Social enterprises (SEs) are businesses which fulfill social causes. They use business principles and methods to achieve social change. Social enterprises are not charities, but are revenue-generating businesses.

Social enterprises may provide skills training and/or employment opportunities to the needy disadvantaged (i.e. those who have higher than usual barriers to employment, such as ex-offenders, disadvantaged women, persons with psychiatric conditions etc) as a means to reintegrate them into society and encourage them to be self-reliant. They give an opportunity to people who may have difficulty finding employment on the open market.

The ComCare Enterprise Fund Factsheet on CEF Factsheet on Social Enterprises Applying for CEF Business Plan Template Report of the Social Enterprise Committee Email: comcare@mcys.gov.sg

ComCare Enterprise Fund (CEF)

CEF supports social enterprises that help disadvantaged Singaporeans become self-reliant with a grant of up to S$300,000.

For what?

To provide seed funding to social enterprise start-ups that provide employment and training opportunities to disadvantaged Singapore Citizens, who could be ex-offenders older, less educated recovering from psychiatric illnesses Approved social enterprises can get up to 80% of the total project cost, subject to a maximum of S$300,000.

For who?

Businesses with clear social missions to help needy disadvantaged Singaporeans move towards self reliance. Eligible businesses and organisations are those registered with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) or the Registrar of Societies.

What to note?

A social enterprise which seek funding must have the following: compelling Social Objective(s) a viable Business Proposition a committed Team Your social enterprise should be able to sustain itself from the business revenues that it generates. It should not rely on donations or other social programmes for continuous funding. The social objective(s) should be aimed at helping disadvantaged Singaporeans become self-reliant through providing them with employment or training them for employment. CEF does not fund start-ups with arts, cultural, health or environmental objectives.

Facts & Figures

CEF has funded 66 social enterprises since 2003. (Source: Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, September 2007.) CEF funding has supported a wide range of social enterprises including: food caterers and cafés specialised education providers apparel and handicraft makers beauty and spa service providers retailers

A Step-by-Step Guide to Applying For ComCare Enterprise Fund (CEF)

Before you apply

Ensure that your social enterprise qualifies for funding. Use the CEF Factsheet as a guide. Draw up your business plan. Use the CEF Business Plan Template.

Applying for CEF

Preliminary Assessment

Submit your business plan using the template provided to comcare@mcys.gov.sg. The CEF Secretariat will assess if your social enterprise qualifies for funding. If it qualifies, proceed to the next steps. Refine your CEF business proposal if necessary. The CEF Secretariat will guide you through the process.

CEF Panel Evaluation

Submit your final CEF business proposal to the CEF Secretariat. Your proposal will be submitted to the CEF Evaluation Panel for evaluation. Make a presentation of your business proposal to the CEF Evaluation Panel if requested to do so. The CEF Secretariat will inform you if you are required to make a presentation and the date of the presentation. Await the decision of the CEF Evaluation Panel.The CEF Secretariat will inform you of the outcome in 3 working days.

Upon Successful Application

Register your social enterprise with ACRA or the Registrar of Societies if you have not already done so. Prepare legal documents as directed by the CEF Secretariat. E.g. lease agreement, partnership agreement, inter-bank GIRO form, etc. Sign the contract with the CEF Secretariat. The funds will be disbursed to your social enterprise according to the terms of the contract. Start your social enterprise operations. Receive CEF funding according to the contractual terms. Keep proper financial records. E.g. expenses, invoices, receipts relating to the project. Keep proper operational records. E.g. employment records, training records, deliverables, progress reports, evaluation reports. Submit quarterly progress reports and annual audited financial statements. Keep the CEF Secretariat informed of any changes to your social enterprise business model.