Tag: TSS

TSS Grant for AI Automation in Singapore: The Complete 2026 Guide for Social Service Agencies

What Is the TSS Grant?

The Transformation Sustainability Scheme (TSS) is a National Council of Social Service (NCSS) grant that funds social service agencies (SSAs) in Singapore to strengthen how they operate — including funding for digital projects and AI-powered automation. TSS replaced the earlier Tech-and-GO! scheme and now covers a broader range of organisational development needs, from leadership consultancy to bespoke chatbot builds.

For SSAs considering AI automation — intake chatbots, case management workflows, donor and volunteer coordination, appointment scheduling, or back-office finance and HR automation — TSS is the primary funding route, and at up to 80% co-funding it is one of the most generous grants available to any organisation type in Singapore, government or private sector.

This guide covers eligibility, what TSS actually pays for, how it compares to the grants SMEs typically use (EDG, PSG, EIS), and the exact steps to apply.

“At up to 80% co-funding, TSS is one of the most generous grants available to any organisation type in Singapore — government or private sector.”

Who Is Eligible

Your organisation is an NCSS member agency, or is funded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
You hold a valid Organisational Health Framework for Social Services (OHFSS) assessment — or are willing to complete one before applying.
For non pre-scoped funding (Parts A and B, covered below), your agency has completed the Organisational Health Diagnostics (OHDS) process.

If your organisation is not an NCSS member or MSF-funded SSA — for example, a private clinic, tuition centre, or F&B business — TSS does not apply to you. Those organisations should instead look at EDG, PSG, or EIS; see the comparison table below.

What TSS Actually Funds

TSS is structured into three parts, each with a different funding cap and use case. Up to 80% co-funding applies across all three, over a project term of up to 3 years.

Component	What it covers	Funding cap
Part A — Consultancy & project implementation support	Engaging consultants (e.g. compensation & benefits review, volunteer management framework) or funding project headcount to lead a transformation project.	Up to $250,000 (headcount support capped at $200,000)
Part B — Bespoke digitalisation projects	Custom-built digital systems: web portals for service delivery, AI chatbots for automated responses, therapeutic robotics, and other purpose-built AI automation.	Up to $150,000
Part C — Pre-scoped & green-laned solutions	Off-the-shelf systems from NCSS’s approved vendor list: HR systems, accounting systems, event booking platforms, CRM systems, API integrations.	Up to $150,000 total, capped at $40,000 per solution

Part B is the most relevant component for custom AI automation work — NCSS explicitly names “AI chatbots for automated responses” as a funded example, alongside therapeutic robotics and custom portals. Part C is the faster route if a pre-scoped or Green Lane solution already covers your need; check NCSS’s published solutions list before scoping a custom build.

TSS vs. the Grants SMEs Normally Use

Stack AI works across both SME and social-service clients, and the two groups draw on different grants. If you are unsure which applies to you, use this table:

Grant	Who it’s for	Typical co-funding	Best for
TSS	NCSS-member or MSF-funded social service agencies	Up to 80%	AI chatbots, case management automation, custom digital systems, org-wide transformation projects
EDG	Singapore-registered SMEs (30% local shareholding)	Up to 50%	Business/process transformation projects, including AI workflow automation
PSG	Singapore-registered SMEs	Up to 50%	Pre-approved, off-the-shelf digital solutions (faster, lighter-touch than EDG)
EIS	Any Singapore-registered business investing in innovation/automation	400% tax deduction (not co-funding)	Businesses that prefer a tax deduction over a cash grant, or that exceed EDG/PSG cofunding caps

A note on eligibility overlap: some social enterprises and charity-run social businesses may qualify for both TSS and SME-track grants depending on their registration status and funding source — worth confirming with NCSS and Enterprise Singapore directly rather than assuming one or the other applies.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Examples of AI automation projects social service agencies have funded (fully or partly) through schemes like TSS Part B and Part C:

An intake chatbot that screens and triages new client referrals before a caseworker is assigned, cutting initial response time from days to minutes.
Automated case-note summarisation that drafts structured notes from caseworker voice memos or free-text input, reducing admin time per case.
Volunteer and donor CRM automation that syncs sign-ups, sends reminders, and flags lapsed donors for follow-up without manual list management.
Appointment and programme-booking automation for community centres and eldercare/childcare services, replacing phone-based scheduling.
Finance and grant-reporting automation that pulls data from multiple systems into the reports NCSS and MSF require, reducing month-end close time.

How to Apply: Step by Step

Confirm eligibility — verify NCSS membership or MSF funding status, and check whether your OHFSS assessment is current.
Complete Organisational Health Diagnostics (OHDS) if you haven’t already — required before applying for Part A or Part B funding.
Scope the project and decide which part applies — Part A (consultancy/headcount), Part B (bespoke digital/AI build), or Part C (pre-scoped/Green Lane solution).
Get a vendor quotation — for a bespoke AI automation build, this means a scoped proposal from an AI automation vendor (this is where Stack AI comes in for Part B projects).
Submit your application through the OurSG Grants (OSG) portal, with your OHFSS report and vendor quotation attached.
On approval, sign the vendor agreement (and submit proof of employment if claiming headcount support under Part A).
Implement the project, then submit your completion report, updated OHFSS report, and (for Part A) Employee Engagement Survey and Board Assessment reports to close out the grant.

