Latest updates

  • 29 September 2026: Last day to apply for PSG, EDG or MRA. From 30 September, all three sit under the new EDGE Grant. If you applied before then, your application is still assessed under the old scheme’s rules.
  • November 2026: Eligible SMEs get up to S$2,500 from the SME Cash Grant 2026, paid automatically.
  • 30 November 2026: Final claim date for the current SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC). The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) runs a redesigned version from 1 December.

If you’re looking for a government grant for your SME in Singapore, most roads now lead to one scheme: the EDGE Grant. Enterprise Singapore launches it on 30 September 2026 to replace PSG, EDG and MRA. SMEs can have up to 70% of qualifying costs covered (larger firms, up to 50%). There’s a ceiling of S$100,000 per company per year. And the money only comes back to you after the project is done and paid for.

Those two limits could catch businesses out. Say you’ve got a software upgrade and an overseas push planned for the same year. Under the old rules, they drew from separate buckets. Now they share one. Because EDGE reimburses instead of paying upfront, you’ll also need to fund the whole bill first. Below, we run through both with real numbers, then cover the older schemes and the other grants you can still tap.

Which grant fits your project

Most grants are tied to the kind of project, so that’s the easiest place to start.

Your project Grant to look at Worth knowing
Automate, digitalise or adopt new software EDGE Grant Replaced PSG in September 2026
Improve strategy, financial management or standards EDGE Grant Replaced EDG in September 2026
Enter or grow in an overseas market EDGE Grant Replaced MRA in September 2026
Innovation or sustainability projects EDGE Grant Shares the same S$100,000 yearly cap as every other EDGE activity
Train employees SFEC, ETSS Current SFEC expires 30 November 2026
Cut energy costs in manufacturing Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) Manufacturing only (construction too under EEG Advanced); extended to 31 March 2027
Offset general business costs SME Cash Grant 2026 Paid automatically, no application
Projects specific to your industry IMDA, MAS, HPB and STB schemes Separate from EDGE

What are SME grants?

An SME grant is government money that pays part of the cost of a specific project: new accounting software, a trade fair overseas, a course for your staff. You usually don’t repay it. The conditions matter, though. Finish the approved project as agreed, or the agency can claim the money back.

Enterprise Singapore runs the biggest schemes. IMDA, MAS and the Singapore Tourism Board have their own for particular industries, and SWDA handles training support.

What is an SME in Singapore?

For most grants, your business counts as an SME if it’s registered and operating in Singapore and at least 30% locally owned. It also needs a group turnover of S$100 million or less, or 200 staff or fewer. Most Singapore companies fit.

A few grants add extra conditions, so each scheme’s own page has the final say.

How the EDGE Grant works

EDGE folds three schemes into one application. Enterprise Singapore lists more than 100 supported activities across eight business areas, from automation and digitalisation to internationalisation, standards, and sustainability. Business strategy, financial management and innovation are covered too.

To qualify, your business has to be registered in Singapore and at least 30% owned by Singapore citizens or permanent residents (PRs). SMEs can get up to 70% of qualifying costs, and non-SMEs up to 50%. That 70% is the top of the range. The rate varies by activity, and each activity page shows the actual figure.

Each company gets S$100,000 of EDGE support a year in total, and the allowance resets on 1 April. Payment is by reimbursement, so you pay in full then claim when you finish the project.

Applications go through the Business Grants Portal and BizSG, with details promised after 30 September 2026.

All support is subject to eligibility and approval by Enterprise Singapore. For examples of what projects in these areas involve, see our guides to improving operational processes and supporting your sustainability journey.

What the S$100,000 yearly cap means for your plans

The single cap is the change that matters most for planning. Under the old schemes, caps were counted separately. PSG support was capped at S$30,000 per company per financial year, and MRA at S$100,000 per company for each new overseas market. An SME could draw on both in the same year without one eating into the other.

EDGE counts every activity against the same S$100,000. That turns grant planning into a budgeting exercise, where the real decision is which project gets the cap this year.

Here is how that plays out. An SME plans an S$80,000 automation project and an S$80,000 overseas market entry in the same year. If both qualified for up to 70% support, each could attract up to S$56,000. Together that’s S$112,000, which is S$12,000 more than the yearly cap allows. The SME can accept lower support on one project, or time the second so it falls after the 1 April reset. Scaling one project down is a third route. Each option has a cost, be it less grant money, a later start, or a smaller project.

Support levels vary by activity, and Enterprise Singapore’s FAQ does not yet say whether the cap is counted at application, approval or claim. That detail decides how much timing around 1 April can help, and Enterprise Singapore can confirm how it applies to a specific application.

Grants are paid after you spend

EDGE is paid on a reimbursement basis. You complete the project, pay your vendors in full, then submit a claim.

On an S$30,000 project with up to 70% support, the grant could cover up to S$21,000. You still pay the whole S$30,000 first. Until the claim is paid, the full cost sits on your cash flow, including the S$21,000 you expect to recover. The larger the project, the bigger that gap.

How an EDGE Grant claim works: businesses pay project costs in full before being reimbursed.

SMEs typically cover that period from cash reserves, staged payment terms with vendors, or business financing. Which one depends on the project’s size and how long your cash can stretch.

C2G2 Design, an interior design firm, used Funding Societies’ Start-Up Financing to manage upfront costs as it took on larger residential and commercial projects.

“Upon approval I get the funds within 3 days.”

Jay Tan, Managing Director, C2G2 Design (watch the testimonial)

PSG, EDG and MRA: the replaced schemes

If you applied under one of the older grants, or you’re researching them, this is what each covered and where that kind of project sits now.

