This grant is part of the overall $30 million Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative by Tote Board to be delivered over six years, in partnership with SG Enable and National Council of Social Service (NCSS). The initiative aims to improve the well-being of persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

The Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative seeks to:

1. Embed an ‘outcomes-based approach’ to help shape desired outcomes within the disability sector;
2. Proactively build collaborations within the disability sector, including between VWOs, government, academia, corporates;
3. Support evidence-based programmes, seed innovative ideas, new models and pilots as well as scale up/replicate programmes and services that have been successfully implemented or piloted in Singapore or globally;
4. Facilitate deeper engagement with the VWOs and projects; and
5. Share good practices and learning across the disability and wider social sector.

SG Enable will fund projects in the disability space while NCSS will support public education and awareness on disability issues.

SG Enable – Grant Call Process

SG Enable is Tote Board’s grant administration partner and will administer $23 million over six years through grant calls.

The grant will support new, innovative and evidence-based projects in the cross-cutting disability areas of Data and Technology, Caregiver and Natural Support and Transition Management.

There will be a total of ten uniquely themed grant calls from 2015 till 2019. Applicants can look forward to two grant calls each year

As part of this strategic initiative, projects funded under this grant must work towards a set of desired outcomes in the disability sector. By focussing on these outcomes, the grant hopes to bring about greater positive social impact for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

Players in the social space are also greatly encouraged to collaborate and work together in addressing common problems in the disability sector.

Shared outcomes

Projects funded under the Tote Board-Enabling Lives Grant must be designed to meet (at least one of) the following outcomes:

# Includes assistance in activities of daily living and personal development, condition management, identifying and accessing appropriate programmes/products* and medium and long-term care planning

* A product is a good or service. It includes transition services and Assistive Technology devices.

As part of Tote Board’s strategic direction, the grant is focused on addressing and supporting projects with a focus on the following cross-cutting issues in the disability sector:

Data and Technology

• Data and Technology is an enabler for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. As a platform that creates more opportunities, persons with disabilities and their caregivers can benefit largely from the use of data and technology. For example, Assistive Technology can enhance and enable persons with disabilities and caregivers in areas such as information and resources, mobility and navigation, communication, work productivity and daily living etc.

Caregiver and Natural Support

• Caregivers are people who “provide assistance with daily activities. This often requires attention to the physical, mental, social and psychological needs and well-being of the care recipients”.¹ Caregivers are integral members of the disability landscape and their role and well-being cannot be ignored. Caregivers can be empowered and supported through a comprehensive range of support mechanisms that address areas such as caregiving, financial, socio-emotional and training needs.
• Natural Support refers to resources inherent in the community environment that can be tapped for rehabilitation and support purposes. Natural Support can take the form of personal relationships and associations from the community that can enhance the support network of persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Such support can be present in the workplace, neighbourhood and community, classrooms, clubs, organisations and through other civic activities.

Transition Management

• In the disability landscape, transitions are defined as “points of change in services, and in the personnel and organisations that coordinate and provide services to children and families”². Transitions can be in the form of movement from one life phase to another or movements from one service to another. As such, Transition Management refers to a coordinated set of activities that takes into account the client’s needs, preferences and interests and supports them across these transitions points.

¹ Ministry of Health Singapore – www.moh.gov.sg/content/dam/moh_web/Publications/Reports/2011/NHS2010%20-%20low%20res.pdf
² Ministry of Social and Family Development - https://app.msf.gov.sg/Portals/0/Topic/Issues/EDGD/Chapter%206%20-%20Cross-Cutting%20Issue%20I,%20Caregiver%20Support%20and%20Transition%20Management.pdf

* SG Enable reserves the right to change the grant call schedule. Please check this webpage for the latest grant call schedule.

All proposals will be evaluated by an independent Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Evaluation Committee. Depending on the funding amount sought, the evaluation and approving authorities are reflected below:

Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria*:

* The criteria will be applied appropriately depending on the development phase of the grant projects (e.g.: scalability may not be an evaluation criterion for projects that are still at the proof-of-concept stage).

Size of funding

• Projects seeking funding should take note that the minimum grant size is $50,000 Singapore Dollars.
• The eventual funding quantum and funding components will be decided by the respective evaluation and approving authorities.

Funding cap

• The grant will cover between 50% to 90% of the eligible expenses of the project. Grant applicants are expected to co-fund or seek other funding sources to cover the remaining expenses that are not covered by the grant.
• Eligible expenses for claims include direct costs of the project on manpower, marketing and outreach, equipment, software and consumables, third-party research and consultancy costs as well as third-party evaluation costs and so on.
• The grant will not cover daily operation costs such as rental of office spaces of the organisation, utilities, etc. as well as manpower costs that are not related to the project.

Funding duration

• All applicants must commit to a minimum of one year and up to a maximum of two years.

Step 1: Before you apply

• Take note of the theme of the current grant call and its closing date
• Attend the briefing session to learn about the grant application process and gather information on the grant call
• Take note of the eligibility criteria and the project guidelines
• Download the Application Form and prepare your project proposal.

Step 2: Application

• Read the details of the grant on SG Enable website carefully and ensure that your project fulfils all criteria listed on the website.
• The completed Application Form and attachements are to be submitted by email to enablinglivesgrant@sgenable.sg with subject title: TBELI Grant Call [Numer] Application - [Organisation's Name]. 

Step 3: After you apply

• Upon receipt of your completed application form, the Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Programme Office will send you an acknowledgement email.
• The Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Programme Office may get in touch with you to better understand your project idea and your organisation. You may be requested to provide more information where necessary.
• If your project is shortlisted, you will be invited to meet with Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Programme Officers to further develop and refine your project ideas and proposals.
• All refined project proposals will be subjected to a review and evaluation by an independent Grant Evaluation Committee.
• If your application is successful, you will be informed and a letter of offer will be sent to you.
• All unsuccessful applicants will be informed accordingly.

For any enquiries on the Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant, please do not hesitate to contact SG Enable at:

Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Programme Office: