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The Business Times: EDIS manages CSR like a business
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The Business Times: EDIS manages CSR like a business

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For many, CSR (corporate social responsibility) has been an extracurricular activity, almost cosmetic in the way it sits outside the realm of real business. However, companies such as Economic Development Innovations Singapore (EDIS) are exceptions, given the way it manages its business – which is collaborative, sustained and in-depth.

EDIS is an international economic development company which undertakes the development and management of integrated industrial and urban areas.

Leveraging on its experience in Singapore, EDIS provides strategic advice to other countries. Innate to its business is the need for a long-term, strategic view, flexibility, and a nimble attitude, which it applies to CSR. Read more.

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护联中心新设135万元基金 打造更“好玩”乐龄护理

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如何鼓励年长者更积极地投入社交,活出精彩的老年生活?护联中心推出新的135万元基金“FUN! Fund”,鼓励业者把“好玩”融入乐龄护理计划。

配合11月1日的社区护理日,护联中心星期五(11月4日)举办社区护理领导系列,并在活动宣布推出新基金。

“FUN! Fund”由护联中心和新加坡社区基金会联合成立,致力于改善乐龄人士所面对的社交孤立现象,进而提升他们的身心健康。

社区护理业者可呈交计划书,提出创新的活动点子来带动乐龄人士的情绪,鼓励他们积极尝试新事物。例如,太和观庙弯活跃乐龄站推出“虚拟游乐场”,通过高科技系统和怀旧元素的“新旧”结合,带给乐龄人士别具特色的玩乐体验。

每项计划可获得高达五万元的资助款项。

除了成立基金,护联中心和新加坡社区基金会接下来三年也将在社区护理的四大方面展开合作,分别为:活跃乐龄、环境和社区空间、人力和业务连续性。

阅读更多:Fun! Fund

信用:联合早报©新报业媒体有限公司。复制需要许可

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Celebrating 15 Years of Impact: CFS Annual Report 2024

We are pleased to share our 2024 Annual Report, celebrating The Community Foundation of Singapore’s 15th anniversary. This year’s report outlines our progress over the years, and reinforces our firm commitment to being the community foundation focused on uplifting and supporting communities across Singapore.

We are pleased to share our 2024 Annual Report, celebrating The Community Foundation of Singapore’s 15th anniversary. This year’s report outlines our progress over the years, and reinforces our firm commitment to being the community foundation focused on uplifting and supporting communities across Singapore.

A Year of Exceptional Grantmaking

FY2023 was a year of growth, particularly in the areas of grantmaking and capability building. We distributed $22.5 million to 240 grantees, a 32% rise from the previous year, and enhanced our human resources to address growing industry demands.

Key Highlights for FY2023:

  • Surpassed $300 million in total donations, thanks to our generous donors 
  • Awarded the Charity Transparency Award and the Friends of Community Care Award
  • Launched The Collective for a Stronger Society to support social mobility for lower-income families
  • Significant tech upgrades to our CRM system, website, and new donor portal

Looking Ahead

The Community Foundation of Singapore remains steadfast in our dedication to inspiring philanthropy and cultivating cohesive and compassionate communities. Check out our 2024 Annual Report to learn more about our collaboration with donors and the community.

Contact us to be part of our mission. Together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Stories Of Impact

Minding the gaps: 10 friends collaborate to take on social issues in Singapore

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10 charities received donations from Mind the Gap 200 (MtG200) fund at the SG Cares “Celebrating our Culture of Care” closing event at Tampines Hub in August 2019.

Widening social inequality, an ageing population, and the threat of climate change – these are the issues that frame our world today. Amidst increasing recognition of these complex issues, a group of ten donors have come together to establish Mind the Gap 200 (MtG 200), a multi-fund project, with the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS). Thus far, S$10 million has been raised.

The brainchild of Mr Tow Heng Tan, CEO of Pavilion Capital, MtG 200 is the first ever collective of donor advised funds to address social issues across multiple sectors in Singapore. MtG 200 will provide support to four areas of focus: community, education, healthcare and sustainability.

Since July 2019, MtG 200 has disbursed over $2m to a variety of initiatives that fall under its four focus areas. Close to $1m has been used to fund palliative care training, facilities and other in-patient programmes across charities such as Assisi Hospice and St. Luke’s Hospital. More than half a million will go to resourcing educational programmes across life stages – from early childhood initiatives right up to bursaries at the tertiary level.

