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The Three MRA Grant Pillars: What Each One Actually Funds

Enterprise Singapore groups every supportable MRA activity into three pillars. Each has its own grant cap, its own application, and its own list of required claim deliverables. Everything below is drawn from Enterprise Singapore's Eligible Activities schedule, updated 1 April 2026.

Pick a Pillar

Three Pillars, Three Applications, One S$100,000 Cap

Caps are on the grant, not on your spending. At 70% support, the eligible cost required to reach each cap is shown alongside.

Pillar 1

Overseas Market Promotion

Marketing and PR campaigns, physical trade fairs and virtual trade fairs in your target market.

Grant cap S$20,000
≈ S$28,600 eligible cost Pillar 2

Overseas Business Development

Finding and meeting partners, placing a BD employee in-market, or outsourcing BD services.

Grant cap S$50,000
≈ S$71,400 eligible cost Pillar 3

Overseas Market Set-up

Incorporation, IP registration, tax planning, licensing, insurance and market-specific agreements.

Grant cap S$30,000
≈ S$42,900 eligible cost
MRA Grant pillars, caps and project durations, per new market
Pillar Supportable activities Grant cap Eligible cost at 70% Project duration
1. Overseas Market Promotion Overseas marketing & PR activities; overseas physical trade fairs; virtual trade fairs S$20,000 ≈ S$28,600 Up to 12 months; trade fair participation must match the approved fair dates
2. Overseas Business Development Identification of potential overseas partners; Overseas Marketing Presence (OMP); In-market Business Development S$50,000 ≈ S$71,400 OMP: 6–12 months. In-market BD: 3–12 months
3. Overseas Market Set-up Market Entry: incorporation, IP registration, tax advisory, import/export licensing, trade credit insurance, agreement drafting S$30,000 ≈ S$42,900 Up to 12 months, per the Letter of Offer

One application per pillar

Each pillar is applied for separately on the Business Grants Portal, and a company may run all three pillars concurrently for the same new market — together drawing up to the S$100,000 grant cap for that market. The one restriction inside a pillar: you cannot hold concurrent Overseas Marketing Presence and In-market Business Development applications for the same market.

Pillar 1

Overseas Market Promotion

Building brand visibility and product awareness among potential customers in the target market. The products or services promoted must belong to, or be represented by, the Singapore applicant or its subsidiaries.

Grant cap S$20,000 per new market
≈ S$28,600 eligible cost
Activity 1a

Overseas Marketing and PR Activities

What it covers

Third-party costs for marketing and PR activities that build brand visibility and product awareness in overseas markets through outreach — in-store promotions, road shows, pop-up stores, and publicity across social media and online/offline media channels.

What you must produce at claim stage

  • Comprehensive documentation of distinct activities specifically adapted to the target market, including dates, venues, target audiences and market-specific strategies
  • Evidence of new content created for local market preferences and cultural context — translations or replicated existing content are not enough
  • Supporting collaterals, advertisements, press releases and media coverage
  • Photographs of events, campaigns or promotional activities
  • Measurable outcomes demonstrating market adaptation

Not supported

  • Activities showing no engagement with the target market's business environment
  • Marketing aimed at the Singapore domestic market
  • Publicity costs to raise capital or investment
Activity 1b

Overseas Physical Trade Fairs

What it covers

  • Booth space rental — capped at 36 square metres
  • Booth design and construction — capped at 36 square metres
  • Pitching or speaking slots
  • Creation of marketing and publicity collaterals for the fair

What you must produce at claim stage

  • A write-up of participation intent, activities, business outcomes and partnerships established
  • The official exhibitor listing showing international representation with countries of origin, featuring your company name or brand and booth details
  • For approved speaking slots, the official programme schedule with your time and topic
  • Photographs of the booth set-up showing your branding, or of your speaker in the slot, with copies of collaterals. Where a brand name is displayed, provide proof of ownership or authorised use

Not supported

  • Fairs already supported under the Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme
  • Co-shared or co-located booths
  • Booths staffed by vendor representatives
  • Marketing materials and booth displays without your branding
  • B2C-only fairs
Activity 1c

