GROWING OUR SMES AND

MICRO-ENTERPRISES
KEY ASSISTANCE SCHEMES FOR BUSINESSES

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS
FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS
DEVELOPING PEOPLE

Small and Medium

Enterprises (SMEs) and
micro-enterprises play
a significant role in the
economy.

We support business
in 4 Key Areas:

The Government has a

wide range of schemes to
help businesses overcome
challenges and tap
opportunities for growth.

You dont have to remember all

our schemes. The SME Centre
business advisors can help you.

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

Capability Development Grant (CDG)
Innovation & Capability Voucher (ICV)
Increase SME Productivity with Infocomm
Adoption & Transformation (iSPRINT)
Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC)

SME CENTRES

p5
p6
p7
p8

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant
Global Company Partnership (GCP) Grant
Double Tax Deduction (DTD)
International Marketing Activities Programme (iMAP)
Market Access Incubation Programme (MAIP)

p10
p11
p12
p13
p13

FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS

Micro Loan Programme (MLP)
Loan Insurance Scheme (LIS) and LIS+

p15
p15

DEVELOPING PEOPLE
P-Max
HR Shared Services
Enhanced Training Support for SMEs
Enterprise Training Support (ETS) Scheme
Wage Credit Scheme (WCS)
WorkPro

The SME Centres provide free, one-stop business advisory and diagnosis
to enterprises. Make an appointment with the SME Centres to find out
more about government assistance schemes for SMEs.

p17
p18
p19
p20
p21
p22

SME Centre@SICCI

SME Centre@SMF

SME Centre@ASME

SME Centre@SCCCI

SME Centre@SMCCI

Singapore Indian Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (SICCI)
W: smecentre-sicci.sg
T: 6508 0147
E: sme@smecentre-sicci.sg
A: 31 Stanley Street SICCI
Building S(068740)

Singapore Manufacturing
Federation (SMF)
W: smecentre-smf.sg
T: 6826 3020
E: query@smecentre-smf.sg
A: 2985 Jalan Bukit Merah
S(159457)

Association of Small and

Medium Enterprises (ASME)
W: smecentre-asme.sg
T: 6513 0388
E: enquiries@smecentre-asme.sg
A: 167 Jalan Bukit Merah
#03-13 Tower 4 S(150167)

Singapore Chinese Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (SCCCI)
W: smecentre-sccci.sg
T: 6337 8381
E: enquiry@smecentre-sccci.sg
A: 47 Hill Street #09-00 S(179365)

Singapore Malay Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (SMCCI)
W: smecentre-smcci.sg
T: 6293 3822
E: gadvisory@smecentre-smcci.sg
A: 15 Jalan Pinang S(199147)

SATELLITE SME CENTRES

SME Centre@North East

SME Centre@South East

SME Centre@Changi Simei

SME Centre@North West

SME Centre@Central

(managed by ASME)
W: smecentre-asme.sg
T: 6424 4000
E: northeast@smecentre-asme.sg
A: North East Community
Development Council
300 Tampines Avenue 5
NTUC Income Tampines
Junction #06-01 S(529653)

(managed by ASME)
W: smecentre-asme.sg
T: 6243 8753
E: southeast@smecentre-asme.sg
A: South East Community
Development Council
10 Eunos Road 8
Singapore Post Centre #09-01B
S(408600)

(managed by ASME)
W: smecentre-asme.sg
T: 6513 0388
E: changisimei@smecentre-asme.sg
A: Changi Simei Community Club
10 Simei Street 2 S(529915)

(managed by SMF)
W: smecentre-smf.sg
T: 6839 4963
E: northwest@smecentre-smf.sg
A: North West Career Centre
Woodlands Civic Centre
900 South Woodlands Drive
#04-07 S(730900)

(managed by SCCCI)
W: smecentre-sccci.sg
T: 6397 7420
E: central@smecentre-sccci.sg
A: HDB Hub BizThree
490 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
#07-11 S(310490)

SME Centre@South West

SME Centre@Ang Mo Kio

(managed by SMF)
W: smecentre-smf.sg
T: 6316 1616
E: southwest@smecentre-smf.sg
A: The JTC Summit
8 Jurong Town Hall Road
#03-11 S(609434)

(managed by SCCCI)
W: smecentre-sccci.sg
T: 9457 2265
E: central@smecentre-sccci.sg
A: Ang Mo Kio
Community Centre
795 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1
#03-03 S(569976)

