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Media release: Community Foundation of Singapore celebrates 10th anniversary

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Home Resources News Media release: Community Foundation of Singapore celebrates 10th anniversary

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Media release: Community Foundation of Singapore celebrates 10th anniversary

John Doe

Over S$60 million in grants have been disbursed by the foundation, which now manages more than 110 funds.
Collaboration, legacy, and impact to be of focus in the coming years.

September 5, 2018 – The Community Foundation of Singapore (“CFS” or the “Foundation”) turns10 this year and marked the milestone with a celebratory event at the Arts House today. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu was the guest of honour at the event, which was also attended by more than 120 guests comprising donors, charities and other partners.

Ensuring A Brighter Future for Vulnerable Families and Children

Group of elderly sitting around a round table

Family of Wisdom – Caring for persons with dementia and their caregivers

Three young men playing soccer on a field, displaying teamwork, agility, and passion for the sport.

Changi Foundation – Helping youths to realise their dreams

More than 110 charitable funds have been established with CFS since its inception in 2008. Over the past decade, it has raised more than S$100 million in donations and given out grants amounting to around S$60 million to over 400 charity partners that support a wide range of causes. These include animal welfare, arts and heritage, children, education, the environment, families, health, persons with disabilities, seniors, sports and youth. This puts CFS in good stead to help donors identify gaps and opportunities in the ecosystem, undertake due diligence on charities, and manage grants with a high degree of accountability to deliver lasting benefit.

“As an organisation known for its community knowledge, professionalism and strategic approach to giving, CFS has much to be proud of after a decade in the philanthropy sector. Singapore has progressed rapidly but the social challenges we face – from an ageing population to social inequality – have become more complex and interconnected. While the government tackles social issues on a large scale, there are gaps and needs that are in need of more support. It’s crucial for philanthropy to evolve to tackle these diverse issues within our community innovatively. By staying close to the evolving needs of diverse communities, CFS is able to consider the well-being of the community from multiple dimensions,” said Catherine Loh, Chief Executive Officer, CFS.

Collaboration is becoming increasingly important as it is impossible for a single player or the government to solve current social issues alone, given their complexity, scale, and scope. With collaborative partnerships, however, like-minded stakeholders can leverage their shared expertise, resources and skills to bring about change more effectively. In this spirit, CFS has partnered the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre to launch Colabs, a joint initiative that drives collaboration by bringing together philanthropists, businesses, non-profit organisations and sector experts to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and co-create solutions. Colabs recently released a guide that provides practical ways to help disadvantaged young persons in Singapore, following a series of roundtable talks and workshops attended by more than 100 representatives from 56 stakeholders with interests in this area.

Legacy is not only financial in nature, but also comprises personal and/or business values that are inculcated in children and handed down from generation to generation. With this in mind, CFS inspires donors to live generously and contribute to society in meaningful ways, giving in whatever capacity they can, regardless of the stage of life they are at. This resonates with donors, and more individuals are thinking about philanthropy even before they retire. Accordingly, the age profile of donors who set up individual funds with the foundation has evolved, with the proportion of donors doing so under the age of 50 increasing over the past decade. At the time of CFS’s inception in 2008, 14%* of donors were under 50. This percentage has since risen, with 40%* of all donors working with the foundation now being under 50 at the time their funds were established.

Moving forward, there will be an increasing focus on better assessing the impact of philanthropic initiatives on the community. To this end, CFS hopes to encourage more charity partners to incorporate output and outcome tracking in their programmes, taking both quantitative and qualitative measures into consideration.

*Based on the cumulative number of people who have set up individual donor funds, excluding corporate or collective funds. Some individual donor funds are established by couples and family members.

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John Doe

The competition was organised by City Harvest Community Services Association and received support from FUN! Fund, a Community Impact Fund jointly established by the Community Foundation of Singapore and the Agency for Integrated Care, with the aim of addressing social isolation among the elderly.

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development Mr Tan Kiat How attended the event. He encouraged the elderly to stay physically and mentally well, as well as urging them to participate in community activities and enjoy their golden years together.

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛：比赛限时反应要快

现年92岁的胡锦盛是最年长的参赛者。自2017年退休后，他几乎每天都到活跃乐龄中心报到，从此爱上了玩拉密，每次可玩上三个小时，在中心是“常胜将军”。

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, ANIMAL WELFARE, ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT, COLABS, COLLECTIVES, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, FAMILIES, HEALTH, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, NEWS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, SPORTS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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News

Our CEO Catherine Loh is an honouree of Tatler Asia’s Most Influential 2022

John Doe

Our CEO Catherine Loh is named as one of Asia’s Most Influential 2022 by Tatler Asia – joining the ranks of innovators, industry leaders and trailblazers who are recognised for driving positive change in the region and beyond. Honourees of Tatler Asia’s flagship list have contributed to advancements in public service and governance, technology, education, finance, the arts, and other vital sectors.

