If you’re a Singapore SME planning to upgrade your website, refresh your social media presence, or finally get serious about SEO, there’s a good chance the government is willing to fund a meaningful chunk of it. The Productivity Solutions Grant, better known as PSG, exists specifically to help local businesses adopt digital solutions, and digital marketing is one of the most commonly claimed categories.
This guide walks through what PSG actually covers, who qualifies, how the application process works, and how much SMEs typically end up claiming.
What PSG Covers for Marketing and Digital Projects
PSG is a pre-approved grant scheme administered under Enterprise Singapore, designed to help SMEs adopt IT solutions and equipment that improve productivity. For digital marketing specifically, that means funding support is available across several categories: content and media production, social media management, search engine optimisation and marketing, and website or e-commerce development.
As a Pre-Approved Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) Vendor, Storybox Collective works directly within these pre-approved categories, so the paperwork and vendor selection process is already half-solved before you even start.
Who's Eligible
Based on Enterprise Singapore’s criteria, to qualify for the PSG Grant your business needs to meet all of the following:
- Registered and physically operating in Singapore
- At least 30% local shareholding
- Company group annual sales turnover not exceeding S$100 million, or fewer than 200 employees (group level)
- The solution being funded must be deployed and used in Singapore
- You must not have made any payment or deposit to the vendor before your application is submitted
The most common disqualifiers are missing the local shareholding threshold, applying under the wrong entity type, or trying to claim for an upgrade to an existing solution rather than a genuinely new adoption, PSG generally does not fund incremental upgrades to something you already have in place.
Documents You'll Need Before Applying
- ACRA business profile confirming registration and local shareholding
- Latest company financials or headcount records to confirm you fall within the turnover or employee thresholds
- A formal quotation from your chosen pre-approved vendor, matching one of the pre-approved package tiers
- Company UEN and GoBusiness Grants Portal login (via Singpass) to submit the application
Having these ready before starting the application is the easiest way to avoid the most common rejection reason: incomplete or inconsistent documentation.
What You Can Actually Claim It On
- Photography & Videography: brand videos, product shoots, and marketing visuals (Photography, Videography & AI Video Production)
- Facebook & Instagram Management and TikTok & Instagram Reels Management: ongoing content strategy and execution (Social Media Management)
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) & Search Engine Marketing (SEM): visibility on Google and paid search campaigns (SEO & SEM)
- Website / E-commerce development: new builds or significant redevelopment (Web Development)
These four categories aren’t separate grants to apply for individually. They’re all part of one Digital Marketing PSG package, and a company is only eligible for one approved package total, so it’s worth choosing the right mix of services upfront rather than assuming you can come back for another one later.
How Different Industries Typically Structure a Claim
- A retail SME often bundles photography and videography with social media management, using the visual content to keep a consistent stream of posts rather than starting from a blank calendar every month.
- A professional services firm (legal, accounting, consulting) tends to prioritise SEO and SEM within its package, since clients typically search for these services directly on Google rather than discovering them through social feeds.
- An F&B business frequently combines all four categories: video and photography for menu and ambience content, social media for day to day engagement, and a website refresh to support online ordering or reservations.
F&B brands looking to build media buzz alongside these categories can also pair this with our PR Services, designed specifically to help F&B brands land press coverage and influencer buzz around launches and menu updates.
Planning for First-Time vs Repeat Applicants
Because a company only gets one approved Digital Marketing PSG package per UEN, the real planning question isn’t what to claim this year versus next. It’s mapping out your full digital marketing needs upfront, since there’s no second attempt to add on a category you left out.
This is different from the overall S$30,000 annual funding cap, which does reset every financial year on 1 April. That cap is a separate limit that applies across all your PSG categories combined (Digital Marketing plus anything else you might claim under PSG, such as HR or e-commerce solutions). But within Digital Marketing specifically, it’s a single package, so it’s worth working with your vendor to scope every service you’re likely to need, content, social, SEO/SEM, and website, into that one application rather than assuming you can come back for the rest later.