USEFUL RESOURCES
EnterpriseOne Portal : www.enterpriseone.gov.sg
EnterpriseOne Hotline : 6898 1800
Way To Go Productivity Portal : www.waytogo.sg
SME Centre Website : SMECentres.sg

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

Capability Development Grant (CDG)

Supports capability upgrading initiatives that help SMEs to grow their
businesses.
The CDG helps SMEs defray up to 70% of qualifying project costs in 10 areas:

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

Business excellence
Brand development
Financial management
Human capital development
Enhancing quality and standards

(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
(x)

Business innovation
Intellectual property and franchising
Service excellence
Technology innovation
Productivity improvement

To make CDG more accessible to companies, the application process for projects with grant
support of S$30,000 or less has been simplified.
CDG is awarded based on project proposals submitted by businesses. Approved project
expenses are funded on a reimbursement basis.

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre
Visit the SPRING website (www.spring.gov.sg/CDG)
Call the EnterpriseOne hotline at 6898 1800

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

Innovation & Capability Voucher (ICV)

Taking the first steps towards capability development? You can
defray the cost of consultancy projects and also implement
simple solutions to raise productivity and improve your business
efficiency with the Innovation & Capability Voucher (ICV). Each
voucher is worth S$5,000.

Consultancy Projects
The ICV can be used to obtain consultancy services in these
four capability areas from a list of approved service providers:
(i) Innovation
(ii) Productivity
(iii) Human resources
(iv) Financial management
An SME may apply for a maximum of two vouchers per
capability area.

Increase SME Productivity with Infocomm Adoption

& Transformation (iSPRINT)

Productivity Solutions
ICV supports the implementation of recommendations from
previous consultancy projects as well as simple productivity
solutions under the supportable cost categories of:
(i) Equipment & Hardware,
(ii) Technical Solutions & Training, and
(iii) Design & Renovation.
Integrated Solutions
Developed in collaboration with SMEs, industry partners and
experts, Integrated Solutions are easy-to-adopt, pre-scoped
solutions to help SMEs achieve productivity gains. Examples
of Integrated Solutions include Point-of-Sales System, HR
E-scheduling and Product Display & Store Layout.
Out of the 8 vouchers per SME, up to 2 can be used for the
implementation of productivity solutions to upgrade capabilities.

Visit the nearest SME Centre

To find out more
:
Visit the IRAS website (www.iras.gov.sg/irashome/PIcredit.aspx)
Visit the nearest
SME Centre
Contact
IRAS at 1800-356-8622 (for companies) and

Visit the SPRING

website
(www.spring.gov.sg/ICV)
6351
3534
(for self-employed/partnership)
Call the EnterpriseOne hotline at 6898 1800

Under iSPRINT, SMEs can receive funding for adopting ICT in specific areas:

Packaged Solutions pre-qualified under Enhanced iSPRINT

Up to 70% funding for SMEs to adopt Basic (e.g. Payroll), Intermediate (e.g. Customer Relationship Management) and
Sector-Specific Solutions (e.g. Sales Persons Management System).

Piloting New Sector Solutions

Up to 80% funding for SMEs, capped at S$1 million per SME, to pioneer the use of new and scalable sector-specific
solutions with vendors1.

High Speed Connectivity

Funding support for monthly fibre subscription and cost of Wireless@SG equipment.

Note that the Enhanced iSPRINT support is generally taxable.

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre
Visit the IDA website (www.ida.gov.sg)
Call the iSPRINT hotline at 6211 1212

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

BUILDING BUSINESS CAPABILITIES

Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC)

EXTENSION OF PIC1

PIC+

From Year of Assessment (YA) 2011 to 2018, all businesses can enjoy PIC tax
deductions/allowances under the PIC scheme. To qualify for PIC cash payout,
businesses need to have operations in Singapore and must have employed at
least three local employees.

From YA 2015, the expenditure cap for qualifying

SMEs will be raised for each qualifying activity
from the current S$400,000 to S$600,000.

PIC BONUS
(FROM YA2013 TO YA2015)2

Businesses may invest in these six qualifying activities:

(i) Acquisition/Leasing of PIC IT and automation equipment
(ii) Employee training
(iii) Registration of intellectual property
(iv) Acquisition/Leasing of intellectual property
(v) Approved design projects
(vi) Research and Development

On top of the PIC tax deduction/allowance or

cash payouts, businesses get a dollar-for-dollar
matching cash bonus payout of up to S$15,000
for the three YAs combined.

