National Council of Social Service
Tote Board Social Service Fund
A National Council of Social Service grant that funds sector-led innovation and collaboration to improve outcomes for families, children and youth, and persons with mental health needs. Offers Seed and Grow funding with evaluation support to prototype, enhance, or scale solutions in Singapore.
Overview
The 4ST (Social Service Sector Strategic Roadmap) Partnership Fund supports Singapore’s social service ecosystem to co-develop innovative, collaborative and empowering solutions that improve quality of life for service users.
- Purpose: Mobilise the sector to design and deliver new or enhanced solutions, with a strong emphasis on inter-organisational collaboration and person-centred practices.
- Funding types:
- Seed Funding: Turn an innovative idea into a working prototype and test feasibility (up to 1 year).
- Grow Funding: Further develop and validate a working prototype or scale up proven solutions to reach more users (up to 3 years).
- Funding support:
- Seed: Up to 100% of Total Operating Expenditure (TOE), capped at S$50,000.
- Grow: Up to 90% of TOE, capped at S$400,000 per year.
- Separate evaluation budget of up to S$80,000 per approved project.
- Focus areas: Upstream support for low‑income families, support for persons with mental health needs, and emerging gaps (e.g. addictions).
- Expected outcomes: Solutions should demonstrate innovation, enable partnerships across organisations, empower service users with information, skills and feedback loops, and contribute sector learnings through evaluation and adoption of standards.
Scheme type
Who qualifies
Eligibility groups
Eligibility details
Applicants must be Social Service Agencies (SSAs), Social Enterprises (SEs), or ground‑up groups collaborating with another entity/individual. Lead applicants must be NCSS members with IPC status collaborating with another entity/individual; non‑NCSS members (including SEs and ground‑up groups without IPC/Charity status) can apply as co‑applicants. Organisations without charity status must declare the project is not‑for‑profit and serves local communities. Projects must be innovative, collaborative, empowering, and address identified service areas (especially low‑income families, mental health, and emerging gaps such as addictions). Seed projects should prototype and test feasibility; Grow projects should further develop/validate prototypes or scale proven solutions.
How to apply
Two‑stage process: (1) Submit a brief concept note outlining the proposed project. (2) If shortlisted, submit a full application with detailed information. Refer to NCSS materials (e.g., Service Standards, Sector Evaluation Framework) to strengthen proposals. Grant call timelines are announced on the NCSS website.
Agency details
Service area
Singapore
Important Information
Scheme details may change. Check the official agency website for the latest eligibility, benefits, and application information.
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