Processing timelines and exact documentation requirements are set by NCSS and can change — always confirm current requirements at ncss.gov.sg or by emailing sector_capability@ncss.gov.sg before submitting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is TSS only for large, established charities?

No. Eligibility is based on NCSS membership or MSF funding status, not organisation size. Smaller SSAs are still eligible, and Part C’s pre-scoped solutions in particular are designed to be accessible without a large internal project team.

Can TSS fund an AI automation project run by an external vendor like Stack AI?

Yes — Part B (bespoke digitalisation) and Part C (pre-scoped/Green Lane solutions) are both designed to fund vendor-built or vendor-supplied systems, provided you submit a vendor quotation as part of your application and the vendor agreement is signed after approval.

What’s the difference between Part B and Part C for an AI chatbot project?

Part C is for solutions already on NCSS’s pre-scoped or Green Lane list — faster to apply for, capped at $40,000 per solution. Part B is for a bespoke build tailored to your workflows — higher cap ($150,000) but requires the OHDS diagnostic step first. Check the pre-scoped solutions list before assuming you need a custom build.

Does TSS cover ongoing costs, or only the initial build?

TSS funding is project-based and tied to implementation — it is not designed as a recurring operating subsidy. Ongoing software subscription or maintenance costs should be discussed with NCSS or your assigned grant officer as part of project scoping, since treatment can vary by project.

How does TSS relate to the EDGE grant merging EDG, PSG, and MRA for SMEs?

They are separate tracks. EDGE (still not launched as of this guide’s writing) consolidates SME-facing grants under Enterprise Singapore. TSS is an NCSS/MSF scheme specifically for the social service sector and is not part of that consolidation.

Why Work With Stack AI

Stack AI builds custom AI automation systems — chatbots, case workflow automation, CRM and reporting integrations — for Singapore organisations, and structures projects to align with grant requirements from the scoping stage rather than after the fact. For social service agencies, that means a Part B or Part C-ready proposal, a vendor quotation formatted the way NCSS expects, and implementation support through to your completion report.

If your agency is evaluating an AI automation project under TSS, get in touch to scope what’s fundable before you apply.

September 20, 2026

EIS Tax Deduction for AI Automation in Singapore: The Complete 2026 Guide

Most Singapore SMEs looking at AI automation already know to ask about the Enterprise Development Grant or the Productivity Solutions Grant. Fewer know that the Enterprise Innovation Scheme (EIS) — a tax scheme run by IRAS, not a grant run by Enterprise Singapore — can now hand back up to 400% tax deduction on AI adoption costs, on top of whatever grant co-funding a project already receives. Because EIS works through your company’s tax return rather than a grant application, it stacks with EDG, PSG, and TSS rather than competing with them.

This guide explains what EIS is, what changed for AI in Budget 2026, who qualifies, and how it fits alongside the grant schemes already covered in Stack AI’s grant guides.

“EIS isn’t a grant you apply for before the project starts — it’s a deduction you claim after, through your tax filing. That makes it the easiest funding mechanism to miss, and the easiest one to combine with everything else.”

What is the Enterprise Innovation Scheme?

The Enterprise Innovation Scheme is a Singapore corporate tax scheme, administered by IRAS, that lets businesses claim enhanced tax deductions or allowances — up to 400% — on qualifying spending across research and development, intellectual property, staff training, and (from Budget 2026) AI adoption. It runs from Year of Assessment (YA) 2024 to YA 2028. Unlike EDG, PSG, or TSS, there is no pre-approval step and no vendor pre-qualification list — the deduction is simply claimed when the company files its tax return (Form C-S or Form C), based on expenditure the business already incurred.

Since its introduction, EIS has covered five qualifying activities: R&D undertaken in Singapore; registration of intellectual property (patents, trademarks, designs, plant varieties); acquisition and licensing of IP rights; training via SkillsFuture Singapore-approved courses or courses run with ITE and other approved partners; and innovation projects carried out with a polytechnic, ITE, or other approved partner.

What changed in Budget 2026: AI adoption is now a qualifying activity

Budget 2026 added a sixth qualifying activity specifically for AI adoption, available for YA 2027 and YA 2028. A business can claim 400% tax deduction on up to S$50,000 of qualifying AI expenditure per YA — meaning S$50,000 spent on qualifying AI adoption can generate up to S$200,000 in tax deductions for that year. For a company with a December financial year end, YA 2027 covers the financial year ending 31 December 2026 — so AI automation spend incurred now is very likely the spend that counts.