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

To qualify, businesses need to have operations in

Singapore, spend at least S$5,000 in PIC qualifying
expenditure for that YA and hire at least 3 local
employees. The PIC Bonus will expire in YA2015.

1
400% tax deduction capped at S$400,000 per year for each qualifying activity; or cash
payout capped at S$100,000 per year across all activities (60% of investment spending).

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre
Visit the IRAS website (www.iras.gov.sg/irashome/PIcredit.aspx)
Contact IRAS at 1800-356-8622 (for companies) and
6351 3534 (for self-employed/partnership)

find
more
:
To
Visit
the out
nearest
SME Centre
Visitthe
theIDA
nearest
SME(www.ida.gov.sg)
Centre
Visit
website
Visitthe
theiSPRINT
IDA website
(www.ida.gov.sg)
Call
hotline
at 6211 1212
Call the iSPRINT hotline at 6211 1212

10

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant

enhanced

MRA supports pre-determined activities in overseas market set-ups, identification of business partners and overseas
market promotion.

1. Overseas market set-up

2. Identification of overseas
business partners

3. Overseas market promotion

Licensees
Franchisees
Agents and distributors
Joint venture partners

Feasibility studies
Incorporation of business
entities in overseas markets
IP registration

PR & marketing activities of

pop-up stores, in-store
promotions and road shows
Online marketing
Participation in non-iMAP
supported overseas tradeshows

What does the funding support?

To qualify, your company needs to have:

Turnover of less than S$100 million per annum in

the latest audited report, and
Global headquarters based in Singapore

70% of the eligible cost for activities listed above, capped

at S$20,000 per company per fiscal year
Maximum of two approved applications per fiscal year,
starting on 1 April and ending on 31 March the following year
Limited to one activity (e.g. market assessment or market
entry) per application

Global Company Partnership (GCP) Grant

enhanced

There are four supportable areas under the GCP Grant and examples of the
more commonly supported activities under each area include, but not limited to:

1. Market Access
Market research

Market feasibility studies

M&A due diligence
Setting up overseas
marketing presence

2. Capability Building
Branding
Franchising
E-commerce
Internationalisation strategy
Intellectual property management

3. Manpower Development

4. Access to Financing

Overseas market attachments

Recruitment of critical talents
International Business
Fellowship (iBF) Executive
Programme
International HR strategy

Internationalisation Finance
Scheme
Loan Insurance Scheme
Political Risk Insurance Scheme
Trade Credit Insurance Scheme

What does the funding support?

For SMEs: Up to 70% support of eligible
expenses for Market Access, Capability
Building and Manpower Development
activities
For other Singapore-based companies:
Up to 50% support of eligible expenses

To qualify, your company needs to have:

Global headquarters based in Singapore
Annual turnover of at least S$500,000 in
the latest audited report
Annual total business spending of at least
S$250,000 in Singapore for each of the
past three years
Minimum paid-up capital of S$50,000
At least three managerial staff based
in Singapore

To find out more :

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit www.iesingapore.com/MRAGrant
Write to enquiry@iesingapore.gov.sg or
call 1800-IESPORE (1800-437 7673)

11

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit www.iesingapore.com/GCP
Write to enquiry@iesingapore.gov.sg or
call 1800-IESPORE (1800-437 7673)

12

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

EXPANDING YOUR BUSINESS OVERSEAS

Double Tax Deduction (DTD)

International Marketing Activities Programme (iMAP)

DTD provides a 200% tax deduction on eligible expenses for supported market expansion and investment development activities.
Qualifying activities include:
MARKET PREPARATION
Engaging third-party
professional consultant for:
Design of packaging for
overseas markets
Products/services certification
for overseas markets
Overseas market survey/
feasibility study

MARKET & PROMOTION

MARKET INTRODUCTION
Participating in overseas
business/market development
trips or missions
Exhibiting in overseas and
approved local trade fairs

Overseas Market Development activities

13

Overseas advertising and

promotions
Production of corporate
brochures for overseas
distribution
Advertising in approved local
trade publications

MARKET PRESENCE
Establishing overseas trade offices
Promoting the companys master
license and franchise overseas
Engaging third-party professional
consultant for investment
feasibility/due dilligence studies
Participating in overseas
investment development trips or
missions

Overseas Investment Development activities

What does the funding support?

Through iMAP, funding for selected business missions and Singapore

Pavilions at international trade fairs led by trade associations and
chambers of commerce (TACs) is provided.