Under Catherine’s leadership, CFS galvanises over $250 million from generous donors, manages more than 190 funds and supports 400 non-profit organisations across various causes. Guided by her vision that donors can make meaningful social investments through philanthropy, CFS has been embracing innovative models of giving that are not only impactful, but sustainable as well.

CFS wins inaugural award for contributions to the community care sector

People in masks and aprons preparing food in a restaurant.

Learning Initiatives for Employment (LIFT) Community Impact Fund – Training and placing marginalised individuals into stable jobs

Business Times: Preserving a century-old legacy of giving

One such innovative model of giving is the Community Impact Fund, which enables philanthropy to tackle the most pressing social issues of our time. During the Covid-19 pandemic, CFS launched the Sayang Sayang Fund, a Community Impact Fund which raised over $10 million to support the emergency needs of various local communities. The Fund continues to give back to the community by providing emergency response to supporting ground-up initiatives and social organisations that create positive and long-term changes.

At CFS, we recognise that social needs and donor expectations are constantly evolving. In order to bring greater impact to communities in need, we have to become more innovative in the types of giving we offer while ensuring their sustainability and maintaining the trust the wider community has in us.

Catherine Loh

We want to thank the management and editorial team of Tatler Asia for the recognition.

Read Catherine’s feature in Tatler Asia at https://www.tatlerasia.com/people/catherine-loh.

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, ANIMAL WELFARE, ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT, COLABS, COLLECTIVES, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, FAMILIES, HEALTH, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, NEWS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, SPORTS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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News

Media release: CFS launches community impact fund to raise marginalised groups’ participation in the workforce

John Doe

Partners with social enterprises and charities to concurrently provide WSQ*-certified vocational training and social support.
Targets for 60% of participants to attain sustained employment**.

Singapore, May 23, 2019 – The Community Foundation of Singapore (“CFS”) has launched a new community impact fund to address social exclusion from the country’s workforce. Called the LIFT – short for Learning Initiatives for Employment – Community Impact Fund, it will support programmes that provide vocational training for marginalised groups in Singapore and place them in jobs in the open market.

The programmes are targeted at four marginalised groups – persons with disabilities, persons recovering from mental illnesses, disadvantaged women and youth-at-risk. Its focus is on helping them navigate and overcome barriers to securing sustained employment. This is done through equipping and supporting them with both hard and soft skills for obtaining and maintaining jobs in the food and beverage industry. The programmes may be expanded to span more industries in the future.

Giving back to society without fuss, the Singaporean way

Children dressed in bright costumes holding props while performing on stage

UBS Diversity in Abilities Concert – Celebrating the talents of children with special needs

Bright moon illuminating serene city park.

The Funding Network (TFN)

“Marginalised groups have largely been excluded from the labour market because of various stereotypes, stigmas and prejudices. This often leads to economic and social vulnerability that follows them for life. We hope to pilot new pathways to help the vulnerable make a living, improve their self-esteem and become more involved in society,” said Joyce Teo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at CFS. “LIFT meets this need in a holistic manner by concurrently providing participants with technical training, social support and job coaching to help them manage socio-emotional and financial stressors while they learn and work. Ultimately, the aim is to help them get and stay employed with the help of the community.”

The fund aims to support an initial 90 participants with a total of 12,600 hours of WSQ-certified vocational training (over a three month period per participant on average), as well as 5,400 hours of job matching, job placement and on-the-job coaching support. This works out to an average of 140 hours of vocational training and a further 60 hours of post-training support each. During the training phase, participants will also receive ongoing social support from charity partners to minimise or resolve family and/or other issues that may otherwise derail their learning.

Potential participants will first be identified and referred by IPC (Institute of a Public Character) charities, and then assessed in terms of attitude, aptitude as well as potential for employment. Successful candidates will then be trained by one of two social enterprises working alongside CFS as programme providers – Project Dignity will train participants for kitchen and service jobs while Bettr Barista will train participants to be baristas, and both will also provide job attachment opportunities during the training phase.

CFS aims for around 65% of participants to complete the training phase and for around 60% of graduates to be successfully placed into employment in open market conditions for at least three months – a milestone predictor of an individual’s ability to stay in sustained employment with regular income. To track the efficacy of the programmes, programme providers will, where possible, keep in touch with the participants for up to two years.

