Market Development Funds (MDF) for MSPs
Stop Leaving Money on the Table
Most MSPs have vendor MDF sitting unused every quarter. We help you find it, claim it, and build a real marketing program around it.
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Trusted by Telecom, MSP & IT Providers Nationwide
of MDF unclaimed every quarter
Source: Forrester / SiriusDecisions Channel Research
Your vendors are funding marketing you're not using.
That's not a rounding error. It's a structural pattern across the channel, confirmed by Forrester (formerly SiriusDecisions) research on channel marketing fund utilization. Cisco's own partner program data showed utilization as low as 8% before a structured claims process was introduced.
If you're reselling connectivity, security, cloud, or hardware from any major vendor, there's a real chance money is sitting in your account right now that's unclaimed or expiring each quarter.
What Are Market Development Funds (MDF)?
Market Development Funds (MDF) are dollars that technology vendors set aside to help their reseller partners market and grow. If you're an MSP, IT provider, or telecom company reselling products or services from any major vendor, you may already have MDF available to you.
Vendors offer MDF because they want their partners to sell more. The logic is straightforward: if they fund part of your marketing, you'll go to market more aggressively, close more deals, and everyone benefits. The catch is that the programs are almost never simple to navigate.
Programs vary by vendor. Some allocate funds based on a sales threshold you hit the previous quarter. Some reimburse after-the-fact once you provide proof of execution. Some require pre-approval before you spend a dollar. Some programs are worth pursuing. Some aren't.
How MDF Works
Vendor sets aside funds
Based on your sales volume or program tier
You submit a pre-approval
For eligible marketing activities
Execute the marketing
Campaigns, website builds, content creation
Submit proof of execution
Receive reimbursement from your vendor
AT&T Partner Exchange member? Our eligible services are 100% reimbursable through AT&T MDF. Learn more → What Can You Use MDF For?
Eligible activities vary by vendor, but the most common categories across MDF programs include:
Website builds & redesigns
Developing or refreshing your company website
Digital advertising
Paid search, social media ads, display campaigns
Email marketing campaigns
Outbound prospecting and nurture sequences
Content creation
Blog posts, case studies, videos, whitepapers
Lead generation programs
List acquisition, LinkedIn outreach, landing pages
Event sponsorships & trade shows
Booth space, speaking slots, hosted events
Why Most MDF Expires Without Being Claimed
It's not that MSPs don't want vendor money for marketing. It's that claiming it is a part-time job. And most MSPs don't have a part-time person available for it.
Get an MDF Strategy with The Business Growers
Laura Johns, our founder and CEO, spent years leading marketing for a managed services provider business. MDF was the marketing budget. She learned what works, what gets rejected, which programs are worth the paperwork, and which aren't. That's what The Business Growers team brings to every client relationship.
The Business Growers is an approved AT&T Partner Exchange marketing provider. That means for qualifying AT&T partners, our eligible services are 100% reimbursable through MDF. For clients reselling other vendors, our process is the same: we audit what's available, determine what's worth pursuing, and manage the claims process from pre-approval through proof of execution.
We Audit Your Vendor Relationships
We identify which vendors offer MDF, how much is available, and which programs are worth pursuing for your business.
→We Build a Marketing Plan
We build a plan around what's available, focused on activities that are both MDF-eligible and drive real results.
→We Handle Submissions & Proof
We manage the claims process end to end: pre-approvals, execution documentation, and reimbursement submissions.
Approved AT&T Partner Exchange marketing provider · See the AT&T program What It Looks Like When MDF Is Working
Jim Gurol at California Telecom had AT&T MDF available. He couldn't get into the portal, wasn't sure what he had, and had never claimed a dollar. We walked through his account on a single call, identified available funds for the quarter, and built a marketing plan around them.
“Before The Business Growers, we were operating like a chicken with its head cut off. Today, we're running like a finely tuned guitar.”
CEO, California Telecom
Common Questions
MDF Questions MSPs Ask Us All the Time
Here's what MSPs usually want to know before they start.
MDF stands for Market Development Funds.They're dollars that technology vendors provide to their channel partners, such as MSPs, IT providers, and telecom companies, to fund marketing activities. The purpose is to help partners promote the vendor's products and services while building their own business in the process.
Start by asking your vendor account manager directly. Most vendors with MDF programs track it through a partner portal. AT&T uses their Partner Exchange portal, for example. If you're unsure which of your vendors offers MDF, a quick conversation with each account manager will surface what's available. The Business Growers team will audit vendor relationships as part of client onboarding and can often identify available funds you didn't know you had.
In many programs, yes. This is the question most MSPs don't think to ask. For AT&T Partner Exchange members, our services are 100% reimbursable through MDF, including the agency fee, not just the media spend. Other vendors vary. We help clients understand what's covered under their specific program before they commit to any spend.
Common eligible activities across most MDF programs include: website builds and redesigns, digital advertising, email marketing, content creation, lead generation campaigns, trade show participation, and in strong programs like AT&T Partner Exchange, approved agency fees. The specific list varies by vendor and program tier. Not all activity types are eligible under every program.
It expires. Most MDF programs are structured quarterly; funds that go unclaimed at the end of a quarter are forfeited and do not roll over. This is the most common reason MSPs lose thousands of dollars in available marketing budget every year. There's no grace period and no recovery once the quarter closes.
It depends entirely on the vendor. Some programs require a pre-approval before you begin any marketing activity, then proof of execution after like invoices, screenshots, performance data, co-branding confirmation. Others are simpler. AT&T's Partner Exchange program has a structured but manageable process once you've navigated it a few times. The Business Growers team handles the full claims process for our clients: pre-approvals, submissions, and proof of execution documentation.
Yes. If your current agency isn't an approved vendor partner for your MDF program, they may not be able to accept those funds on your behalf. The Business Growers team can discuss whether a scoped engagement focused specifically on MDF navigation and claims makes sense for your situation. Reach out, and we'll give you an honest answer.
No. The Business Growers team works with MSPs and IT providers across vendor ecosystems. AT&T Partner Exchange is where we have an approved-partner credential and the deepest experience, but we audit and manage MDF programs across other major vendors as well. If you're reselling products from any major technology vendor, it's worth a conversation about what's available.
Want a Strategy to Maximize Your MDF?
Tell us what vendors you're reselling. We'll find out what funds are available, tell you what's worth going after, and build a marketing plan around it. Discovery call — no cost, no obligation.
We've helped clients recover thousands in available MDF they didn't know they had. We'll do the same audit for you.
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