How long do I have to submit an AWS MDF claim?

AWS MDF claims must be submitted within 30 days of activity completion or by the quarterly deadline whichever is earlier. AWS operates on a fiscal year calendar July 1 to June 30.

What are the most common reasons AWS MDF claims are rejected?

The most common AWS MDF rejection reasons are late submission after the 30-day deadline, missing proof of execution, unregistered activity, insufficient AWS branding on materials, ineligible costs included, and minimum engagement thresholds not met.

How much AWS MDF can an ISV claim per year?

AWS Select Partners are eligible for up to $5K-10K per year. AWS Advanced Partners up to $25K-50K per year. AWS Premier Partners up to $100K or more per year.

Do I need to register an activity before spending money?

Yes. You must register the activity in AWS Partner Central before spending any money. AWS automatically rejects retroactive claims for unregistered activities.

How long does AWS take to approve an MDF claim?

AWS reviews MDF claims in 30-60 days after submission. If approved funds are credited to your AWS Partner account within 30 days of approval.

AWS MDF Claim Process Explained — Complete Guide

What is AWS MDF?

AWS Market Development Funds (MDF) are grants and credits that AWS distributes to partner companies to fund joint marketing activities that benefit both parties. Common MDF activities include co-branded webinars, event sponsorships, whitepaper development, and digital marketing campaigns that promote AWS solutions through your sales and marketing channels.

MDF eligibility and tiers

AWS Partner Tier	Annual MDF Budget	Registration Window	Approval Timeline
Select Partner	$5K–$10K	Per fiscal quarter	30–60 days
Advanced Partner	$25K–$50K	Per fiscal quarter	30–60 days
Premier Partner	$100K+	Per fiscal quarter	30–60 days

Critical rule: MDF budgets reset every AWS fiscal quarter (Q1: Jul-Sep, Q2: Oct-Dec, Q3: Jan-Mar, Q4: Apr-Jun). Unused funds expire at the end of the quarter. Many ISVs lose $50K–$150K annually because they don't submit claims before the deadline.

The 5-step MDF claim process

Step 1: Register your activity in AWS Partner Central

Log into AWS Partner Central and navigate to Market Development Funds. Create a new MDF registration with the activity type (webinar, event sponsorship, etc.), expected budget, and target audience.

Step 2: Execute the activity and gather proof of execution

Run your marketing activity. Document everything: attendance lists, event photos, email screenshots, social media posts, and spend receipts. AWS requires proof of execution documentation to approve the claim.

Step 3: Submit the claim before the deadline

Return to AWS Partner Central and submit your claim with the following:

→Activity completion date
→Total spend (receipts required)
→Proof of execution (screenshots, attendance lists)
→Copies of marketing collateral (ads, emails, posts)

Step 4: AWS reviews and approves

AWS takes 30–60 days to review your claim. They verify that the activity happened, the spend is documented, and the marketing materials comply with AWS branding guidelines. If approved, funds are credited to your AWS account as a credit (not cash).

Step 5: Use the credit or request a reimbursement

MDF is credited as AWS service credit, which can be applied to your AWS consumption billing. Some partners request direct reimbursement instead — check your agreement.

Timeline: 1–3 days for registration + execution time (days to months) + 30–60 days for approval = 45–120 days total.

Common rejection reasons

→Submitted after the 30-day deadline. You must submit within 30 days of activity completion.
→Missing or incomplete proof of execution. AWS requires attendance lists, photos, or video evidence that the activity actually happened.
→Activity was not registered beforehand. Retroactive registrations are rejected automatically.
→Insufficient AWS branding in materials. AWS requires their logo on event signage, emails, or ads.
→Spend exceeds approved budget. Claims for amounts above the registered budget are rejected.

Best practices for approval

→Register your activity BEFORE spending any money
→Collect proof of execution on the day of the activity (photos, attendance lists, screenshots)
→Ensure AWS logos are prominently displayed on all materials
→Submit claims within 14 days of activity completion (don't wait for the 30-day deadline)
→Always attach itemized receipts for all expenses

Automating AWS MDF claims

The manual MDF workflow is error-prone and time-consuming. A typical $50K annual MDF budget requires 10–20 claims per year. At 45 minutes per claim, that's 7–15 hours of manual work just to capture and submit claims.

Vela automates the complete AWS MDF claim workflow — from activity registration tracking and deadline alerts to proof of execution generation and claim submission through the AWS Partner Central API. ISVs using Vela reduce claim preparation from 10–15 hours to under 30 minutes and recover an average of $28,000 in previously unclaimed MDF in their first 90 days.

Real outcome: A $30M ARR ISV discovered they had $156K in unclaimed MDF sitting in their AWS account. By connecting Vela to their Salesforce marketing calendar, they claimed $108K in a single cycle. The remaining $48K expired because it was submitted after the quarterly deadline.

AWS MDF Claims: The Complete Guide