SBF works in close partnership with TACs in our key roles as bridge, facilitator and enabler to support the business community in Singapore.  

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TACs

Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) play important roles as multipliers and conduits to help companies in their respective sectors, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, with their business transformation and growth. TACs also play a catalytic role in bringing multiple stakeholders together to pursue common goals for mutual benefits.

SBF aims to be an effective aggregator and enabler in bringing TACs together as One TAC community and building a strong TAC ecosystem in Singapore to better support the wider business community through a 3 “Cs” approach.

Connect A more connected community will allow more opportunities for collaborations and facilitate cross-sharing among TACs. SBF seeks to create a vibrant TAC ecosystem by widening the network of TACs working together.
CultivateTo better support businesses that TACs represent, SBF seeks to work with and help TACs to build up their own internal capabilities, to uplift and strengthen themselves.
CollaborateTACs can become stronger and more effective by working together. SBF seeks to enable collaborations and bring TACs together to do things jointly.

SBF works with and supports TACs who are Associate Members of SBF through a three-pronged strategy:

  • Provide opportunities for TACs to network and connect with each other, enabling cross- collaboration and cross pollination of ideas.
  • Play the aggregator role to spearhead initiatives with TACs to address industry and meet emerging needs.
  • Support TACs to increase value-add to members by working with other TACs and pooling resources on joint initiatives including advocacy, dialogues with Ministers, conversations with businesses and capability building. 

Join SBF as an Associate Member

TACs interested to join SBF as an Associate Member can click here.

List of TACs that are Associate Members of SBF  

Overview 

On 5 September 2017 at the official opening of the SBF and SBF Foundation offices, SBF announced the formation of the TAC Alliance, comprising 31 Singapore-based TACs and business groups as founding members and signatories of a TAC Compact. An SBF-led initiative, the TAC Compact aims to unify Singapore-based TACs into an alliance, working together as strategic partners and collaborators to further the interests of members and facilitate the growth of the business community.

Since its formation in September 2017, the TAC Alliance has worked on various initiatives to uplift the effectiveness of TACs. As the operating environment businesses continues to evolve, it is opportune for the TAC Alliance to re-calibrate to see how it can continue to be an effective voice for businesses. This was reflected in a survey conducted in September 2021 where TAC Alliance members highlighted the need to focus on capability development within TACs as well as organising the TAC community to better amplify the voices of businesses as one TAC community.

SBF is working with the TAC Alliance members to revamp and refresh the TAC Alliance.

More details of the TAC Alliance 2.0 coming soon.

Overview 

The TAC Roundtables is a newly created structured platform for TACs to network, exchange views, and co-create action-oriented outcomes that like-minded TACs could take forward as a collective voice. Through the roundtables, TACs can:

  1. Gain knowledge and insights on global and business trends and better appreciate the transitions and challenges that businesses face.
  2. Collaborate and champion projects with like-minded TACs, businesses and the government to capture opportunities and bridge gaps.
  3. Learn, share and network with one another to build a stronger TAC community. 

The topics of discussion for the roundtables shall align with how businesses can capture growth opportunities and areas that TACs need to scale-up and reskill to stay relevant and be effective enablers of industry transformation.

Roundtables Conducted

TAC Roundtable on Digitalisation (9 February 2022)
SBF partnered SGTech for the inaugural TAC Roundtable which focused on the important topic of “Digitalisation”. Attended by more than 30 TAC leaders, the half-day session comprised two breakout discussions on “Adopting Advance Technology for the Industry” and “Digital Transformation of TACs”.

Arising from the roundtable, SBF and SGTech will jointly set-up three workstreams in 2H2022. These are:

  1. Driving the uptake of digitalisation for SMEs.
  2. Building trust in the Digital Space for greater business resilience.
  3. Establishing knowledge-ready TACs.

If you would like to have a copy of the summary report or with to know more about any of the three workstreams, please contact the Membership and TAC Engagement team using our Enquiry Form.

TAC Roundtable on Sustainability (20 April 2022)

SBF partnered the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and Global Compact Network Singapore to conduct the TAC roundtable on Sustainability. The roundtable was attended by more than 30 TAC leaders who contributed invaluable insights on unlocking green value chain opportunities and building enterprise capability for Singapore’s green transition.

