Design An Mdf Program

---
name: design-an-mdf-program
description: "Design market-development funds as a measured investment tied to a plan and an ROI floor — not a channel rebate nobody tracks. Reach for this when standing up or fixing MDF/co-op funds."
---

# Skill: Design an MDF program

MDF is an investment with a return, not an entitlement (§3 #5).

## Step 1 — Tie funds to a plan
No MDF without an approved activity plan naming the objective, the target segment, and the expected sourced pipeline. Unplanned MDF funds activity nobody can measure.

## Step 2 — Set eligibility and the funding basis
Define who qualifies (usually a tier gate) and the funding basis (fixed pool, accrual on sourced revenue, or proposal-based). Cite any market MDF-rate norm with source + date — do not assert it as current.

## Step 3 — Require proof of performance
Define the claim rules: pre-approval, eligible expense categories, proof-of-performance evidence, and the claim window. No proof, no reimbursement.

## Step 4 — Measure on ROI and set a floor
Measure each activity on MDF-sourced-pipeline ROI ([`../../knowledge/partnership-economics.md`](../../knowledge/partnership-economics.md)). Set an ROI floor below which funds are redirected — the floor is what makes it an investment.

## Step 5 — Report the program ROI
Roll up MDF spend, sourced pipeline, and blended ROI on the QBR cadence ([`../../templates/qbr-readout.md`](../../templates/qbr-readout.md)).

## Output
An MDF program: eligibility and funding basis, the plan-first approval gate, claim/proof-of-performance rules, the ROI measure with a floor, and the QBR reporting. MDF-tax treatment is flagged for counsel; every external rate carries a source + date.