Overview of Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant

Overview of the Grant
What's Unique

Disability is a complex social issue. Currently, solutions generally fall into two categories: small-scale projects by individual non-profit organisations aimed at localized outcomes; and those centrally driven by the government aimed at aligning the social sector’s resources with social policy.

To address current and complex challenges faced by persons with disabilities over the course of their lives, the Enabling Lives Initiative Grant was conceived to support projects that have the potential to make meaningful social impact by improving the well-being of persons with disabilities.

ELI Grant Seeks to:

Support evidence-based projects, seed innovative ideas, new models, pilots as well as scale-up/replicate projects that have been successfully implemented or piloted in Singapore or globally
Proactively build collaborations between sector and non-sector players
Share good practices and learning across the disability and wider social sector
Embed an ‘outcomes-based approach’ to help shape desired outcomes within the disability sector
Facilitate deeper engagement with partners and between partners

Funded by Tote Board and administered by SG Enable, over $16 million was committed under TBELI Grant (2015 – 2020) through 10 themed grant calls, supporting over 40 projects and initiatives in areas of Data and Technology, Caregiver and Natural Support, and Transition Management.

What's Unique

What if the grant wasn’t just about the money? How might we create a holistic grant journey experience that supports and excite the entire sector, bringing together the various expertise of social service agencies, social enterprises and other organisations?

Application Assistance

We support you by walking you through the grant application process and providing relevant resources and learning opportunies.
Human-centric Design Grant

Designed using human-centric design principles and backed by in-depth research with other grant makers, grant applicants and other stakeholders, we aim to support your initiatives that directly impacts and meets the needs of persons with disabilities.
Access to Various Opportunities

We provide platforms for you to meet, network and exchange ideas with other sector and non-sector players' and access to other disability-related projects, so that your idea can create greater reach and impact.
Simplifying the Process

We make the process as easy and straightforward as we can, without compromising standards.

ELI Grant (2020 – 2024)

The Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant (2020 – 2024) is a $20 million grant that will bring together the best ideas from the community of non-profit organisations, social enterprises and innovators to create scalable, impactful innovations for persons with disabilities.

Grant calls to be delivered will maintain the principles of:

Acting as an aggregator to review the ground and sense the needs of the community
Supporting the scaling up of tested and proven solutions
Providing a platform to foster community efforts and collaborations
Catalysing innovation through pilots and non-traditional solutions

The following areas will be the focus of ELI Grant (2020 – 2024)

Living Independently

Empower PwDs to better manage life transitions and encourage greater levels of independence and self-sufficiency.
Realising Potentials

Enable PwDs to thrive and have opportunities for meaningful employment and experiences by developing their skills and knowledge.
Connecting Communities

Engage the community to increase the accessibility of services, facilities and opportunities to create a more inclusive society.

TBELI Grant (2015 – 2020)

What projects are we looking for?

The grant funds new project as well as the scaling up of existing programmes

Innovative Idea
Development/Adaptation of Service
Ready-to-Scale Project
Localisation of Overseas Best Practice
Development/Adaptation of Toolkit/Research
Online Platform / Application
Product or Prototype Development/Adaptation

The grant funds new project as well as the scaling up of existing programmes

Innovative Idea
Development/Adaptation of Service
Ready-to-Scale Project
Localisation of Overseas Best Practice
Development/Adaptation of Toolkit/Research
Online Platform / Application
Product or Prototype Development/Adaptation

Funding will NOT be extended to:

- Existing mainstream government programmes or services
- Projects already receive other forms of government funding
- Projects already receive funding from Tote Board
- Projects that do not directly benefit persons with disabilities and/or their caregivers
- Commercial projects that are profit-making
- Projects that only benefits an individual, a single politcial ideology or party, or promotes religion

Funding Guildlines

The image illustrates the Funding Guidelines. Project's minimum grant size must be SGD$50,000. The grant covers between 50% to 90% of the eligible expenses.