The establishment of the LIFT Community Impact Fund was catalysed by discussions that arose on the back of Colabs, an initiative by CFS and the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre that drives collaboration by bringing together the public, private and social sectors to learn and co-create solutions to tackle complex social issues in Singapore. Specifically, LIFT was sparked by talks with participants in a Colabs series that ran in the second half of 2017 and focused on persons with disabilities. The range of marginalised groups that stand to benefit from LIFT has been broadened to also include persons recovering from mental illnesses, disadvantaged women and youth-at-risk as there are considerable overlaps between these groups.

A guide providing practical ways to help persons with disabilities has been developed based on insights derived during the Colabs sessions. It outlines some of the challenges facing persons with disabilities, especially after they turn 18. These include the lack of employment options and opportunities for meaningful social interaction. It then suggests collaborative solutions targeted at three different levels – programme, organisation and sector. More details can be found on pages 9 to 14 of the guide, which can be downloaded here.

While an anchor donor has already been secured to seed the LIFT Community Impact Fund, CFS is looking to raise funds to cover the estimated S$528,000 required to support the programmes. Potential donors who wish to contribute to LIFT can visit Giving.sg or write to CFS at contactus@cf.org.sgfor more information.

CFS’s community impact funds help address unmet needs or under-supported causes in Singapore. Through collaborations with charity partners to identify gaps and co-develop programmes, these funds enable the disadvantaged to lead better lives with the support of the community at large. CFS currently has three other community impact funds – MEANS (Migrants Emergency Assistance and Support), Outing for Seniors and Safe Home.

(Photo: Bettr Barista)

* Workforce Skills Qualifications **For at least three months, a milestone predictor of an individual’s ability to stay in employment with regular income.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit dolor

John Doe

Learn more about FUN! Fund at https://www.cf.org.sg/fun-fund/.

The programme provides the children with a non-threatening platform to connect with peers and have positive conversations. In addition, it exposes them to different people who can assist to broaden their perspectives.
L.S., a volunteer with the Reading Odyssey programme @ Spooner Road

中心“常胜将军”胡锦盛：比赛限时反应要快

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, ANIMAL WELFARE, ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT, COLABS, COLLECTIVES, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, FAMILIES, HEALTH, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, NEWS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, SPORTS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

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Events

CFS Celebrates 15 Years of Enabling Philanthropy

March 22, 2024

On 14th February 2024, CFS marked its 15th Anniversary with a Chinese New Year “Lohei” (Prosperity Toss) celebration. The event was graced by Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and gathered nearly 160 donors, charity partners, and business associates, both longstanding and new.

As a community foundation, we aspire to champion effective philanthropy with purposeful and informed givers, to uplift lives and catalyse positive change. We want to build communities that care and thrive together.

Ms Catherine Loh, CEO of CFS

Celebrating 15 Years of Impact: CFS Annual Report 2024

Secure And Impactful Philanthropy: CFS Clinches Cyber Essentials Mark

Set up during the covid-19 pandemic, Sayang Sayang Fund raised $9.7m over three years, supporting over 400,000 lives
应疫情设立 Sayang Sayang基金三年筹970万元惠及40万人

Unveiling the Sayang Sayang Fund Report was a great way to mark our 15th year, as it displayed the power of collective impact and love for our community. Established as an emergency response fund at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to support vulnerable groups, the Sayang Sayang Fund (SSF) impacted the lives of over 401,000 beneficiaries in Singapore. In a span of three years, an impressive $9.7 million was raised, showcasing the remarkable generosity and willingness of the community to offer their support.

As a philanthropic advisor and grantmaker, CFS links donors with well-governed charities that champion the causes closest to their hearts, to offer funding for beneficiaries to thrive. Two SSF grantees, ITE and Care Corner Singapore, shared about their programmes for lower-income students and children with learning difficulties and special needs respectively. Guests were then charmed by a captivating performance by two talented scholars from The TENG Company, which is also a CFS grantee for their Music for Wellness and Comfort initiative. 12-year-old Li Zhixin took command of the stage with a melodic piece on the Ruan, while Ee Anzhi, aged 11, held the audience in awe by masterfully sustaining a long tone on the Dizi using the highly challenging technique of circular breathing.

As the luncheon drew to a close, Ms Radha Basu, Senior Director of the Centre of Applied Philanthropy (CAP) at CFS invited donors and partners to participate in The Collective for a Stronger Society. Convened by CFS in partnership with MFS and Community Chest, the Collective will bring together donors, non-profits, public and private organisations to offer a coordinated series of cross-sector programmes and initiatives to uplift, enable and empower lower-income families. Find out more here.

