austrade requires a continuous 2-year trading history for Tiers 1–3.
§ 01 · The new Austrade rulebook
Round 5 isn't the old EMDG. It's a sprint.
Three structural changes have flipped the program. Miss any of them and your application is dead on arrival.
- 01
First-in, best-dressed
Austrade no longer guarantees funding for everyone. Applications are assessed in the order received until the $104.5m budget is gone. Speed and accuracy are the only ways to win.
- 02
Upfront funding
No more waiting 18 months for a reimbursement. EMDG is now an upfront grant agreement. We build the required 'Plan to Market' to get your agreement signed fast.
- 03
Strict new tiers
Austrade has introduced hard turnover minimums and stricter capacity-to-spend tests. We financially model your marketing budget so you don't get instantly rejected.
§ 02 · Round history
Five years of EMDG rounds. Each one shorter than the last.
The reformed EMDG launched in 2021. Every round since has been first-come, first-served against a fixed pool — and the application window has narrowed from open-ended to roughly 30 days.
Dates compiled from Austrade and GrantConnect notices. Round 5 timing has not been confirmed by Austrade.
Round 1
FY2022–23 grant period- Opened
- 16 Aug 2021
- Closed
- Funds exhausted late 2021
First round under the reformed upfront grant model. Demand far outstripped the budget — payments to Tier 1/2/3 grantees were ultimately scaled down well below legislated caps.
Round 2
FY2023–24 grant period- Opened
- Mid-2022
- Closed
- 17 Aug 2022
Open for roughly six weeks before Austrade closed applications. Caps were trimmed (Tier 1 ~$10k, Tier 2 ~$18k, Tier 3 ~$28k per year) to fit the available pool.
Round 3
FY2024–25 grant period- Opened
- 15 Mar 2023 (9am AEDT)
- Closed
- 14 Apr 2023 (4pm AEST)
Just 30 days open. One-year grant agreements with possible extension. Strategic-shift definition tightened for Tier 3.
Round 4
FY2025–26 and FY2026–27 grant period- Opened
- 12 Nov 2024 (Tier 1–3, 10am AEDT) · 6 Nov 2024 (Rep bodies)
- Closed
- Closed — fully allocated
First-come-first-served against a fixed pool. Two-year grant agreements. Applications assessed in order received until each tier's funding ran out.
Round 5
FY2027–28 (expected)- Opened
- Not yet announced
- Closed
- —
Austrade has not yet published Round 5 timing. Based on prior rounds, expect a short application window with the $104.5m pool drained in days, not months. We prepare clients now so the application goes in within hours of opening.
§ 02 · Fit check
We're picky about who we lodge.
Austrade is now rejecting applications inside 48 hours. We only take on businesses we expect to clear the new tier gates, so our success rate stays high and your $950 isn't wasted.
Good fit
You'll likely qualify
- Australian Pty Ltd with 2+ years of continuous ABN history
- Turnover between $100,000 and $20m in the last financial year
- Already selling overseas, or with a credible plan to launch within 12 months
- Able to invest at least $20,000 of your own funds in export marketing
- A founder or finance lead who can sign off financial figures
Wrong fit
We'll point you elsewhere
- Pre-revenue or sub-$100k turnover businesses
- Domestic-only trading with no export plan on the table
- ABN under 2 years, or recently restructured entities
- Looking for a reimbursement on spend already incurred years ago
- Wanting a DIY template, this is a done-for-you lodgement service
§ 03 · End-to-end lodgement
Four steps from cold start to signed Grant Agreement.
We manage every Austrade touchpoint on your behalf, so you can stay focused on selling.
- Step 01
Scoping & tier matching
We map your previous export sales, turnover, and future marketing budget to the correct Austrade Tier (1, 2 or 3).
- Step 02
The 'Plan to Market'
We draft the mandatory marketing plan, detailing your expected outcomes and eligible expense categories such as digital marketing, overseas travel and trade shows.
- Step 03
Portal lodgement
We manage the entire Austrade online portal lodgement on your behalf, ensuring your application is filed the moment the round opens.
- Step 04
Milestone reporting
We don't disappear after approval. We manage your ongoing milestone reports to ensure Austrade releases your funds on time.
Eligible expense categories
What your grant can cover
Source: business.gov.au
Maintaining a representative in a foreign country for more than 6 months in a financial year to promote your eligible products.
e.g. Recruiting or maintaining staff or engaging an agent to conduct marketing and promotional activities.
Costs for travel to a country outside Australia for marketing and promotional activities.
e.g. Airfares, accommodation, and a daily allowance of $350 for up to 21 days per trip.
Engaging an independent contractor to undertake marketing activities.
e.g. Market research, marketing plan preparation, and promotional activities.
