Resources

Giving from strength to strength

In the Community Foundation of Singapore’s (CFS) first year of operation, few individuals wanted to talk to us about philanthropy. Thanks to a founding group of seven donors in 2008 who placed their faith in us, we started to see growth.As CFS commemorates its 10th anniversary, we are delighted to witness how our carefully cultivated seeds to enable philanthropy have borne fruit. Earlier this month, the Straits Times published an article More wealthy donors setting up private charity funds highlighting the encouraging trends amongst private donors in Singapore and featuring two of our donors here and here.

A room of elderly people doing head exercises

The Straits Times – Volunteerism rate needs to be 70 per cent with ageing population: Grace Fu

In an effort to create a caring and empowering environment for its rapidly ageing population, Singapore hopes to double its volunteerism rate from one in three currently to 70 per cent in five years’ time.“We hope for Singapore to grow as a giving nation with a volunteer in every household,” Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said in a keynote address on Tuesday (June 5) at the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network’s (AVPN) conference

Ms Trina Liang-Lin on a couch posing for a photo

The Straits Times – Fund marks 20 years of marriage for couple

About six months before Ms Trina Liang-Lin’s 20th wedding anniversary on June 2016, she mulled over how to make the occasion meaningful.“My husband and I did not want just another party,” said Ms Liang-Lin, 47, managing director of investment research consulting firm Templebridge Investments.
She is married to Mr Ed Lin, 49, partner and director of the Singapore office of Bain & Company, a global management consultancy.

The Straits Times – More wealthy donors setting up private charity funds

More wealthy people are setting up private charity funds through which they can give away their riches, according to a foundation that helps such individuals set up the funds.The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) said it has seen the number of individual donors rise from seven in 2008 to 97 this year. Each of the funds must have at least $200,000.

Mr Govind Bommi posing infront of the camera advocating for giving back to the community with elderly people in the back

The Straits Times – PR gives back by boosting senior welfare

After 20 years in this country, which he now calls home and where he was able to start and grow a successful business in water filtration, Mr Govind Bommi thought it was time to give back.He called his lawyer in 2015, and said he wanted to start his own charity fund.

The Art of Giving – 4 Questions with Ms Catherine Loh

CEO Catherine Loh was featured in the National Arts Council’s latest issue of The Art of Giving offering her insights on encouraging giving to the arts.

Lunar New Year 2018 – Celebrating a decade of growing giving to impact

CFS’s 10th anniversary celebrations kicked off to a wonderful start with a Lunar New Year lunch on 1 March.Themed “A decade of giving and gratitude”, the event was a testament to CFS’s journey from a quiet start-up a decade ago to a thriving organisation today.

Colabs: doing more for persons with disabilities

As persons with disabilities reach age 18 and exit the school system, they face new life challenges, including living their desired life and gaining access to care and support. With a keen eye on identifying opportunities to improve the lives of these individuals, we kicked off the Colabs Disability series which focused on engagement pathways and employment through catalysing cross-sector collaboration.As part of the series, participants were recently invited to the MINDS’ Idea Employment Development Centre to understand what a sheltered employment workshop in Singapore would look like. Made up of a diverse group, including social enterprises, corporates, philanthropic institutions, government agencies and non-profits, the group bonded over a common desire to learn and do more for persons with disabilities.

Making collaboration a reality

Collaboration for social change has been a hot topic of late. Collaboration’s appeal is apparent in a world beset by complex and evolving social issues — alone we can only do so much, but work together, and look at the change we can achieve.In the same vein, Colabs, a philanthropic initiative by the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) and National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), drives collaboration by bringing together the public, private and social sectors to tackle complex social issues. In particular, Colabs aims to empower givers to discover the roles they can play alongside existing efforts by government and non-profits.

two men standing and talking with red bags

Lianhe Zaobao: More companies and individuals seeking professionals to manage their charitable funds

新加坡社区基金会成立10年来，设立或管理的慈善基金从2008年的两个增至今年2月的110个，而基金会筹获的善款也已达1亿元，发放的款项达6000万元，惠及的慈善团体多达400个。Song Huichun