What Social Service Agencies Should Know About The Tech-and-GO! Grant

Note: This blog post was first published on 15 January 2021. It has been updated with the latest information as of 27 June 2022.

If you’re currently in charge of or managing a Social Service Agency (SSA) in Singapore, you may be interested in embarking on a digital transformation for your organisation in these times.

To Find Out More About The Various Government Grants Available In Singapore, Take A Look At Our Guide.

But while most organisations in Singapore would be able to apply for grants like the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), SSAs like yours are often not eligible for such funding initiatives.

Fortunately, the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) in Singapore has established the Tech-and-GO! programme.

Tech-and-GO! is a series of funding initiatives that are aimed at making it more affordable for SSAs to digitise your data and automate processes, by taking up new IT solutions and project consultancy services.

These grants are available if your SSA is an NCSS member or is funded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). 

Let’s dive in and take a look at what you should know about making an application for funding under Tech-and-GO!

Tech-And-GO! Offers Two Tiers Of Funding

Tech-and-GO! comes in two tiers of funding, with each tier intended for different types of IT solutions.

It also covers any costs that an applying SSA incurs for acquiring any advisory or project consultancy services.

1. Start Digital by NCSS - the 'PSG' Grant for Social Service Agencies

What Is The Start Digital Tier?

Start Digital is the first tier of Tech-and-GO!.

Not to be confused with the other similarly-named initiative by IMDA for SMEs (they're totally unrelated), Start Digital  will cover up to 80% of any costs in acquiring an IT solution for your SSA, up to a maximum fundable amount (MFA) of $30,000 per project.

These can range from accounting systems and cybersecurity solutions, to donor / volunteer management solutions and rehabilitation devices.

What Kind Of Solutions Are Eligible Under Start Digital?

The IT solutions that are eligible under Tech-and-GO! falls under two categories: pre-scoped IT Solutions and Green Lane solutions. Refer to Figure A below for some examples of solutions which fall under either category:

Figure A

Do note that if you're seeking a solution in the left column above (e.g. accounting software), it has to be one of the pre-approved packaged solutions listed in the GovAssist website for PSG grants.

That's to say, you can approach any PSG-approved vendor and ask them for their PSG packages with the assurance that their packages are covered by Start Digital.

Here's an example of how it might work, using one of our PSG packages (yes, AFON is a PSG-approved vendor) as an illustration:

You can also claim up to 3 years worth of subscription and/or renewal fees, up to the S$30,000 allocated per SSA.

As for the Green Lane solutions – a set of IT solutions which are especially important for the unique operational processes of SSAs – in the right column in Figure A, you can approach any vendor.

Of Course, It Should Not Be Mistaken With The Start Digital Grant From IMDA And Enterprise Singapore. Click Here To Learn More About It.

Under the Start Digital tier, you can also apply for funding to purchase laptop bundles for your SSA, with no limitations on the brands, specs, or number of laptops in any bundle you choose. Funding for laptop bundles has to be included within the $30,000 allocated to you.

Other things you should note for Start Digital:

• Go for Cloud-based IT solutions if you want a fast and seamless application process. You can apply for an on-premise solution, but it'd have to be approved on a case-by-case basis.
• The up to 80% coverage only applies for the first year. For the second and third year, you get only get up to 50% 
• Professional fees and add-ons can be funded, up to $6,000 from NCSS
  
  

How Can I Apply For Funding Under Start Digital?

To apply for disbursement of funding for your pre-scoped or Green Lane solution under the Start Digital tier, please refer to the image below for reference.

Source: NCSS

If you’d like to know when you can begin applying for Tech-and-GO! funding under the Start Digital tier, please refer to this page, or alternatively the table below (to be updated when new information comes in):

2. Go Digital by NCSS - the 'EDG' Grant for Social Service Agencies

The second tier of Tech-and-GO! is intended to help your SSA cover the costs of large-scale and/or highly-specialised IT projects with costs exceeding $37,000 in total.

Under the Go Digital tier, you would not have to choose a pre-scoped IT solution. The funding under this tier will cover up to 80% of any costs you incur, up to an MFA of $300,000 per project.

Like the Start Digital tier, funding for IT solutions under the Go Digital tier will be provided over three years:

• 80% of costs will be covered in the first year
• 50% of costs will be covered in the second and third year

To make an application for Tech-and-GO! funding under the Go Digital tier, you’ll need to start by getting a preliminary assessment here. 

Next, you'll have to conduct the OHFSS Self-assessment for your SSA, at least no less than 3 years before any CCT application valued over S$90,000.

You’d then need to obtain three comparable quotations from any vendors of your choice, and prepare supporting documents including:

• TNG Go Digital/Grow Digital (IT Solution) Project Proposal
• TNG Go Digital/Grow Digital Annex B (Vendor Evaluation Matrix in Annex B part B is only required if preferred vendor is NOT the lowest quote.)
• PDF or screenshot of correspondence with Tech-and-GO! officer regarding completed Preliminary Assessment (if applicable)

Finally, you must submit your application via the OurSG Grants (OSG) portal.

The upcoming application windows for Go Digital are the same as Start Digital, as detailed in the table above.  

For more information about the Go Digital tier in Tech-and-GO!, you can send your enquiries to the following email address: Tech-and-GO@ncss.gov.sg

Funding The Digital Transformation Of Your SSA With Tech-and-GO!

With the Tech-and-GO! grant from the NCSS, you can now also draw upon government funding for the digital transformation of your SSA.

While we’re at it, some of the pre-scoped IT solutions eligible under the PSG (and thus also under Tech-and-GO!) includes SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, both of which AFON is a pre-approved vendor for.

If You're Curious About The PSG, Here Are 13 Of The Most Common FAQs And The Answers To Them.

Therefore, if you’d like to schedule a consultation and/or get a quotation from us for your Tech-and-GO! application, do drop us a note here.

Otherwise, if you’d like to further explore your possible options for acquiring funding, we’ve got a guide to all government grants in Singapore that are intended to fund digital transformation efforts.

Click the image below to see the guide and find out more about these grants!