Please click here to download a copy of SBF’s policy paper titled “Sustainability in Business, Sustainability as Business: Green Growth Opportunities for Singapore Companies”.

Overview

Initiated by SBF, the OneTAC SG App is a “For TACs, By TACs” tool that aims to bring TACs to learn, share and connect.

Launch of OneTAC SG Platform

Objectives

SBF aims to foster a more connected community that TACs can mutually benefit from by leveraging one another’s strengths and resources. The OneTAC SG App can:

  1. Enable efficient information sharing – Disseminate government polices and updates, share useful articles on key economic trends, current topics etc.
  2. Highlight key TAC-wide information – TAC events calendar, programmes and initiatives for TACs.
  3. Make networking easier – Direct messaging, a safe discussion space and getting insights through polls and surveys.

Who is it for?

The OneTAC SG App is for all TACs in Singapore and their secretariat staff. SBF is offering complimentary use of the App for all TACs and their secretariat staff for one year.

If you would like to find out more about joining the OneTAC SG platform, please contact the Membership and TAC Engagement team using our Enquiry Form.

Overview

The TAC knowledge series brings TAC secretariats together to learn and gain insights on common and foundational issues faced by TACs. The three-part knowledge series is organised jointly by SBF and Enterprise Singapore.

Two sessions were conducted on "Governance, Risk and Internal Controls" and "Cybersecurity and Data Protection" in May and September 2022. 

Upcoming Run

More details on the upcoming run on “Human Capital Development - Attracting and Retaining TAC Secretariats" will be shared shortly.

To provide feedback on the TAC knowledge series including the topics that the series could cover, please contact the Membership and TAC Engagement team using our Enquiry Form.

Overview

Digitalisation is a key enabler for business growth. To help businesses with their digital journeys, TACs must also digitalise and adopt solutions to remain relevant. Jointly led by SBF and SGTech, the Digitalisation of TACs (Digi-TAC) Programme aims to support Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) to be digital at the core.

Digi-TAC will support TACs in two areas:

  1. Adoption of digital solutions to improve and boost capabilities in key corporate functions; and
  2. Training of TAC secretariat staff to equip them with foundational digital capabilities to enable them to support their respective industries and members.

To make this transition easy for TACs, a list of pre-approved solutions and training courses will be curated. The solutions are assessed to be market-proven, cost-effective, and supported by reliable vendors. Eligible TACs can tap on Digi-TAC for funding support to offset the costs of adopting these pre-approved digital solutions and training courses, up to a prevailing grant cap per TAC.

Programme Period and Funding Support

Digi-TAC is supported by Enterprise Singapore. Eligible TACs can apply to participate in Digi-TAC from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2025. Applications will be evaluated and are subject to approval.

The grant amount allocated to each TAC is $60,000 throughout the three-year programme period, with an annual grant cap of $30,000 per programme year. Eligible TACs will have their annual grant cap refreshed at the start of the next programme year (1 August of every year).

TACs will receive 70% support on qualifying costs throughout Digi-TAC.

Eligibility

TACs can apply for Digi-TAC if they meet the following criteria:

  1. Must be a Trade Association or Chamber of Commerce registered with the Registry of Societies or ACRA;
  2. Must represent the business interests of a trade(s) or industry sector(s) whose members are operating in or from Singapore;
  3. Has a Management Committee or Board or Council overseeing the activities of the TAC;
  4. Operating full-time from Singapore in a proper office set-up located in a commercial building or equivalent and has a local telephone number;
  5. Has at least three full-time salaried employees working in the TAC;
  6. Has at least 50 members with at least 75% of them being SMEs;
  7. Has not obtained other funding from government agencies for a similar project; and
  8. Has not installed up-to-date equipment and/or solutions for the digital capabilities that TAC is applying for support under this programme within the past three (3) years.

List of Pre-approved Solutions and Training Courses

Click HERE for the list of pre-approved solutions and training courses.

Apply

Submit your application by following three simple steps:

Step 1: Access the list of pre-approved solutions and training courses and identify relevant solutions and training courses that best suit your TAC’s needs.

Step 2: Get a quotation from the pre-approved vendor you have chosen.

Step 3: Click HERE to fill-up and submit the completed application form.