The grant covers between 50% and 90% of the eligible expenses of the project. All projects must commit to a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years.

Proposals are evaluated by an independent Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Evaluation Committee based on merits of the proposal and the type of organisation

Eligible expenses for claims includes direct costs of the project on manpower, marketing and outreach, equipment, software and consumables, third-party research, consultancy and evaluation costs as appropriate and so on.

The grant does not cover daily operation costs such as rental of office spaces, utilities, and manpower costs not related to the project.

The final funding quantum and funding components are decided by the respective evaluation and approving authorities. Grant applicants are expected to co-fund, or seek other funding sources to cover the remaining expenses not covered by the grant.

Eligible Applicants

The Grant Journey

During the course of the grant journey, you will get to experience a spectrum of interactions and activities offered by the Grant Programme Office, and meet other stakeholders just like you who are passionate about bringing meaningful impact to the lives of persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

Pre-application
Application
Evaluation
Implementation
Reporting
Impact Measurement
Completion

step 1

Pre-Application

A briefing or networking session is typically hosted to share with applicants the intent and mission of the grant, as well as the theme of the current grant call.

The session aims to provide a platform for ideation and cross-fertilisation of possible solutions between the various sector and non-sector players to address the problem statement. It also seeks to plant the seed for collaboration among innovators.

step 2

Application (3 months)

Find out how to apply for the grant. The Grant Programme Office may get in touch with you to better understand your project idea and work with you to further develop and refine your project idea.

The Grant Proposal Writing Workshop aims to equip participants with the necessary knowledge to articulate their theory of change, develop sustainability plans and refine their projects for presentation and pitching, amongst others.

step 3

Evaluation (3 months)

Applicants will be notified of their application status approximately three months after the closing date of the grant call application.

Shortlisted applicants will be required to pitch their project in person to the Toteboard Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Evaluation Panel for grant approval. The evaluation and approving authorities depend on the funding amount you seek:

Up to $1 million Singapore Dollars
Evaluation and approval by Grant Evaluation Panel
More than $1 million Singapore Dollars
Support by the Grant Evaluation Panel, evaluation and approval by an appropriate Committee/Board within Tote Board

step 4

Implementation

Successful grant applicants will sign a Funding Agreement with SG Enable, and all projects are to commence no later than 3 months from award.

All project milestones, deliverables and disbursement amounts would have to be drawn up and agreed upon by all relevant parties before the commencement of the project.

step 5

Reporting

Grant recipients would have to submit a half-yearly progress and expenditure report to the Grant Programme Office.

In addition, an annual report and audited statement on grant utilisation and operational key performance indicators (KPIs) would be required.

step 6

Impact Measurement

The Grant Programme Office will work with each grant recipient to identify and measure the social outcome of their funded projects.

step 7

COMPLETION

At the final stage, we look at ascertaining the impacts of the projects and the outcomes delivered. At this juncture, the Grant Programme Office would also refer grant recipients to other funders/ collaborators for continuity and to share success stories and lessons learnt from completed projects.

The grant supports new, innovative and evidence-based projects in the following areas:

Caregiver & Natural Support

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 and can occur in the workplace, neighbourhood and community, classrooms, clubs, organisations, and through other civic activities.

Caregivers are people who provide assistance with daily activities. It often requires attention to the physical, mental, social and psychological needs and wellbeing of the care recipients.

Caregivers are integral members of the disability landscape and their role and wellbeing cannot be ignored. Caregivers can be empowered and supported through a comprehensive range of support mechanisms that addresses areas such as caregiving, financial, socio-emotional and training needs etc.

Data & 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.

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. 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.

The first grant call of TBELI (2015 – 2020) was launched in 2015. Since then, 10 grant calls have been launched (two thematic grant calls each year), with a total of 43 projects supported by TBELI grant funding.