Former grant What it covered Support before it closed Where it sits now
Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) Pre-approved digital solutions and equipment Up to 50%, capped at S$30,000 per company per financial year EDGE (automation and digitalisation)
Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) Capability building, innovation and business strategy projects Up to 50% for SMEs EDGE (business strategy, innovation, standards and related areas)
Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Overseas promotion, business development and market set-up Up to 70%, capped at S$100,000 per company per new market EDGE (internationalisation)

All three stopped accepting applications on 29 September 2026. Applications submitted before 30 September continue to be assessed under the requirements of the original scheme.

Other SME grants still available

SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC)

SFEC gave eligible employers a one-off credit of S$10,000 to offset the cost of approved enterprise and workforce transformation programmes. Eligible employers have been notified by Enterprise Singapore.

Current SFEC support expires on 30 November 2026, and final claims must be submitted by that date. From 1 December 2026, a redesigned SFEC is administered by SWDA. Enterprise Singapore has said SWDA will announce the programme details. Our guide to hiring, training and upskilling employees covers the wider training support landscape.

Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS)

ETSS gives SMEs higher course fee subsidies when they sponsor employees for eligible training programmes. It is now run by the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), which took over the functions of SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore.

Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG)

The Energy Efficiency Grant, run by the National Environment Agency (NEA), co-funds pre-approved energy-efficient equipment for manufacturing companies, including food manufacturers. SMEs can receive up to 70% support, capped at S$30,000 per company, for applications until 31 March 2027. A separate EEG (Advanced) tier covers larger projects in manufacturing and construction. Applications go through the Business Grants Portal.

SME Cash Grant 2026

The SME Cash Grant 2026 pays eligible SMEs up to S$2,500 in November 2026, with no application required. Our Budget 2026 summary for SMEs covers the other measures announced alongside it.

Sector-specific grants

Some agencies run schemes for their own industries, outside EDGE.

  • IMDA: digital adoption support through SMEs Go Digital, Industry Digital Plans and advisory help such as CTO-as-a-Service.
  • MAS: the Financial Sector Technology and Innovation (FSTI 3.0) scheme, with tracks covering AI and data analytics, ESG FinTech, regulatory technology and quantum technology. It is aimed mainly at financial institutions and technology firms serving the financial sector.
  • HPB: Healthier Dining schemes for F&B businesses developing healthier menus.
  • STB: the Business Improvement Fund and Tourism Product Development Fund for tourism businesses, plus event grants such as the Kickstart Fund and Leisure Events Fund.

When a grant isn’t the right starting point

Grants work best for planned projects with a defined scope, supporting documents and time to wait. They are a poor match for urgent needs, because approval takes time and reimbursement only arrives once the project is complete and paid for.

For an immediate cash-flow gap, such as payroll or a large supplier order, some SMEs use financing alongside grants rather than waiting on one. Seateam FMC, a facilities management company, used a Funding Societies Trade Term Loan to manage project costs while running multiple projects at the same time.

“Funding Societies did help me, when some banks did not want to.”

Khairoman Borhan, Director, Seateam FMC (watch the testimonial)

How to apply for SME grants in Singapore

Most Enterprise Singapore grants, including EDGE, are applied for through the Business Grants Portal using your company’s Corppass account. BizSG’s recommender suggests EDGE activities that match your business. Sector-specific grants are usually applied for through the relevant agency.

A few points tend to decide how smoothly an application goes:

  • The activity and its support level. EDGE support varies by activity, and the official activity page lists the rate that applies.
  • Your remaining cap. Any EDGE support already approved since 1 April counts against the same S$100,000.
  • How the upfront cost will be funded until the reimbursement arrives.
  • Quotations and supporting documents, prepared before you submit.

The bottom line on SME grants in 2026

Under EDGE, two numbers shape a grant plan more than the support percentage: the S$100,000 that all your projects share each year, and the full project cost you carry until the claim is paid. For SMEs weighing how to cover that gap, Funding Societies’ SME loans options are one route alongside cash reserves and vendor terms.

Frequently asked questions

What grants are available for SMEs in Singapore?

For most SMEs, the starting point is Enterprise Singapore’s EDGE Grant, which covers digitalisation, overseas expansion, strategy, innovation and more. Outside EDGE, there’s SFEC and ETSS for training, NEA’s Energy Efficiency Grant for manufacturers, the automatic SME Cash Grant 2026, and industry schemes from IMDA, MAS, HPB and STB.

What government grants are available in Singapore for 2026?

The big change this year is EDGE, which took over from PSG, EDG and MRA on 30 September 2026. Eligible SMEs also get up to S$2,500 from the SME Cash Grant in November without applying. Claims under the current SFEC close on 30 November, and a redesigned version starts on 1 December.

How do I apply for an SME grant?

For EDGE and most Enterprise Singapore schemes, you log in to the Business Grants Portal with your company’s Corppass and apply there. Industry grants from agencies such as STB or HPB have their own application pages. The SME Cash Grant needs no application at all.

What qualifies as an SME in Singapore?

Usually, a company that’s registered and operating in Singapore with at least 30% local shareholding, plus either group turnover of up to S$100 million or no more than 200 employees. Some grants add their own conditions on top.

Sources

The above article was last updated on 30 September 2026 and is accurate as of that date. Grant terms change, so check the official agency page before applying.

Disclaimer: The information provided to you in this blog post is intended only for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice on any subject matter. The materials and the information provided are not intended to be and do not constitute an advertisement or solicitation. In no event will Funding Societies be liable to any party for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages for use of such information by you or any unauthorised third party.

All third party trademarks product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

Dorcas Pang
Latest posts by Dorcas Pang (see all)