An ENABLER fund that helps jumpstart the industry by encouraging new entrants and supporting players in their efforts to upgrade and professionalise themselves. It will fund up to 80% of the costs incurred for approved items, subject to a cap of $50,000, based on a co-payment principle.

Eligibility

The Fund is open to:

Any company, regardless of size, that wants to embark on new services or activities that provide gender balanced social interaction opportunities to singles. These services or activities must not have commenced at the point of application; Existing local/foreign dating agencies that wish to upgrade or diversify their businesses locally; Aspiring local entrepreneurs who wish to set up dating agencies; and Companies established in other businesses that wish to venture into the dating business.

Dating and matchmaking agencies are defined as entities engaged in the business of providing matchmaking - both offline (i.e. Personalised One-to-One Introduction and/or the organisation of social interaction activities) and online (including Computer Matchmaking and other dating services offered via a website) - dating services. Dating services offered must target and involve only local resident singles, so as to boost the level of social interaction within and among the local singles' population with the aim of helping them find their life partners.

Once approved, agencies/companies are committed to:

Engage in and offer matchmaking and/or dating services which target and involve only local resident singles; Screen all clients against ROM/ROMM records regularly (to indicate frequency of screening in proposal); and Be accredited by SDU/MCYS. Companies are required to show proof that they have taken steps to get accredited. Accreditation must take place within the period of funding.

Fund Usage

(i) For new businesses

The funding can cover the following areas:

Marketing and promotion of dating services; Training on matchmaking techniques and relationship issues; Developing database management & matchmaking system; Conducting feasibility studies for gauging demand for services (applicable for foreign companies only); and Accreditation fees for dating agencies.

(ii) For existing agencies

Funding is only for accreditation fees and any additional operating cost of      new initiatives.

Proposal

Please include the following information in the proposal:

Project title Funds requested for Products/services offering (For existing agencies, please indicate current services offered and the new services that you are requesting funding for.) Business/project objective/s and goals Target customers Business and marketing strategies (e.g. unique selling point) Benefits of the project Application of innovation and/or technology in the business Project deliverables and methods of evaluation Cost breakdown of funds required, as indicated in point 2 (Please provide payment schedule according to fulfillment of key milestones.) For existing businesses, please provide past 3 years' financial statements. If your company was set up less than a year ago, please provide Profit and Loss Statements for the past 3 months. Business plans over the next 5 years Implementation and monitoring plans Scalability of the business models Future plans (if any)

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following key criteria:

Business and Marketing Strategy - New business or building upon an existing business - Plans to grow the market - Marketing and promotion strategy Sustainability (in terms of breaking even and number of marriages/matches) - Feasibility of business model - Financial sustainability and scalability of the business - Expected expenditure and projected revenue from new initiative/s or project Clear deliverables e.g., increase usage of service and number of successful matches Creativity and Innovation Management Competence (in terms of manpower and expertise) - Track record of company - Strength of management team - Orientation of team towards results, accountability and sound business principles

Disbursement

The Fund will be disbursed in phases:-

First 20 - 50 % for items approved; Remaining amount based on staggered disbursements upon fulfillment of key milestones (e.g. delivery of interim outcomes and upon fruition of business plan); Other disbursement schedule may be reviewed on case-by-case, based on the marketing plan, and after companies are accredited by MCYS/SDU.

Approval

Approval of the proposal is at the sole discretion of The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel. The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel is not obliged to state the reasons for its decision.

The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel reserves the right to appoint representatives to conduct on-site visits during the screening/evaluation process of the proposal and may request for interim reporting of deliverables as and when required.

Successful agencies whose proposals are approved by The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel will be required to sign a Letter of Agreement with the Government.