Tote Board to set aside $10m to help NPOs improve processes, systems
It will support 10 groups in improving management systems and processes
To better keep track of its pupils, the staff of Metta Welfare Association's pre-school in Punggol decided to do their own research for a possible solution.
They managed to find an application that notifies parents when their children report to school, ensuring peace of mind.
To help more non-profit organisations (NPOs) like Metta, the Tote Board launched a new organisational development (OD) programme yesterday.
The Tote Board will establish a $10 million grant to support 10 NPOs in improving their management systems and processes based on the Business Excellence (BE) framework.
The framework comprises a set of management standards covering seven areas, including leadership, strategy, people, processes and knowledge.
Metta is one of a few NPOs that have received a BE certification, an Enterprise Singapore benchmark widely used across the public and private sectors.
The Buddhist charity's honorary secretary Ee Tiang Hwee said that despite having to get the certification on its own, Metta went ahead as it saw benefits to the certification.
Mr Ee highlighted the pre-school's staff-initiated innovation as an example of how developing an NPO's structures and capabilities can help it to meet future challenges.
The new OD programme, in partnership with the National Council of Social Service, is part of the Tote Board's new Non-Profit Sector Transformation Initiative.
Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Sim Ann said at yesterday's launch event: "The desire to do good is very important, but it might not be sufficient in this increasingly complex and dynamic world.
"(NPOs) all over the world are thinking hard about how to go about their work in the most cost-effective, sustainable, and accountable ways possible."
The new OD grant will be over five years, and NPOs will be selected on a rolling enrolment basis. They can start applying for the grant from now until Jan 7 next year.
Tote Board estimates that the organisational transformations will take up to three years, and each selected NPO will require a budget of up to $1 million, with Tote Board providing 90 per cent of the actual cost.
Singapore Swimming Association president Lee Kok Choy, who attended yesterday's launch, said his organisation was interested in applying for the grant.
Mr Lee is hoping to automate its financial reporting and human resource systems and improve its marketing and communications to allow its staff to better train and support their competitive swimmers.
But it currently does not have the capacity to do so, he said.
"They cannot succeed, they cannot be supported if you don't have that infrastructure and organisation that would enable all this to happen."
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