For many B2B organizations, partner incentives have historically centered on market development funds (MDFs) and co-op funding. While funding programs remain essential, new data from Forrester’s Partner Ecosystem Marketing Survey, 2026 suggests that partner incentive strategies are becoming broader, more strategic, and increasingly tied to business outcomes. Partner ecosystem leaders are expanding beyond traditional funding models, investing in new funding and incentive types.

Incentive Strategies: Funding And Beyond

Funding programs remain a foundational component of partner strategy, with most organizations now offering multiple fund types across development, go-to-market, MDF/co-op, and co-marketing fund programs. Partner incentive investments, however, increasingly include a wider range of monetary and nonmonetary rewards tied to revenue, growth, referrals, co-selling, performance, and customer value achievement.

The result is a more sophisticated incentive portfolio that enables organizations to align investments with specific partner ecosystem objectives rather than relying solely on partner funding programs.

Technology Investment Is Accelerating

As partner incentive strategies become more complex, organizations are increasingly investing in partner incentive management (PIM) solutions. Current investors largely expect spending levels to hold steady or increase, while many organizations without a PIM solution are planning new investments. Together, these findings suggest that partner incentive management is evolving from an emerging capability into a strategic priority.

Modernization Is Becoming The Norm

Perhaps the most telling finding is that nearly two-thirds of organizations plan to add new incentives, update existing programs, or significantly evolve their overall incentive strategy during the next 12 months. Partner incentives are no longer static program elements; they are becoming dynamic investment levers for driving partner engagement, performance, and ecosystem growth.

What Partner Ecosystem Marketing Leaders Should Do Next

If your partner incentive strategy still centers primarily on MDFs and sales performance incentive funds, now is the time to reassess. Evaluate whether your current partner incentive portfolio supports the partner behaviors, business outcomes, and customer value objectives that matter most to your organization. Equally important, determine whether your existing processes and technology can effectively manage a growing and increasingly diverse partner incentive strategy.

What does your partner incentive strategy look like?

To learn more, read Forrester’s The State Of B2B Partner Incentives, 2026, and schedule an inquiry or guidance session with me to assess or identify opportunities to modernize your partner incentive strategy.

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