50% to 70% of eligible expenses at

iMAP-supported missions and trade fairs.
Percentage of funding support is dependent
on the regions where the missions and trade
fairs are held.
Supportable costs include booth rental,
booth construction, publicity and fair/mission
consultancy costs.

For trade fairs not supported by iMAP, you may consider applying for
MRA grant.
Funding is disbursed through TACs to eligible SMEs when they
participate in iMAP-approved business missions or are part of the
Singapore Pavilions at international trade fairs.

Market Access Incubation Programme (MAIP)

Through this programme, start-ups can receive up to 70% funding to cover airfare,
accommodation, rental of exhibition space and booth construction costs, when they
participate in overseas fairs and missions organised by approved incubators.

What does the funding support?

200% tax deduction on eligible expenses

To qualify, you:
Have to be a Singapore-registered company
or a firm with permanent establishment in
Singapore
Are not enjoying other government tax
incentives or concessions

To find out more :

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit www.iesingapore.com/DTD
Write to enquiry@iesingapore.gov.sg or
call 1800-IESPORE (1800-437 7673)

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit www.iesingapore.com/IMAP or www.iesingapore.com/MAIP
Write to enquiry@iesingapore.gov.sg or
call 1800-IESPORE (1800-437 7673)

FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS

Micro Loan Programme (MLP)

SMEs can borrow money to finance their business daily operations or automate and upgrade
factory and equipment.
Local SMEs with 10 or fewer employees or annual sales not exceeding S$1 million are eligible for
loans of up to S$100,000 at a minimum1 5.5% interest rate for loan tenure of 4 years and below.

FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS

Subject to Participating Financial Institutions assessments of risks involved.

Loan Insurance Scheme (LIS) and LIS+

The LIS helps SMEs secure short term trade financing loans
from Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs). The loans will
be underwritten by commercial insurers working with the PFIs.
The loan insurance premium will be co-shared between the
Government and the SMEs.
LIS+ is a complementary programme to LIS where the
Government will underwrite new loans which are beyond the
capacity of the commercial underwriters.

Local SMEs registered and operating in Singapore with

more than 30% local shareholding, and group annual
sales not exceeding S$100m or group employment size
not more than 200 workers are eligible*.

*Annual sales turnover and employment size will be computed on a

group basis. (i.e. All levels up for corporate shareholders holding
> 50% of total shareholding of the applicant company and any
subsequent corporate parents, and subsidiaries all levels down)

To find out more :

15

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit the SPRING website (www.spring.gov.sg/MLP
or www.spring.gov.sg/LIS)
Call the EnterpriseOne hotline at 6898 1800

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

17

P-Max
The Place-and-Train (PnT) programmes under P-Max seek to assist SMEs to better recruit, train, manage and retain newlyhired Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs), encourage the adoption of progressive human resource (HR)
practices within SMEs, and help place job-seeking PMEs into suitable SME jobs.

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

P-Max provides the following support:

Job-seeking PMEs will be screened and placed into suitable positions in hiring SMEs, while SMEs with newly-hired PMEs
are also eligible to participate;
SME and PME workshops will be conducted under the Programme:
i. SME workshop SME Representatives will learn how to better communicate with their newly-hired PMEs, and to
adopt and incorporate progressive HR best practices/guidelines within their SMEs
ii. PME workshop Newly-hired PMEs will learn how to better acclimatise to and take on SME jobs;
One-time S$5,000 Assistance Grant upon successful completion of the six-month follow-up and retention of the newly hired PME(s) upon completion of workshops under the Programme.

To find out more :

Contact any of the respective Programme Managers under P-Max:
ASME: Call 6513 0349 / 0350 or email Pmax@asme.org.sg
SNEF: Call 6827 6977 or email p-max@snef.org.sg

18

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

Enhanced Training Support for SMEs

HR Shared Services
The HR Shared Services programme aims to help SMEs reduce time and resources spent on HR administration and focus
on their core business, talent management and development.

SMEs that send eligible employees for certifiable skills training can receive the following support:

Certifiable Courses Supported by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA)

Interested SMEs can tap on a pool of solution providers for HR services and systems and outsource their administrative HR
activities such as payroll, employee data and benefits administration. Participating SMEs can also benefit from access to
professional HR advisory and info systems to complement their existing HR team and processes.

SMEs will receive up to 70% funding support for qualifying development and adoption costs from SPRING.