Costs of hiring consultants to conduct market research or develop marketing strategies for your eligible products.
e.g. Fees paid to a third-party consultant for a market entry strategy.
Fees paid to external consultants for market research or marketing advice.
e.g. Advice on market entry strategies or consumer trends in an export market.
Expenses for short-term advertising or promotional activities to solicit sales or advertise eligible products.
e.g. Social media advertising, print media, or search engine optimization (SEO).
Engaging consultants to undertake export market research or marketing activities.
e.g. Market research reports, engaging a marketing consultant.
Engaging a consultant to undertake export market research or marketing activities.
e.g. Market research or marketing activities to promote your eligible product.
Engaging a consultant to provide market research or marketing strategies for your product.
e.g. Fees paid to a consultant for a specific export marketing task.
Costs for services to promote your product to potential buyers or to build trade capacity.
e.g. Online advertising, creating promotional materials, and social media campaigns.
Travel expenses for marketing visits to a foreign country or within Australia for certain tiers.
e.g. Airfares, accommodation, and a daily allowance for meals and incidentals.
Costs related to obtaining, maintaining, or extending intellectual property rights in foreign countries for eligible products.
e.g. Patent and trademark registration fees in international jurisdictions.
Creating and distributing advertising or promotional material for foreign markets.
e.g. Social media advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), and printed brochures.
Short-term activities to promote your product, such as trade fairs or seminars.
e.g. Trade fair stand costs, seminar room hire.
Costs of providing free samples of your eligible product to potential foreign buyers.
e.g. Manufacturing, packaging, and shipping costs for samples.
Expenses related to participating in international exhibitions or promotional events.
e.g. Booth rental fees, stand design and construction, and costs for participating in a global industry trade show.
Costs related to participating in international trade fairs or promotional events.
e.g. Booth rental, setup costs, and associated entry fees.
Participating in trade fairs, seminars, or other promotional events in foreign markets.
e.g. Exhibition booth hire, transport of display materials, and registration fees for trade events.
Expenses related to the protection of trade secrets in foreign countries.
e.g. Legal costs for drafting non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for foreign markets.
Costs for up to 3 potential foreign buyers to visit your operations in Australia.
e.g. Airfares and accommodation for buyers to visit your Australian business site.
Participating in trade fairs, seminars, or in-store promotions to showcase your product.
e.g. Booth rental, stand design and construction, and participation fees.
Expenses for creating and distributing promotional material targeted at foreign markets.
e.g. Brochures, videos, website development, and social media advertising.
Costs associated with creating and distributing marketing materials specifically for international audiences.
e.g. Website development for foreign markets, digital advertising (Social Media/Google ads), and brochures in foreign languages.
Costs for providing free samples of your product to people in foreign countries.
e.g. Providing free product samples to potential buyers overseas.
Expenses for participating in international trade fairs, seminars, or in-store promotions.
e.g. Entry fees, stand rental, and booth design for an international trade show.
Costs for representative bodies to provide short-term export training to members.
e.g. Costs of hiring a trainer or developing educational materials for members.
Training to develop skills for marketing your products in foreign countries.
e.g. Export marketing courses.
Costs associated with obtaining or maintaining intellectual property rights in foreign countries.
e.g. Registration fees and legal costs for patents, trademarks, or designs.
Costs associated with bringing potential foreign buyers to Australia for promotional purposes.
e.g. Airfares and accommodation for a prospective international client to visit your Australian production facility.
Costs for specific training to help you get ready to export.
e.g. Course fees for export-related training programs.
Expenses for participating in trade fairs, exhibitions, or promotional events in foreign countries.
e.g. Booth rental, equipment hire, and freight of display materials.
Costs related to gaining or maintaining rights over intellectual property in foreign countries.
e.g. Patents, trademarks, or design registration fees and associated legal costs in a target export market.
Costs for obtaining or maintaining IP rights in countries outside Australia.
e.g. Registration or extension of patents, trademarks, or design rights for your eligible products.
Training to build marketing skills for the benefit of the business.
e.g. Export ready training courses.
Costs for specific training activities that help gain the skills required to market products for export.
e.g. Enrolling in an export market entry course or technical training on international trade regulations.
Costs for training to build internal export marketing capability for Tier 1 applicants.
e.g. Courses that help you understand how to export and market products overseas.
§ 03 · The simple maths
We do the work. You collect the cheque.
No grant, no success fee. The $950 prep fee is the only money that leaves your account before Austrade releases yours — fixed, upfront, no surprises.
Better still: this year's claim sets you up to replicate next year with most of the heavy lifting already done. You keep a reusable Plan to Market, an evidence locker keyed to Austrade's eight expense categories, and a milestone- reporting cadence your finance team can run with us in the loop.