Virtual Trade Fairs

What it covers

  • Virtual exhibition hall and booth access
  • Webinar or conference access
  • Pitching and speaking slots
  • Post-event analytics
  • Business meeting and matching sessions
  • Creation of marketing and publicity collaterals
  • Logistics costs for transporting product samples overseas

What you must produce at claim stage

An event write-up with screenshots of the virtual booth and exhibitor listing, screenshots of pitching slots and virtual business meetings, a list of leads generated, the post-event analytics report, copies of collaterals, and invoices, receipts or bank statements evidencing payment to the third-party vendor.

Excluded from Pillar 1 across the board

  • Singapore-imposed GST
  • Out-of-pocket costs — airfare, accommodation, transport and staff meals
  • Publicity costs to raise capital or investments
  • Co-sharing or co-location of booths
  • B2C-only fairs

A note on non-compliance

Enterprise Singapore is explicit that non-compliance with the deliverable requirements above will result in pro-rated or rejected claims. Collect the evidence as the project runs, not afterwards.

Pillar 2

Overseas Business Development

The largest pillar, covering three distinct routes to building commercial traction in-market. Choose the route that matches how you intend to sell, then commit to it — two of the three cannot run together.

Grant cap S$50,000 per new market
≈ S$71,400 eligible cost
Activity 2a

Identification of Potential Overseas Partners

What it covers

Overseas partner research, identification and business matching to establish relationships with potential licensees, franchisees, agents, distributors, suppliers, joint venture partners and logistics providers.

What you must produce at claim stage

  • A list of potential partner companies with full business profiles — name, registered address, official website, business nature, key products and services
  • A detailed rationale for each company's suitability, plus an assessment of operational stability, market reputation and industry standing
  • Detailed Notes of Meetings for physical, in-market, one-to-one business meetings you attended directly, with date, time and venue (at business premises, not at events or tradeshows)
  • A full attendee list with names and designations, matching outcomes and partnership models discussed
  • Meeting photographs and business cards collected
  • A summary report of opportunities identified and next steps agreed

Not supported

  • Group business matching meetings — all meetings must be one-to-one
  • Sourcing of service providers or vendors
  • Investor meetings for capital raising or selling company shares

Business matching should be conducted primarily in person. Virtual meetings serve only as initial touchpoints.

Activity 2b

Overseas Marketing Presence (OMP)

What it covers

Deploying a permanent, full-time Business Development employee on your payroll into the target market to drive in-market business development and marketing, including basic salary and office rental in that market for up to 12 months.

  • Support is up to 70% for local BD staff, or 50% for foreign staff — covering both basic salary and office rental.
  • Minimum project duration 6 months, maximum 12 months, with no interruption to market presence.
  • The BD employee must be stationed in the market for the entire project duration. Remote working is not supportable.
  • He or she need not be a new hire, but must not have started BD work for that market before you submitted the application.
  • He or she must not hold a concurrent role (for example BD and operations manager) and must not hold shares or a directorship in the applicant company or its related companies.
  • Standalone office rental, without hiring BD staff, is not supportable. Office rental support is limited to the period of the employee's physical presence and may be pro-rated.

What you must produce at claim stage

  • A market research report on market entry potential and opportunities
  • Progress reports covering meetings conducted, leads generated, partnerships established and milestones achieved
  • Proof of continuous physical presence covering at least 50% of the project duration — valid work visa or permit, plus tenancy agreements, utility bills or equivalent residency evidence — with no business travel to other markets during the project
  • Where office rental is claimed, a signed office lease for business premises. Residential addresses, shophouses and warehouses do not qualify
  • Where the employee is on an overseas subsidiary's payroll, inter-company billing showing reimbursement from the Singapore applicant, plus legal documentation proving the ownership structure
Activity 2c

In-market Business Development

What it covers

Outsourced third-party Business Development services, including recruitment and preparation of local in-market BD personnel, BD outreach to new business leads, and review of market entry strategy such as advice on setting up an entity.