Detail	AI adoption category (new, Budget 2026)
Deduction rate	400% (100% base deduction/allowance + 300% enhanced, or a full 400% where the expenditure isn’t otherwise deductible under Section 14)
Expenditure cap	S$50,000 per Year of Assessment
Years available	YA 2027 and YA 2028 only
Cash payout option	Not available for this category (cash conversion applies only to the five original categories)
Qualifying spend (expected)	Costs directly tied to adopting AI — system subscriptions/licensing, implementation and integration, and related capability-building. IRAS said a detailed list would follow; businesses should confirm the current list on IRAS’s EIS page before filing, since the exact boundaries of “qualifying AI expenditure” were still being finalised as this guide was written.

This is the category most directly relevant to a Stack AI engagement: a WhatsApp AI agent, an invoice-processing system, or a workflow-automation build all sit squarely inside “adopting AI,” as distinct from buying generic software.

Who is eligible

Requirement	Detail
Entity type	Singapore-incorporated companies carrying on a trade or business (sole proprietorships and partnerships can access some categories via the cash payout route)
Activity	Must fall under one of the six qualifying activities and be incurred in the relevant YA
Application	None required for the tax deduction — claimed directly in the tax return with supporting records kept for IRAS’s request
Cash payout (legacy categories only)	Optional: convert up to S$100,000 of combined qualifying expenditure per YA (excluding AI adoption) into cash at a 20% conversion rate, capped at S$20,000 cash per YA, and the payout is not taxable

How EIS fits with EDG, PSG, and TSS

The most common mistake is treating EIS as competing with the grant schemes rather than sitting on top of them. A grant reduces the upfront cost of a project; EIS then lets the business deduct the remaining self-funded portion at up to 400% at tax time. They’re claimed at different points in the process, from different agencies, and are not mutually exclusive.

Scheme	Run by	What it does	When you claim
EDG	Enterprise Singapore	Up to 50% co-funding on eligible project costs	Applied for before the project starts
PSG	Enterprise Singapore	50% funding on pre-approved solutions (Tech Depot)	Applied for before purchase
TSS	NCSS	Up to 80% co-funding for social service agencies	Applied for before the project starts
ASME-UOB package	ASME + UOB	Access/bridging layer on top of PSG/EDG for micro and small firms	Alongside the underlying grant application
EIS	IRAS	Up to 400% tax deduction on qualifying spend, incl. AI adoption from YA 2027	Claimed after the fact, in the company’s tax return

In practice: a clinic that gets 50% EDG co-funding on a S$20,000 automation project pays S$10,000 out of pocket. If that S$10,000 of AI-adoption spend qualifies under the new EIS category, the clinic can also claim up to S$40,000 in tax deductions against that S$10,000 — on top of the grant, not instead of it.

How to claim EIS on a Stack AI project

Scope the project and identify the AI-adoption component. Not every line item in an automation build necessarily counts — the AI-specific elements (the agent, the model usage, the integration work that makes the system “AI”, as distinct from generic hosting or hardware) are what IRAS’s guidance is expected to target.
Keep the invoice and project documentation itemised. IRAS doesn’t pre-approve EIS claims, but it can request supporting records, so a vendor invoice that clearly separates AI-adoption costs from other costs makes a later claim far easier to support.
Confirm the current qualifying-expenditure list with IRAS or your tax agent before filing. Because the detailed criteria for the AI category were still being finalised, this is the one step in the whole EIS process that genuinely needs a check against the live IRAS page or a conversation with an accountant, not assumption.
Combine with any grant already received. If the project also received EDG, PSG, or TSS co-funding, only the self-funded portion is typically what’s left to claim under EIS — your tax agent applies the deduction to the actual out-of-pocket expenditure.
Claim in the tax return for the relevant YA. No separate EIS application form for the deduction itself — it’s reported as part of Form C-S or Form C when the company files.

Frequently asked questions

Is EIS a grant or a tax scheme?

A tax scheme, not a grant. It’s administered by IRAS and delivered as a deduction or allowance against taxable income (or a cash conversion for the five original categories), not as a co-funding cheque before a project starts.

Does EIS require pre-approval like PSG’s Tech Depot?

No. There’s no pre-approved vendor list and no application before spending. The claim is made when the business files its tax return for the relevant Year of Assessment.

Can I get a cash payout for AI adoption spending under EIS?

No. The cash conversion option (up to S$100,000 of expenditure at a 20% rate, capped at S$20,000 cash per YA) applies only to the five original qualifying activities. The new AI-adoption category is deduction-only.

Can EIS be combined with EDG, PSG, or TSS on the same project?

Yes — they operate independently. A grant reduces the upfront cost; EIS is then claimed against whatever the business still spent out of pocket, at tax-filing time.

What counts as “qualifying AI expenditure”?

IRAS indicated the detailed list would be published separately from the initial Budget 2026 announcement. Based on public commentary so far, it’s expected to cover AI system subscriptions and licensing, implementation/integration costs, and related capability-building — but businesses should check IRAS’s EIS page directly, or ask their tax agent, before relying on this for a specific claim.

Do I need a Singapore-registered company to claim EIS?

Yes, for the tax deduction route. The scheme is built around Singapore corporate tax filing, so it applies to Singapore-incorporated businesses carrying on a trade or business here.

September 9, 2026