SCHEDULE OF GRANT CALLS

Date	Grant Call	Theme
Jan 2015	1	Data and Tech: Information & Resources
Jul 2015	2	Caregiver Support: Caregiver Psycho-social Support
Jan 2016	3	Transition Management: Transition to Post School
Jul 2016	4	Data & Tech: (a) Accessibility and Mobility & (b) Transition to Work
Jan 2017	5	Data & Tech: Independent Living and Future Care
Sep 2017	6	Data & Tech: Enriching Social Life and Expanding Work Opportunities
Mar 2018	7	Caregiver Support: Emergent Daily Needs
Sep 2018	8	Work and Community Integration
Mar 2019	9	Caregiver Support: (a) Transition & Changing Needs (b) Social Network & Support
Sep 2019	10	Data & Tech: Social Innovation & Transformation

What we require of you and your projects

A project focus

Projects must aim at improving the well-being of persons with disabilities and/or their caregivers. They must have well-defined goals and objectives to meet the desired outcomes of the Enabling Lives Initiative.
Open access

Your project must be open for all to access. It should not be limited to an organisation-specific membership.

If fees are to be charged, they should be kept affordable. Revenue from these fees must only go into cost recovery of expenses not covered by the grant.
Intellectual property rights

Grant applicants own any intellectual property (IP) rights, but they shall give access to use of this IP at no cost to the Grant Programme Office bearers (i.e. SG Enable and Tote Board).

For projects that terminate prematurely, IP rights will reside with the Grant Programme Office for recycling purposes.
Reporting and impact measurement

You must be willing to comply with the monitoring and reporting guidelines of the grant. You must adhere to the minimum standards of service established for the project.
Shared learning

The applicant must be willing to share the findings and/or recommendations arising from the funded projects for shared learning purposes when necessary.

How are projects evaluated?

Proposals are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Desired Outcomes

Projects funded must be designed to meet at least one of the following outcomes as stated under Social Impact Measurement.
Innovation

We value novelty of your proposals as compared to existing solutions.
Collaboration

Organisations that seek collaboration and partnership will be evaluated more favourably.
Feasibility

Projects are evaluated based on their potential to deliver outcomes, such as project team, impact vis-a-vis funding amount, availability of time and capacity, financial and other resources, market demand, technical aspects and technological feasibility.
Evidenced-based

Projects that are supported by evidence-based research, such as model services, research-based services, overseas examples, trialed-and-tested projects, will be evaluated more favourably.
Scalability/Sustainability

Project’s potential for continuation, expansion or mainstream proposal after funding period.

How to apply

Step
1
Before you apply

Applicant checks grant and eligibility criteria, and grant application guidelines

Take note of current grant call theme and closing date of application

Attend briefing/ networking session to meet other like-minded individuals!
Step
2

Application

Read details of the grant on Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant website carefully and ensure your project fulfills all criteria listed

Submit application form (and supporting documentation) to the Tote Board Enabling Lives Initiative Grant Programme Office at SG Enable
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

We may get in touch with you to better understand your project idea

You may also be requested to provide more information where necessary, and to further develop and refine your project idea

If shortlisted, you will have to pitch your project to the Grant Evaluation Committee
Step
4

Result of application

If your application is successful, you will be informed and a letter of offer will be sent to you via email

All unsuccessful applicants will be informed accordingly

Areas	Persons with Disabilities	Caregivers
Well-being	Persons with disabilities experience increased psychological and emotional well-being.	Caregivers experience increased psychological and emotional well-being.
Empowerment / Support	Persons with disabilities improve in their life skills (i.e. independent living skills, functional skills etc.) as much as their potential allows.	Caregivers feel confident of their ability to provide competent care and support to persons with disabilities.
Empowerment / Support	Persons with disabilities (or their proxies) are able to make informed decisions and planning via better support and access to information, programme and product navigation.	Caregivers have greater access to support services, network and structure that sustain caregiving.
Integration with Society	Persons with disabilities have more opportunities to participate in social, family, economic and community life.	Caregivers have more opportunities to participate in social, family, economic and community life.

Overview of Enabling Lives Initiative (ELI) Grant

ELI Grant Seeks to:

What's Unique

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