What you get
Up to $80,000
per year, paid by Austrade on signed Grant Agreement
What we bill
$950 + 7.5%
fixed prep fee, success-only on confirmed grant value
What you keep
92%
of grant value, net of our 7.5% success fee (prep fee billed separately)
Year two & beyond
Renewal claims reuse the bulk of year one's Plan to Market and evidence pack — so the $950 prep fee builds a foundation you draw on every round you stay eligible.
§ 03b · Fees vs the industry
Our software is the time saver. Our fees are the money saver.
The Australian EMDG consultant standard sits at roughly $2,000–$2,500 upfront plus a 10% success fee on grant value.
| Provider | Upfront / min | Success fee |
|---|---|---|
| Consultant 1 | $2,500 min / yr | 10% |
| Consultant 2 | ~$2,000 retainer | 10–12% |
| Consultant 3 | ~$2,500 retainer | 10% |
| Consultant 4 | ~$1,800 scoping | 10% |
Industry average Mid-point of the four consultants above | ~$2,200 | 10% |
EMDG Lodge 25% below the industry average on both line items | $950 | 7.5% |
Sourced from publicly stated fee schedules and typical industry ranges quoted to applicants. Published rates may vary by engagement.
§ 04 · Pricing & commercial alignment
A fixed brief, then a success fee on grant value.
Austrade's "first-in, best-dressed" rules mean applications without a pristine Plan to Market get pushed to the back of the queue. We partner with you in two phases, so you're lodged the minute the portal opens.
Phase 01 · Preparation
We financially model your export budget, verify your Tier turnover minimums, and write the mandatory Austrade Plan to Market so you are 100% lodgement-ready.
- →Tier scoping & turnover verification
- →Capacity-to-spend financial modelling
- →Drafted Austrade Plan to Market
- →Eligible expense register
- →Lodgement-ready application pack
Austrade requires proof of a minimum $20,000 matched-spend capacity. This step de-risks your lodgement before it hits the queue.
Phase 02 · Execution
We lodge, handle every Austrade RFI, and manage milestone reporting. You only pay on confirmed Grant Agreement. No grant, no success fee.
- →Full Austrade portal lodgement
- →Lodgement representation on your behalf
- →Request for Information (RFI) handling
- →Mandatory milestone reporting
- →Direct line to a senior consultant
| Tier | Annual ceiling | Fee @ 7.5% |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $30,000 / yr | ~$2,250 |
| Tier 2 | $50,000 / yr | ~$3,750 |
| Tier 3 | $80,000 / yr | ~$6,000 |
Round 5 funds are finite. Pre-qualify in 2 minutes.
Free eligibility check. No obligation. The $950 only invoices once you're confirmed eligible.
§ 06 · Free tools and founder briefs
Everything you need to brief yourself, free.
We'd rather you arrive informed. Use the calculator and guides to pressure-test eligibility, then book the wizard if the numbers make sense for your business.
Free · Calculator
EMDG Grant Calculator
Enter turnover and planned export-marketing spend. See your tier, annual ceiling and likely 2-year grant value. No sign-up.
Free · 18 page guide
EMDG 2026 Field Guide
Round 5 rules, tier maths, evidence requirements and the new Plan to Market test, written for founders, not consultants.
Free · Template
Plan to Market Template
The exact section structure Austrade looks for: target markets, channel mix, KPIs, capacity to spend. Drop your numbers in.
Free · Checklist
Eligible Expense Checklist
Eight expense categories Austrade accepts, with the proof you need for each. Run it before you spend a dollar.
§ 05 · Straight answers
The questions every founder asks before they sign.
No fluff. If you've got a question we haven't covered, put it in the wizard and we'll answer it in writing within one business day.
- Q.01
When does EMDG Round 5 actually open?
Austrade has signalled the next intake for early FY26. The exact date is published with about two weeks' notice. We hold a drafted Plan to Market in escrow so we can lodge inside the first hour of opening.
- Q.02
Can't I just lodge this myself?
You can. The risk is the new Plan to Market, financial capacity test, and tier evidence pack. Austrade is rejecting first-time DIY applications at a high rate, and a rejected lodgement does not get reassessed in the same round.
- Q.03
Is the 7.5% success fee on top of Austrade charges?
Austrade does not charge an application fee. The 7.5% is the only success fee, billed on confirmed Grant Agreement value. No grant, no success fee.
- Q.04
What happens if my application is rejected?
If you've passed our fit check and we still get a rejection, we resubmit at no extra Phase 02 fee in the next available round. The $950 covers the preparation work either way.
- Q.05
How long until I see the money?
Once your Grant Agreement is signed, milestone payments are released by Austrade as you spend and report. We manage every milestone report so funds keep flowing on time.
- Q.06
Do you work outside Australia?
No. EMDG is an Australian programme, so we only take on businesses with an Australian ABN and an Australian tax residency.