Upon receiving the application and supporting documents, SBF will verify the information furnished. If the application and documents are in order, we will notify you of SBF’s acceptance of the application via email. Thereafter, it will take about 8 weeks to evaluate the application.

If you are a vendor or a training provider and would like to find out more about becoming a pre-approved vendor or having a training course placed under the pre-approved list, please write to [email protected]

If you are a TAC and would like to find out more about applying for Digi-TAC, please contact the Digi-TAC Team using our Enquiry Form.

Overview

Honing relevant leadership skills will prepare current and future leaders to lead and propel their TACs and the industries they represent forward. Led by SBF, the TAC Fellowship Programme (TFP) for leadership development aims to upskill TAC secretariat leaders and groom promising senior secretariat staff to build up the pipeline of next generation of leaders for TACs. The TFP will provide existing and future TAC leaders with a fellowship award as well as put them through a specially designed TAC Leadership Development Programme (TLDP).

Participating TACs can nominate suitable secretariat leaders at the Executive Director and Director levels as well as capable and talented senior Secretariat staff who demonstrate the competency to move up to these levels for the TFP.

Programme Period and Funding Support

The TFP is supported by Enterprise Singapore.

Eligible TACs can nominate suitable secretariat staff to join the TFP from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2025. Nominations will be evaluated and are subject to approval by a panel. All approved nominees will be known as TAC Fellows and will be put through the TAC Leadership Development Programme (TLDP).

Upon completion of the TLDP, the TAC Fellows will each receive a Fellowship Award of $5,000 in cash. TAC Fellows will be required to serve a one-year service period at the nominating TAC.

TACs whose nominated candidate is accepted as a TAC Fellow can receive subsidy of up to 90% for course fees for TLDP as well as 90% funding for the Fellowship Award. TACs are required to bear the balance costs and all CPF-payable levied on the Fellowship Award.

Eligibility

TACs can nominate secretariat staff to join the TFP if they meet the following criteria:

  1. Registered as a Trade Association or Chamber of Commerce under ROS or ACRA.
  2. Represents the business interests of a trade(s) or industry sector(s) whose members are operating in and from Singapore.
  3. Has a management committee, board or council overseeing activities of the TAC.
  4. Has at least three full-time salaried employees working in the TAC.

To be nominated to join the TFP, the secretariat staff must meet the following criteria:

  1. Has at least 5 years of relevant full-time working experience in a TAC.
  2. Is a Singapore Citizen.
  3. Full-time employee of the TAC.
  4. Is a Head of Department or equivalent and above.
  5. Possesses minimum qualification of Diploma or equivalent.
  6. Is not bonded under an existing scholarship or bursary with bond.
  7. Is not seconded by another organisation or agency to the applicant TAC.

TAC Leadership Development Programme

The TAC Leadership Development Programme (TLDP) is a 6-month part-time programme jointly delivered by SBF and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to develop TAC Secretariat leaders and build up the next generation of TAC leaders. Through TLDP, participants can gain new insights and skills to uplift his / her competencies and capabilities as a TAC leader.

The TLDP is a three-stage programme comprising 8 modules and totalling 50 training hours. Please see details below.

StagesModulesDescriptionDuration
Stage 1
Introduction
1Roundtable Discussion on Mega Trends, Opportunities & Threats, and Future of TACs6 hours
2Design Thinking Workshop17 hours
Stage 2
Knowledge Building Modules
3Leadership and Strategies4 hours per module
4Members, Board & Stakeholder Management
5Marketing & Public Relations
6Human Capital
7Business Model & Value Creation
Stage 3
Mentorship and Capstone
8Capstone Workshop (Group Project and Mentorship)3 hours
 
Capstone Presentation
2 hours

Apply

Nominate your staff to join the TFP by following two simple steps:

Step 1: Check if your TAC and the staff you would like to nominate meets the eligibility criteria.

Step 2: Click here to fill-up and submit the completed application form. 

Upon receiving the application and supporting documents, SBF will verify the information furnished. If the application and documents are in order, we will notify you of SBF’s acceptance of the application via email. Thereafter, it will take about 8 weeks to evaluate the application.

To find out more about nominating your secretariat staff for the TAC Fellowship Programme (TFP), please contact the TLAP Team using our Enquiry Form.