SME Export Marketing Fund

Funding Scope

EMF provides funding support to enterprises for their participation including Trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong targeting markets outside Hong Kong and Trade exhibitions held in Hong Kong targeting the local market.

Details: https://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/english/emf/emf_scope.html

Eligibility

An enterprise applying for funding support under EMF must fulfil the following requirements:

It must be a non-listed enterprise registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310).
It must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong at the time of making the application. An enterprise holding a shell business registration or having its main business operation outside Hong Kong will not be regarded as having substantive business operations in Hong Kong.
If it has previously received funding support under EMF, the cumulative amount of funding received must not exceed the prevailing cumulative funding ceiling. Applicant enterprises which have similar business registration details (e.g. nature of business, address, contact numbers, shareholder/directorship) will be treated as connected enterprises. For the purpose of calculating the cumulative funding ceiling, connected enterprises are treated as if they are one enterprise, i.e. the cumulative amount of funding received by the connected enterprises concerned are aggregated and must not exceed the cumulative funding ceiling.
It must not be the organiser/co-organiser/service provider or a related company of the organiser/co-organiser/service provider of the promotion activity and the related services covered by the application.

Details：https://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/english/emf/emf_eligibility.html

Funding Ceiling

Funding Ceiling per Application

Each application should cover expenditure related to one promotion activity. The maximum amount of funding support for each successful application will be provided on a 1 (government) : 3 (applicant enterprise) matching basis of the total approved expenditure incurred by the applicant enterprise or HK$100,000, whichever is the less. The total amount of funding support for all other eligible expenditure items under the same application should be capped at the total amount of funding support for the expenditure item(s) (6(i), 6(vii), 6(viii)/6(ix)/6(xii), 6(xiii), 6(xiv)/6(xv)/ 6(xvi)/6(xvii), 6(xviii)/6(xix) in the Guide to Application).

Cumulative Funding Ceiling per Enterprise

There is no limit on the number of applications by an enterprise for funding support under EMF. However, each enterprise may receive funding support under EMF up to a cumulative limit of HK$1,000,000 and a maximum of 50% of the cumulative limit may be used for applications relating to setting up/enhancing the corporate website/mobile application owned by the applicant enterprise. Within two years after being funded of an application for setting up/enhancement of a corporate website/mobile, no new application on setting up/enhancement of a corporate website/mobile application from the same applicant enterprise will be accepted.

Applicant enterprises may obtain online a full record of their applications and available funding balance under EMF by keying in their Business Registration numbers and any one of their application numbers via the online enquiry function for application status, application records and funding balance.

Details：https://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/english/emf/emf_grant.html

Application Period

Reimbursement：Within 60 calendar days after the completion date of the exhibition

Initial Payment cum Final Payment：Within 45-120 calendar days before the commencement date of the exhibition

Details：https://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/english/emf/emf_application_period.html

The following expenditure items are eligible for funding support under EMF

Rental fee for exhibition booth charged by organiser/co-organiser for exhibitions, or rental fee charged by organiser/co-organiser for other forms of participation for exhibits to be displayed at a fixed location throughout the whole period of the activity concerned, including showcase, table-top display and mannequin/garment rack (viz. “other forms of participation”). The applicant enterprise must be listed as an exhibitor on the exhibitors’ list with its full company name and Hong Kong contact information.
Construction, set-up and design fee of booth, transportation expenses for the components of booth and exhibits (but excluding goods intended for sales purpose), and rental charges for booth furniture for exhibitions.
Participation fee charged by organiser/co-organiser for taking up a speaking session at an exhibition by booth exhibitors at the activity concerned1.
Fee for placing advertisement in the catalogue of an exhibition2 and fee for printing of brochures/leaflets (excluding souvenirs) bearing the full company name of the applicant enterprise and the activity concerned; those brochures/leaflets must be solely for use in that activity.
Fee charged by organiser/co-organiser for exhibitors of an exhibition to place on-site advertisements3, including hanging banner, poster, promotional sticker and display on electronic panel4 at a fixed location inside the contracted exhibition venue throughout the whole period of the activity concerned. The on-site advertisement must show the full company name and Hong Kong contact information of the applicant enterprise.
Fee charged by the organiser/co-organiser for advertising through the use of mascot5 inside a specific area of the contracted exhibition venue of an exhibition during specific timeslot(s) of the exhibition period as assigned by the organiser. The mascot should solely be engaged for the purpose of promoting the products and/or services of the applicant enterprise at the activity, and must show the full company name and Hong Kong contact information of the applicant enterprise. The design of the mascot must be registered by the applicant enterprise, or authorised to be used by the applicant enterprise.

Details：https://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/english/emf/emf_expends.html

Application Procedures

Applications may be submitted through online e-Form, by post, via drop-in box or in person to TID’s “SME Export Marketing Fund Branch” according to the application period specified under each type of promotion activity set out. Applicant enterprises should indicate clearly on the Application Form the type of application of initial payment, final payment (if submitted via online e-Form) or reimbursement.

Details：https://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/english/emf/emf_procedures.html