Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant: Status After EDGE and How Approved Companies Claim

The Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant was Enterprise Singapore’s flagship support for SMEs taking their first steps into overseas markets. With Singapore’s domestic market constrained by population size, internationalisation is often the single biggest growth lever for an SME, and MRA underwrote a significant share of the cost until it ceased on 29 September 2026.

This guide is now written for companies that hold an MRA approval. It explains the terms that applied, how to claim, what the audit looks for, and where new overseas projects go under EDGE.

What was the MRA grant?

The MRA grant is administered by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and supported Singapore SMEs in three internationalisation activities:

• Overseas market promotion: exhibitions, business missions, in-market marketing campaigns;
• Overseas business development: partner identification, agent searches, branding work, in-market consultancy;
• Overseas market set-up: incorporating a foreign subsidiary, branch or representative office; tax and legal advisory; intellectual property protection.

MRA funded up to 50% of eligible third-party costs for SMEs, raised to up to 70% from 1 April 2026 under Budget 2026, capped at S$100,000 per company per new overseas market. Within that, the pillar caps were S$20,000 for overseas market promotion, S$50,000 for overseas business development and S$30,000 for overseas market set-up. A company could use MRA across multiple markets over time. The support level that applies to your project is the one stated in your Letter of Offer.

Eligibility criteria that applied

To qualify for MRA, the applicant company had to:

• Be registered and operating in Singapore;
• Have at least 30% local shareholding (Singapore citizens or PRs);
• Have group annual turnover of not more than S$100 million OR group employment of not more than 200 employees;
• Have less than S$100,000 in overseas sales in the target market in each of the last three financial years (the “new market” test);
• Not have previously claimed MRA for the same activity in the same market.

The “new market” test was the most-misunderstood criterion. A market was “new” if your sales there had not exceeded S$100,000 in any of the preceding three years. For a new overseas project under EDGE, check the eligibility conditions on the relevant EDGE activity page rather than assuming the MRA test applies.

What MRA funds (eligible costs)

MRA reimbursed third-party costs across the following categories, at the support level in the Letter of Offer:

The S$100,000 cap is per company per new market, and within it the pillar caps and activity-level limits in Enterprise Singapore’s list of supportable costs apply. Your Letter of Offer sets out exactly which costs are supported for your project.

How MRA applications were made (now closed)

MRA applications closed on 29 September 2026. Applications submitted before 30 September 2026 are still assessed under the MRA rules. They were made through the Business Grants Portal (BGP), which approved companies still use for change requests and claims:

1. Log in to BGP with Corppass;
2. Select MRA grant and the target overseas market;
3. Submit a project proposal covering the activity, expected outcomes, budget, third-party providers and milestones;
4. Upload quotations from the third-party providers (Enterprise Singapore expects 1 to 3 quotations for transparency);
5. Submit the latest financial statements and corporate profile;
6. Pay no fees (MRA application is free).

Once approved, the company receives a Letter of Offer (LOO), which must be accepted. Under the MRA rules, each project could not exceed 12 months, and the project and claim dates are those stated in the LOO. For a new overseas project, apply under EDGE instead: see our guide to EDGE support for overseas expansion.

Project milestones and claim submission

After completing the project, the company completes the audit and submits a claim through BGP by the claim deadline in its LOO. Enterprise Singapore’s checklist includes:

• Project completion report describing outcomes against the original proposal;
• Itemised expense schedule;
• Supporting invoices and bank payment evidence for every line item;
• An audit report and a Statement of Claim endorsed by the auditor (all MRA claims are subject to audit);
• Photographic evidence for exhibitions and missions.

Enterprise Singapore reviews the claim and disburses the approved amount to the company’s bank account: about 14 working days after claim approval by PayNow Corporate, or up to eight weeks by GIRO. Claims must reach Enterprise Singapore by the claim due date in the LOO. If the project dates, claim due date or costs change, submit a change request on BGP for evaluation before the deadline passes.

MRA and the EDGE Grant

MRA ceased on 29 September 2026 together with its siblings, and the EDGE Grant took over from 30 September 2026. EDGE gives up to 70% support for SMEs (up to 50% for non-SMEs) on internationalisation activities, within an annual cap of S$100,000 per company across all activities. An existing MRA approval does not count towards that cap, but the same project cannot be claimed again under EDGE. How the related schemes now stand:

• EDG (Enterprise Development Grant): closed to new applications on 29 September 2026; approved projects continue to claim;
• PSG (Productivity Solutions Grant): closed on the same date; similar solutions now fall under EDGE’s S$30,000 sub-cap;
• SFEC (SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit): final SFEC-supported claims for EDG, MRA and PSG projects are due by 30 November 2026, and EDGE projects cannot be supported under SFEC;
• EFS (Enterprise Financing Scheme): government risk-share on SME loans, still available through participating financial institutions.

EFS can still finance the upfront cash outlay while you wait for reimbursement. See our grant stacking guide for the wider picture and our directory of Singapore government grants for every current scheme.

Common MRA rejection reasons

The most common rejection reasons we saw before the scheme closed, several of which also apply under EDGE:

• Not a new market: applicant has historical sales above S$100,000 in any of the last three years;
• Insufficient project rigour: vague outcomes, no measurable KPIs;
• Self-supply: third-party provider is a related entity (sister company, director-controlled);
• Quotations from inappropriate providers: provider lacks track record in the target market;
• Activity already commenced: MRA could not reimburse retrospectively; the project could not have started, been paid for or been contracted before the application was submitted;
• Group turnover above S$100m or 200+ employees: fails SME definition;
• Below 30% local shareholding: foreign-controlled SMEs are ineligible.

Post-grant compliance and audit

Enterprise Singapore can review a project after disbursement, and the conditions in your LOO set out how long records must be kept. Companies should:

• Retain all original invoices, quotations and payment evidence for at least the period your LOO requires;
• Keep project documentation (proposal, LOO, completion report, claim);
• Maintain a clear paper trail showing the third-party provider relationship;
• Be prepared to demonstrate measurable in-market outcomes (sales generated, partners signed, market presence established).

Claw-back applies if the audit finds non-compliance, including transfer of activities to a related party or material misstatement in the claim. See our post-grant compliance guide for full details.

Practical tips for approved MRA projects and new EDGE applications

• Plan before you spend: get MRA approval before signing the booth, agent or consultancy contract;
• Pick markets strategically: choose markets with realistic 12 to 18-month commercial outcomes, not “exploration only”;
• Use a reputable third-party provider: quotations from boutique consultancies with strong track records carry more weight;
• Set measurable KPIs: number of partners contacted, leads generated, MOUs signed;
• Document everything: photographs, attendance lists, meeting minutes, draft contracts;
• Submit claims on time: by the claim due date in your LOO, or file a change request before it passes.

Final thoughts

For a Singapore SME with an MRA approval, the job now is to deliver the project, pass the audit and claim on time. For new overseas plans, EDGE offers similar support, and the same discipline applies: plan before you spend and engage credible in-market partners.

Treat the grant as a strategic tool, not just a cost subsidy. It is most valuable when paired with a clear market entry hypothesis, a credible commercial model, and disciplined post-grant execution.

Information checked against official sources on 6 November 2026.

The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services