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Free consultation: scope out which categories fit your business and goals
- Package selection: choose the pre-approved package tier that matches your budget
- Application submission: via the GoBusiness Grants Portal, with supporting documents
- Approval: typically processed within a few weeks
- Project execution: the actual marketing work begins
- Claim submission: supporting invoices and deliverables submitted for reimbursement
Timeline Expectations After Approval
Here’s a rough phase-by-phase breakdown to help you plan:
Phase |
Typical Duration |
|
Application review |
2-4 weeks after submission with complete documentation |
|
Project execution (content/social package) |
4-12 weeks depending on scope |
|
Project execution (full website rebuild) |
8-16 weeks depending on complexity |
|
Claim submission and reimbursement |
2-6 weeks after project completion |
|
Total time (application to funds received) |
Roughly 3-6 months depending on project size |
PSG vs Self-Funding: A Quick Cost Comparison
For an SME weighing whether to apply at all, the comparison usually comes down to this: self-funding a S$20,000 combined content, social, and SEO package means paying the full amount upfront, while applying under PSG means paying the same amount but recovering a portion of it through reimbursement based on the current published support levels on the official PSG page, meaningfully lowering the effective out-of-pocket cost over the life of the project.
Common Reasons Applications Get Rejected
- Incomplete or inconsistent company documentation
- Selecting a vendor or package outside the pre-approved scope
- Applying for an upgrade to an existing solution rather than a new adoption
- Missing submission deadlines within the approved project timeline
A common real-world scenario: an SME selects a vendor before checking if that vendor’s package is pre-approved under PSG, submits the application, and gets rejected simply because the chosen package sits outside the pre-approved scope. Avoiding this is usually as simple as confirming pre-approved vendor status before signing anything.
How Much SMEs Typically Recover
Eligible companies can receive up to 50% funding support under PSG across the categories above. For a business investing in a combined content, social, and SEO package, that support can meaningfully offset what would otherwise be a much larger upfront marketing spend, which is exactly why PSG has become one of the most-searched grant terms among Singapore SMEs.
For example, an SME investing in a S$20,000 combined content, social media, and SEO package could see a meaningful portion of that cost offset through PSG funding support, based on the current published support levels on the official PSG page, which significantly lowers the effective out-of-pocket spend for a coordinated digital marketing push.
FAQ: PSG Grant for Digital Marketing
- Is there a cap on how much I can claim in a year?
Yes. PSG funding is capped at S$30,000 per company (by UEN) per financial year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March. This cap applies across all PSG solutions combined, not per category. - Can I pay the vendor first and then apply for the grant?
No. You must not make any payment or deposit to a vendor before your application is submitted and approved. Paying upfront is one of the most common reasons applications get rejected. - Does PSG cover GST on the project cost?
No. GST is not refunded under PSG, so it’s worth factoring that into your budget when calculating the actual out-of-pocket cost after funding support. - Can I use PSG for a subscription or service I already signed up for last year?
No. PSG only funds new purchases or subscriptions made after your Letter of Offer is issued, not existing commitments you made before applying. - If my application gets rejected, can I reapply?
Yes, in most cases. Once you’ve addressed the issue that caused the rejection, you can resubmit your application for the same or a different PSG category. - Do I need to pay the full cost upfront before claiming reimbursement?
Yes. Once your project is approved and completed, you’ll pay the vendor first and then submit invoices and deliverables to claim reimbursement, rather than the grant covering costs in advance. - I just launched and haven’t made any sales yet. Can I still apply for PSG?
Yes. Eligibility is based on registration, local shareholding, and company size (turnover or headcount), not profitability. Even pre-revenue or early-stage startups can apply, as long as they meet those criteria, so if you’ve got a registered company and a product but are still building your first customers, PSG is still very much open to you. - Can I switch vendors after my application has been approved?
Generally no, once approved, your Letter of Offer is tied to the specific vendor and package named in your application. Switching vendors after approval usually means withdrawing and reapplying with the new vendor’s details, so it’s worth confirming vendor fit before submitting rather than after approval.