90% course fee subsidy, capped at S$30 per hour for certifiable courses
90% course fee subsidy for Continuing Education and Training (CET) Centres courses
S$15 per hour for in-house certifiable training
Absentee payroll of 80% of basic hourly salary, capped at S$7.50 per hour

Academic CET Courses

A pool of HR solutions providers will be appointed starting 1 May 2015.

90% subsidy for the cost of Polytechnics academic CET programmes

Absentee payroll of 80% of basic hourly salary, capped at S$7.50 per hour for Polytechnics and Institute of
Technical Educations academic CET programmes

REQUIREMENTS
Organisation must be registered or incorporated in Singapore
At least 30% local shareholding by Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
Employment size of not more than 200 (at group level) or annual sales turnover (at group level) of not more than
S$100 million
Trainee must be a Singapore Citizen1
Trainee must be a bona fide employee (i.e. hired in accordance with the Employment Act) and fully employer
sponsored for the training

To find out more :

More information on the approved list of HR solution
providers and qualifying activities will be made
available at: www.spring.gov.sg/hcd

Singapore Permanent Residents also qualify for

higher funding for certifiable courses supported by
the WDA, except for academic CET courses at the
Polytechnics/ ITE
1

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit the WDA website (www.wda.gov.sg)
Call WDAs hotline at 6883 5885 or
view list of eligible courses at www.skillsconnect.gov.sg

19

20

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

Enterprise Training Support (ETS) Scheme

Employers may tap on the five grants under ETS to implement progressive and innovative HR systems, as well as enhance
their in-house training infrastructure and capabilities such as training, planning, and skills development.

Wage Credit Scheme (WCS)

Under the WCS introduced in Budget 2013, the Government co-funds 40% of the wage increases
that are given to Singaporean employees from 2013 to 2015. Wage credit will be given only for
Singaporean employees who earn a gross monthly wage of up to S$4,000.

The five grants under the ETS Scheme are:

Training Grant is a mandatory component under ETS that supports the cost of Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications
(WSQ) training and structured non-WSQ training; and/or On-the-Job Training (OJT).
Curriculum Contextualisation and Alignment Grant can help companies defray costs in developing and/or
contextualising WSQ training modules; and/or converting existing WSQ training modules to e-learning or mobile learning
modules; and/or developing OJT blueprints.
Capability Grant can help companies build their in-house capabilities in training delivery and infrastructure.
HR Development Grant can help companies defray costs of engaging consultants to improve their learning and
development system.
Compensation and Benefits System Review Grant can help companies defray cost of consultancy to review and
benchmark compensation and benefits to industry standards.

In Budget 2015, it was announced that the WCS scheme will be extended for two years (2016 - 2017),
with the Government co-funding at 20% of wage increases for Singaporean employees.
For wage increases given in 2015 which are sustained in 2016 and 2017, employers will continue to
receive 20% co-funding for two additional years from 2016 to 2017.

To find out more :

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit the WDA website (www.wda.gov.sg)
Call WDAs hotline at 6883 5885

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit the IRAS website (www.iras.gov.sg/irasHome/wcs.aspx)
Call the WCS hotline at 1800-3524727

21

22

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

WorkPro
Employers may tap on the following grants and incentives to build progressive workplaces as well as to recruit and
retain back-to-work locals and mature workers:
Age Management Grant to acquire capabilities to adopt good management practices
Job Redesign Grant to support redesigning jobs or work processes to improve productivity.
Work-Life Grant to support the implementation of work-life strategies, e.g. flexible work arrangements
Recruitment and Retention Incentives to implement measures to retain new hires
On-the-Job Training (OJT) Allowance for each new hire
New Hire Retention Incentive to retain new hires earning a gross monthly salary of up to S$4,500, and recruited
through WDA touch points, e.g. WDA Career Centre and e2i
Mentorship Allowance to mentors who provide mentorship support to each new hire for at least three months

Under WorkPro, back-to-work locals refer to Singapore Citizens (SCs) or Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) who are
aged 30 years and above and have not been working for the past three months or more. Mature workers refer to SCs or
SPRs aged 40 years and above.

To find out more :

Visit the nearest SME Centre

Visit the WDA and MOM websites (www.wda.gov.sg/workpro
and www.mom.gov.sg/workpro)
Call WDAs hotline at 6883 5885

22

Notes

SPRING Singapore
1 Fusionopolis Walk, #01-02 South Tower, Solaris, Singapore 138628
Tel: +65 6278 6666 Fax: +65 6278 6 6 67
www.spring.gov.sg

Published in March 2015