To prepare an export plan that fits Austrade support conversations, structure it around three things Austrade explicitly works with: market evidence, a timeline, and a budget. Austrade states it helps eligible businesses assess market potential, develop export strategies, and find overseas contacts through trade services delivered by advisers in Australia and international offices (Austrade – Australian exporters). For representative bodies applying under the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program, Austrade also sets out required plan content such as promotional activity, alignment with member needs, business goals, success measurement, and budget (Austrade – representative bodies).
This guide explains what to put in your export plan, how Austrade’s tools map to each section, and which EMDG rules apply only to representative bodies.
What Austrade support actually covers
Austrade is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion, investment and visitor attraction agency (Austrade – Australian exporters). Its trade services help eligible Australian businesses:
- assess market potential
- develop export strategies
- find valuable contacts overseas
Advisers are based in Australia and in international offices. State and territory TradeStart advisers also provide trade support (Austrade – Australian exporters).
The Go Global Toolkit is a separate Austrade resource for export basics, target market laws and regulations, market-finding tools, readiness checks, and free webinars (Austrade – Australian exporters). It is not a grant and does not approve plans.
Practical interpretation: Use the toolkit to build evidence before speaking with an Austrade industry specialist. The specialist conversation is where your prepared plan is used.
Verify with Austrade: Whether your business is eligible for adviser-led trade services, and what evidence they require, should be confirmed directly with an Austrade industry specialist or TradeStart adviser.
Core sections of an Austrade-ready export plan
A plan that supports an Austrade conversation should make three things easy to read: what the market evidence shows, when activities happen, and what they cost.
1. Market evidence
Austrade’s trade services start with assessing market potential (Austrade – Australian exporters). Your plan should state:
- the target market(s)
- the market requirement or regulation source (Go Global Toolkit covers laws and regulations by target market)
- why the market is viable for your goods or services
Do not present this as approval. It is the basis for discussion with Austrade.
2. Timeline
For EMDG representative bodies, Austrade requires an export training plan (if training is delivered) to include a proposed timeline to complete (Austrade – representative bodies). For general export plans, a timeline helps an Austrade adviser see sequencing of market entry, promotions, and follow-up.
3. Budget
Austrade states EMDG representative body applicants must include marketing and promotional budget for eligible markets for the relevant grant years in the plan to market (Austrade – representative bodies). Even outside EMDG, a budget line in your export plan supports a realistic Austrade conversation.
EMDG representative body plan requirements
If you are a representative body applying for EMDG, different rules apply. Round 4 is closed; the following reflects Austrade’s published application structure (Austrade – representative bodies).
Plan to market
You must answer plan-to-market questions in the online form. You cannot upload it as a separate document. It must explain:
- the export promotional activity planned for SME members
- how activities align with SME member needs
- how activities are new or recently reviewed against trade diversification trends
- business goals sought through marketing
- how export success will be measured
- marketing and promotional budget for eligible markets and grant years
- previous export marketing activities, if applicable
Each detailed answer has a maximum of 3,000 characters (about 500 words).
Export training plan
If you provide export readiness or marketing training to members, you must prepare an export training plan and upload it. It should include:
- who will deliver the training
- expected benefits for SME members
- proposed timeline to complete
- how it will be delivered
- expected breakdown of costs
- proposed assessment of members’ knowledge after completion
Maximum per answer is 3,000 characters.
Verify before applying: EMDG rounds open and close on Austrade’s schedule. Confirm the current round status on Austrade’s site before preparing documents.
Documents and identifiers to prepare
Austrade lists preparation steps for representative body applicants (Austrade – representative bodies):
- Read EMDG guidelines on the Guidelines and legislation page
- Set up Digital ID (myID)
- Link Digital ID to business in Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM)
- Know your organisation’s ANZSIC code (4-digit code for main business activity)
- Prepare eligibility documents: profit/loss statements, balance sheets, tax compliance evidence, bank statements, trust deed if applicable
For tax compliance, Austrade requires evidence for the 2022–23 and 2023–24 financial years, such as a Business Activity Statement, Notice of Assessment, or Statement of Account (Austrade – representative bodies).
Checklist for your export plan
Use this before contacting Austrade or applying for EMDG as a representative body:
- [ ] Target market identified with regulation/law source from Go Global Toolkit
- [ ] Market potential summary written (not claimed as approval)
- [ ] Timeline with phases and training dates if relevant
- [ ] Budget shown for marketing/promotional activity
- [ ] For representative bodies: plan-to-market answers drafted within character limits
- [ ] For representative bodies: export training plan completed if training delivered
- [ ] ANZSIC code known
- [ ] myID and RAM linked (EMDG representative body path)
- [ ] Tax compliance documents for required years prepared
Next step
Start with the Go Global Toolkit to confirm market requirements, then book an Austrade industry specialist or TradeStart adviser with your drafted plan (Austrade – Australian exporters). Representative bodies should read the EMDG sample documents before drafting.
If you want a structured starting point for export planning and loan considerations, see /money/home-loans/.
General information boundary
This article explains Austrade’s published services and EMDG representative body application requirements. It is not legal, tax, migration, credit, or financial advice, and does not guarantee Austrade support, grant approval, or commercial outcomes. Confirm current eligibility, round status, and document requirements with Austrade or a qualified adviser before acting.