We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this event a successful and memorable one. Here’s to many more years of impactful giving!

Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, ANIMAL WELFARE, ARTS & HERITAGE, CHARITY STORIES, CHILDREN, CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT, COLABS, COLLECTIVES, DONOR STORIES, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, FAMILIES, HEALTH, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, NEWS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, SPORTS, STORIES OF IMPACT, YOUTH

Events

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Family Office Circle Webinar: Philanthropy in Singapore and the Region

John Doe

The Community Foundation of Singapore’s (CFS) CEO, Ms. Catherine Loh, was invited to speak at a virtual closed-door Family Office Circle event titled Philanthropy in Singapore and the Region on the 22nd of July, organised by the MAS-EDB Family Office Development Team[1] in partnership with the Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC) and CFS.

The event was attended by 55 international and local participants, involving single family offices and family foundations who had either set up or are setting up a presence in Singapore.

Visit by Moscow-based non-profit organisations

A group of musicians passionately performing on stage, captivating the audience with their melodious tunes.

Celebrating the journey home through music

Four women standing together in a room with a table, engaged in a conversation and displaying a sense of camaraderie.

Impact lives through savvy giving

Ms. Kelly Teo, Deputy Director and Head of MAS’ Banking Development Division, observed in her opening remarks that there was an increasing interest among single family offices, especially those involving the next-generation, to give back to society such as through philanthropy. This sentiment is corroborated by the UBS Family Office report 2020 which found that philanthropy is becoming the most important activity by the time of the third generation. However, many were unsure about how to start and who to give to. The Family Office Circle event was hence organised to share with single family offices about the philanthropy landscape and giving opportunities in Singapore and the region.

The crucial role of Philanthropy in Singapore

CFS’s CEO Ms Catherine Loh participated in a fireside chat, hosted by Ms. Stacey Choe, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of APC on Singapore’s philanthropy landscape, its gaps and opportunities.

Catherine spoke about the need for philanthropy in Singapore, despite being widely regarded as a wealthy country. She explained that due to the widening income gap, social inequality is deepened in our society, and philanthropic donations are needed to provide relief to those in need and to find long term solutions to reduce social inequality.

While Singapore does not have absolute poverty, relative poverty is a concern here. Research has shown that a family of 4 needs between S$2,500 to $2,950 a month in gross household income to live decently.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the lower income more seriously than those with higher incomes. The lower income and less educated are likely to find it challenging to pivot and adapt to a workplace that is changing due to technological advancements.

Singapore also requires solutions to a rapidly ageing society. Other critical areas of need would be looking at issues related to mental health and environment. All these issues are critical to the future stability of Singapore.

When asked about how we could support those who are most in need, Catherine answered that she would prefer donors to ask what kind of social change they would like to see instead. She said that asking that question would lead to effecting long term change, for instance, helping the poor to get out of the poverty cycle.

Catherine also extolled the benefits of participating in philanthropy, citing that families who engage in it together are happier and pass down shared values to the next generation. Philanthropy also reduces the income gap and promotes cohesion in countries, and benefits the rest of the region as well through exchange of expertise and the replication of successful philanthropic pilot programs.

A Donor’s Giving Journey

Catherine was delighted to have Mr. Govind Bommi, the Founder and Chairman of Filtrex Holding Pte. Ltd, to share his inspiring giving journey as a donor of CFS and what motivated him to give.

CFS donor Mr. Govind Bommi came from very humble beginnings. He was born in Bangalore, India, to a family of six children who lived off a single income.

Despite his family’s modest background, it was his mother’s generosity towards the beggars who came to his house in the evenings that made the deepest impression on him. It was her philosophy towards helping others that struck a chord with him and formed the basis of his own giving nature, leading to the founding of the Andal Cares Fund, named in honor of his mother.

Mr. Bommi now considers Singapore his home, after moving here 20 years ago. He set up a water filtration and purification company, and says it’s best to participate in the community that one lives in and find out how best you can help others. Currently, Mr Bommi’s Andal Cares Fund is administered and managed by CFS, and supports rehabilitation programmes by the Metta Association.

The Philanthropy Landscape in the region and its opportunities

The CEO of APC, Ms. Mafruza Khan gave an introduction to APC and the work that they do while COO Ms. Stacey Choe spoke about the philanthropy landscape in the region, its key trends and opportunities to build a better Asia through philanthropy together. She also shared about the unique challenges that philanthropists faced in Asia and suggested how philanthropists can convene together and collaborate to catalyze the necessary changes.

If you would like to learn more about philanthropy giving in Singapore, read here.

[1] A strategic partnership between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board.