What is the healthy Dining Grant? Funding for F&B Businesses

December 30, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the Health Promotion Board in Singapore, partnering with the Healthier Dining Programme has led to brands reporting an increase in sales after introducing healthier menu options. This success is significantly supported by the Healthier Dining Grant, which provides crucial co-funding to eligible food and beverage establishments.

Quick Summary

The Healthier Dining Grant is a co-funding scheme by Singapore's Health Promotion Board for eligible food and beverage businesses that helps promote and publicize healthier menu options using marketing and publicity materials.

Key Points

HDG for Promotion: The Healthier Dining Grant (HDG) is a co-funding scheme to help food and beverage businesses promote healthier menu options.
HPB Initiative: The grant is part of Singapore's Health Promotion Board's (HPB) Healthier Dining Programme (HDP).
Covers Marketing Costs: Funding covers up to 80% of approved expenses for marketing and publicity materials, such as menus and in-store signage, capped at S$30,000 per brand.
Strict Eligibility: Applicants must be existing HDP partners, and most businesses need a minimum of three outlets to qualify.
Innovation vs. Promotion: It is distinct from the Healthier Dining Innovation Grant (HDIG), which focuses on recipe development rather than promotion.
Boosts Business: Benefits for participating businesses include increased sales, brand endorsement, and complimentary menu analysis from nutrition experts.

Understanding the Healthy Dining Grant

The Healthy Dining Grant (HDG), also known as the Healthier Dining Grant, is a financial assistance program offered by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) in Singapore. It is an integral part of the broader Healthier Dining Programme (HDP), an initiative designed to encourage food and beverage (F&B) operators to provide customers with more nutritious and balanced meal options. The grant specifically empowers HDP partners to promote healthier choices through various marketing and publicity channels.

The primary objective of the HDG is to incentivize F&B establishments to actively champion healthier dishes and beverages. By providing co-funding for marketing materials, the HPB reduces the financial barrier for businesses to advertise their healthier offerings effectively. This, in turn, helps consumers easily identify healthier options when dining out, contributing to better public health outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process

To apply for the Healthier Dining Grant, an F&B business must first be a partner in the Healthier Dining Programme (HDP). The HDG is specifically available to establishments with three or more outlets, though holding companies with multiple brands can apply for their individual brands.

Types of establishments eligible for the HDG:

Restaurants
Quick Service Restaurants / Fast Food Chains
Cafés (both food and beverage partners)
Kiosks (both food and beverage partners)
Brand Chains
Bakeries
Dessert Stores

Repeat applicants may also apply for the grant if they have completed all deliverables from their previous HDG and upon its expiry. These applicants must also fulfill additional criteria, such as introducing new endorsed dishes and switching to healthier cooking oils. The application is typically submitted via email to the HPB with a complete set of required documents.

What the Grant Covers and How it is Disbursed

The Healthier Dining Grant operates on a co-funding basis, with the HPB reimbursing up to 80% of qualifying costs, up to an approved grant amount. As of April 2025, the grant is capped at S$30,000 for each brand. The funding is primarily allocated for marketing and publicity efforts, including the development and production of in-store materials such as menus and menu boards, as well as modifications to website or app content to promote healthier options.

Qualifying expenses include:

Production of in-store marketing materials
Website and mobile app changes
Promotions to incentivize healthier purchases

Certain costs are not covered, such as in-house production, hardware, operational overheads, and non-digital marketing outside the store. Disbursement occurs after the project's completion, upon submission of a final report, claims form, sales data, and supporting invoices.

Benefits of Joining the Healthier Dining Programme and Applying for the Grant

For businesses, participation in the HDP and securing the HDG offers numerous advantages beyond financial support. The program provides valuable brand endorsement and marketing exposure through HPB's own campaigns, such as the 'Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge'. These benefits can lead to increased sales and positive brand perception by associating with a health-conscious initiative.

Furthermore, partners receive complimentary menu analysis from HPB's nutrition service providers to help them identify and reformulate potential healthier dishes. This support aids businesses in diversifying their menu and catering to the growing consumer demand for healthier food options.

HDG vs. Healthier Dining Innovation Grant (HDIG)


Feature	Healthier Dining Grant (HDG)	Healthier Dining Innovation Grant (HDIG)
Purpose	To fund the promotion and publicity of existing healthier menu options.	To fund the development and innovation of new healthier menu options and capability upgrades.
Funding Cap	Up to S$30,000 per brand for marketing-related activities.	Up to S$5,000 to assist with recipe reformulation, ingredient costs, and culinary training.
Scope	Focuses on customer-facing communication and promotion of certified healthy dishes.	Focuses on back-end processes, R&D, ingredient sourcing, and training to create healthier items.
Applicant Status	Requires applicant to be an existing HDP partner.	Can be applied for by existing HDP partners or non-HDP partners.

Conclusion

The Healthier Dining Grant is a targeted co-funding scheme that effectively partners with F&B businesses to promote public health through better food choices. By subsidizing marketing costs, the grant enables restaurants, cafes, and other food establishments to more effectively communicate their healthy menu options to a health-conscious market. This partnership not only empowers businesses to grow and innovate but also drives a collective shift towards a healthier diet within the community. For eligible F&B operators in Singapore, leveraging the HDG is a strategic move that aligns business growth with a positive social impact.

For more detailed information, F&B owners can visit the official Health Promotion Board website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary purpose is to co-fund marketing and publicity initiatives for eligible food and beverage establishments that offer and promote healthier menu options under the Healthier Dining Programme.

Food and beverage establishments with three or more outlets, such as restaurants, cafés, kiosks, and bakeries, are eligible if they are partners of the Healthier Dining Programme.

The grant is a co-funding scheme that can cover up to 80% of qualifying expenses, with a maximum cap of S$30,000 for each brand.

Yes, businesses can apply again after the completion of all deliverables and full disbursement of their previous HDG, upon its expiry or lapse.

Qualifying expenses include creating in-store marketing materials (like menus and menu boards) and making website or app changes to promote healthier menu options.

The Healthier Dining Grant funds promotion and publicity, while the Healthier Dining Innovation Grant (HDIG) provides funding for capability upgrades like recipe reformulation and culinary training.

Costs not covered include in-house production services, hardware (e.g., posters stands), operational costs, and certain types of external advertising (e.g., billboards).