Duration: minimum 3 months, maximum 12 months.

What you must produce at claim stage

  • A market research report demonstrating market entry potential
  • Vendor progress reports detailing activities undertaken and outcomes achieved in the specified market
  • Meeting records, contact details and engagement outcomes for all business activities
  • Supporting correspondence, proposals submitted and partnership discussions initiated
  • Documentation of measurable milestones including leads generated and partnerships established

Excluded from Pillar 2

  • Singapore-imposed GST
  • Out-of-pocket costs — airfare, accommodation, transport and staff meals
  • In-house manpower
  • Concurrent Overseas Business Development-approved MRA fees in the same market, for example OMP and In-market BD together
  • Incidental staff costs — salary paid in shares or equity, overtime, commission, bonus, additional allowances, insurance, airfare, meals and accommodation
  • BD staff who are freelancers or work remotely
  • Other office costs — warehouse, factory, residential or hotel space, equipment, furniture, fixtures, utilities, internet and telecommunications
Pillar 3

Overseas Market Set-up

Delivered as a single activity type, Market Entry. This is the pillar for putting legal and regulatory infrastructure in place before you trade at scale.

Grant cap S$30,000 per new market
≈ S$42,900 eligible cost
Activity 3a

Market Entry: the Six Supportable Scopes

Overseas incorporation

Incorporating or registering an entity in the target market. It must be registered with your company as the corporate shareholder, unless local law prohibits corporate shareholding — in which case supply the relevant regulation. Registration under an individual's name is not supported.

IP registration

Registering intellectual property in the target market. The Singapore applicant must own the IP. Support can include prior art search, examination, objection and filing costs.

Tax structure planning

Consultancy on recommended tax structures and implementation guidance for the target market.

Import & export licensing

Licences, permits and certifications — including registration costs such as FDA registration and factory registration.

Trade credit insurance

Cover against non-payment by overseas buyers in the target market.

Agreement drafting

Drafting business agreements written for the target market. Generic or template-based agreements without market-specific provisions are not supported.

What you must produce at claim stage

  • IP: acknowledgement letter, certificate of registration or filing documents submitted to the relevant authority, plus official documentation proving your ownership of the rights
  • Incorporation: certificate of entity registration, copies of all licences or permits obtained, and shareholding documentation proving your company's ownership
  • Tax advisory: a consultancy report setting out recommended structures and implementation guidance
  • Licences and certificates: copies of everything obtained from the relevant authorities
  • Trade credit insurance: copies of the insurance certificates
  • Agreements: copies of the first set drafted under the approved scope, annotated to show the clauses specific to the target market

All foreign-language documents must be submitted with English translations.

Not supported

  • Generic or template-based agreements without market-specific provisions
  • Standalone IP objection costs, once a claim has been submitted and approved
  • Singapore-imposed GST
  • Out-of-pocket costs

A useful quirk for IP applications

For international IP filings under the Madrid System, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or the Hague System, you can submit one application covering multiple overseas markets. For direct national IP filings, submit one MRA application per market.

Applies Everywhere

Excluded From Every Pillar

These four rules apply universally, and catch out more applicants than anything else in the scheme.

Singapore-imposed GST

GST charged by a Singapore vendor is never supportable, in any pillar. Budget your project on the GST-exclusive figure.

Out-of-pocket costs

Airfare, accommodation, transport and staff meals are excluded everywhere — including when your own people travel to a trade fair or to in-market business meetings.

Work you can do in-house

The MRA supports eligible third-party costs for activities your company does not have the in-house capability to carry out. If you already provide that service to your own clients, it will not be supported.

Related-party vendors

You must have no relationship, connection, association or dealings — direct or indirect — with your appointed third-party vendor. Detected conflicts of interest result in rejection.

Not Sure Which Pillar Your Project Falls Under?

Scoping the pillar correctly at the start is what determines your cap, your deliverables and whether the claim survives the audit. Talk it through with us before you commit to a vendor.

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