What Types of Projects Does EDG Support?

EDG projects fall under three broad pillars:

1. Core Capabilities

Projects that strengthen how your business is run.
Examples:

• Business strategy development
• Process redesign and optimisation
• Financial management frameworks
• Human capital development
• Branding and positioning strategy

2. Innovation & Productivity

Projects that improve efficiency or create new capabilities.
Examples:

• Automation and system implementation
• Data, AI, or analytics solutions
• Product or service innovation
• Workflow digitisation

3. Market Access

Projects that support overseas expansion.
Examples:

• Market entry strategy for Southeast Asia
• Go-to-market planning
• Partner or distributor identification
• Overseas regulatory and feasibility studies

A common misconception is that EDG is only for “big transformation projects.” In reality, well-scoped, focused projects often have a higher approval rate than vague, overly ambitious ones.

Who Is Eligible for EDG?

To qualify for EDG, your company must generally:

• Be registered and operating in Singapore
• Have at least 30% local shareholding
• Be financially viable
• Have a clear business rationale for the project

Startups and smaller SMEs can qualify, but financials and project justification must be handled carefully. EDG is not a startup grant — it expects evidence of sustainability and execution capability.

How Much Funding Can You Get?

As of 2025, EDG typically supports up to 50% of qualifying costs for most SMEs.

Qualifying costs may include:

• Third-party consultancy fees
• Software or system costs (if justified)
• Manpower costs directly tied to the project

Higher support levels may apply under specific national priorities, but funding percentage should never be the primary reason for applying. Project quality matters far more than headline support rate.

What Costs Are (and Are Not) Claimable?

Commonly Claimable:

• Professional consultancy fees
• System design and implementation costs
• Project-specific manpower costs
• Clearly defined deliverables and milestones

Commonly Rejected:

• Routine operational expenses
• Marketing execution costs (e.g. ad spend)
• Vague “management time”
• Poorly scoped or overlapping work

One of the biggest pitfalls is designing a project that sounds useful but does not clearly link costs to measurable capability uplift.

How Does Enterprise Singapore Evaluate EDG Applications?

Enterprise Singapore does not approve grants based on passion or intent. Applications are evaluated on:

1. Business Need
   Is there a clear, specific problem the business is trying to solve?
2. Project Scope & Design
   Are deliverables concrete, logical, and achievable?
3. Capability Uplift
   Will the company genuinely be stronger after the project?
4. Cost Reasonableness
   Are costs aligned to outcomes and market norms?
5. Execution Readiness
   Does the company have the capacity to carry out the project?

Many rejections occur not because the idea is bad, but because the proposal fails to clearly connect these elements.

Common Reasons EDG Applications Fail

Based on patterns seen across many SMEs, the most common failure points are:

• Treating EDG as a reimbursement scheme rather than a strategic project
• Copy-pasting generic proposal language
• Overloading the scope with too many objectives
• Poor milestone and KPI definition
• Weak linkage between costs and outcomes
• Underestimating the importance of the claims phase

Approval is only half the journey — successful claims depend on how the project is structured from the start.

How Long Does the EDG Process Take?

A realistic timeline looks like this:

• Preparation & scoping: 2–4 weeks
• Submission to Enterprise Singapore: 1–2 weeks
• Evaluation & clarification: 8–12 weeks
• Project execution: As per approved timeline
• Claims & reimbursement: After milestones are completed

EDG is not fast funding. Businesses should apply before committing to major transformation initiatives, not midway through.

Should You Apply for EDG?

EDG makes sense if:

• You are planning a meaningful capability upgrade anyway
• You can commit management time to proper execution
• You value structured transformation over short-term cash flow

EDG may not be suitable if:

• You are looking for working capital
• You need immediate funding
• The project is exploratory or unclear
• You are not ready for documentation and governance

Knowing when not to apply is as important as knowing how to apply.

Final Thoughts

The Enterprise Development Grant is one of Singapore’s most valuable SME support mechanisms — but only when approached with the right mindset.

Strong EDG applications are not written; they are designed. They reflect clear thinking, realistic execution, and a deep understanding of how Enterprise Singapore evaluates impact.

If you are considering EDG, the most important first step is not filling out forms — it is assessing whether your project is grant-ready.

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