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4ST Partnership Fund
Discover how NCSS enables innovation and collaboration within the sector.

Overview
The 4ST (Social Service Sector Strategic Roadmap) Partnership Fund aims to mobilise the sector to co-develop solutions that promote innovation, collaboration and empowerment, with the end goal of improving the quality of life of service users, including families, children and youth, and persons with mental health conditions.
Type of funding
Criteria | Seed funding | Grow funding |
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Who can apply | The applicant must be a social service agency (SSA), social enterprise (SE), or a ground-up group collaborating with another entity or individual. Organisations without charity status (regardless of registration type) must declare that the project is not-for-profit, and it serves local communities. | Lead applicants must be NCSS members with Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status collaborating with another entity/individual. Non-NCSS members, including SEs and ground-up groups without IPC/Charity status can also apply as a co-applicant. Organisations without charity status (regardless of registration type) must declare that the project is not-for-profit, and it serves local communities. |
Type of project | Projects that turn an innovative idea into a working prototype and test its feasibility. | Projects that further develop and validate a working prototype OR scale up a proven solution to reach more users. |
Funding parameters | Up to 100% of the project's total operating expenditure (TOE), with a maximum of $50,000. | Up to 90% of the project's total operating expenditure (TOE), with a maximum of $400,000 per year. There is a separate evaluation budget of up to $80,000 for each approved project. |
Duration | Up to 1 year | Up to 3 years |
Deliverables |
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Eligibility criteria
The 4ST Partnership Fund supports solutions that are innovative, collaborative, empowering, and address identified service areas.
Innovative | New and value-added approaches: Solutions should demonstrate that they are either new ideas/approaches to solve the identified problems or value-add to an existing solution to improve service user outcomes. |
Collaborative | Partnerships for better outcomes: Solutions should feature inter-organisational partnerships between two or more organisations, either in the form of joint projects or systematic alignment of work structures and systems. |
Empowering | Person-centred and empowering: Solutions should be person-centred and allow service users to have access to relevant information, gain skills to improve capabilities, provide feedback to improve the quality-of-service delivery, and participate in service design/delivery. |
Service Areas | Targeted solutions: Particularly for Grow funding, these solutions should focus on addressing these identified areas:
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How to apply
Application Process
The 4ST Partnership Fund has a two-stage application process.
Stage 1: Applicants need to submit a brief concept note containing key information on the proposed project. Selected applicants will be shortlisted to proceed to Stage 2.
Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants will need to submit the application form with further details on the proposed project
Application timeline
The timeline for the June 2025 grant call is as follows:
1 to 30 Jun 2025: Applicants to complete Stage 1 application.
By 15 Jul 2025: Applicants will be informed they are shortlisted to proceed to Stage 2.
By 31 Aug 2025: Shortlisted applicants to complete Stage 2 application.
More details on the documents to be submitted will be available closer to the start of the grant call.
Resources
You can explore the following resources for guidance in creating a more robust proposal:
4ST Partnership Fund Information and Learning Session
To support organisations with developing meaningful partnerships, The Majurity Trust (TMT) and NCSS are organising an Information and Learning Session for prospective applicants interested in applying for the 4ST Partnership Fund.
Date | 22 May 2025 |
Time | 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm |
Venue | The Foundry |
Key highlights
This session will provide an overview of the Fund’s eligibility criteria and key application requirements. Participants will also gain practical insights through discussions featuring:
An industry speaker on the topic of ‘Partnerships 101’ – Forming Strategic Partnerships
Two 4ST Partnership Fund grantee partners, who will share their journeys – highlighting successes, challenges, and lessons learnt in establishing effective collaborations.
Register for the 4ST Partnership Fund Information and Learning Session. Registration closes 20 May 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Download the 4ST Partnership Fund FAQs.
For further enquiries, please contact grants@majurity.sg.