During the SG Care’s bicentennial celebrations in August 2019, $200,000 was disbursed to a total of 10 charities, such as Stroke Support Station Ltd, YMCA, Very Special Arts Singapore and Waterways Watch Society. Finally, a further $150,000 has gone to fund training and job coaching to help socially excluded groups secure permanent employment.

The idea of launching a group of donor funds under a common umbrella took root in 2017. Back then, the word ‘divide’ regularly appeared in the news as well as in conversations. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also spoke about social issues at Singapore’s National Day Rally. The idea for the MtG 200 was thus born – with its aim to contribute towards a stronger and more cohesive society that will last another 200 years and beyond. Mr Tow rallied like-minded friends, and through his passionate advocacy, MtG 200 is now spearheaded by ten donor sponsors, many of whom are business professionals.

For Mr David Heng, CEO of ABC World Asia, MtG 200 was an opportunity to balance head and heart. He says, “Sustainability is an issue I think about every day, but more so from the investment angle. The MtG 200 project helps me to cover the non-investment aspect. I hope my friends will see the value in this project and lend their support.”

Others, like Mr Chew Sutat, are already active champions of social causes. As the executive vice president of the Singapore Exchange (SGX), Mr Chew is also chairman of the SGX Bull Charge, SGX’s flagship charity initiative and chairman of mental health charity Caregivers Alliance Limited. Mr Chew, whose focus is on supporting caregivers, says, “By expressing solidarity with those in need, philanthropic giving has helped to alleviate social tensions that inevitably surface over time.”

For Mr Teng Ngiek Lian, MtG 200 complements his personal endowment fund called The Silent Foundation, which focuses on disadvantaged groups. Under the MtG 200 group, he helms the Singapore Unity Fund, aimed at addressing social divides. “One way we can effectively tackle inequality is to help the underprivileged attain upward social mobility, while simultaneously upholding the tenets of meritocracy. MtG 200 is a small step towards supporting the less advantaged, and helping them change their circumstances,” he added.

Mr Tung Chi Fung, CEO of Sheng Ye Capital and donor sponsor of the Knowledge Fund, echoes this sentiment, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. We hope to help disadvantaged young people to bridge the knowledge gap.”

Tapping on CFS’s deep understanding of local issues, the MtG 200 group of funds are targeted at identified gaps. It will help to build capabilities in the sector and provide impactful solutions that can be sustained in the long-term. Take for instance, its Intergenerational Fund, which seeks to tackle social isolation of elders in Singapore through purposeful intergenerational interaction. Over $300,000 has been disbursed to support such programmes by charities Empower Ageing, All Saints Home and Viraya Community Services.

Professor Kua Ee Heok, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the National University of Singapore, champions The Mental Health Fund and has helped to provide charities with limited fund-raising capacity with much needed support as they continue to advocate for mental well-being. The fund will also support mental health and resilience research and services for the young and old alike.

Ultimately, the vision of MtG 200 is to be a timely reminder for all of us to ‘mind the gap’ in our lives and to work with others in making a difference. Mr Tow expresses, “MtG 200 is a collaborative effort. Without the support of like-minded friends, this would not have gotten off the ground. With the support of CFS, together we can create an impact that will be exponentially bigger than what we can ever achieve as individuals.”

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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”。

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The Community Foundation of Singapore to lead legacy giving initiative

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The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) will be leading the legacy giving initiative and partnering with key stakeholders to grow the giving culture in Singapore.

As Singapore’s only community foundation, CFS is fortunate to build on over 11 years of experience, to bring donors, charities and other stakeholders together. Donors have already trusted CFS with over $160 million in donations. More than one-third of these are legacy gifts, which are used to support causes across different sectors, including health, education, research, arts, social and welfare services.

The three-year initiative, which will be launched in the latter half of 2020, aims to reach out to three audiences: donors, professional advisors and charities.

Legacy is a broad concept. Legacy gifts refer to planned, future donations. This could include cash, marketable securities, insurance policies, CPF monies and marketable assets such as real estate. Legacy gifts are far more than planned donations from a person’s assets after death. They can mark important moments in life and honour the memory and achievements of a loved one. Anyone can make a legacy gift.

Donors interested in making legacy gifts today want more knowledge to make informed choices and accountability for their gifts. CFS will address these needs by promoting awareness, building and sharing knowledge and supporting action. CFS will provide choices and trusted advice to make gifts meaningful and impactful for future generations.

We will also reach out to professional advisors on ways and tools to help their clients structure their giving. CFS will help charities tap into legacy giving to enable sustainability and augment service delivery to their beneficiaries.

“We look forward to working with partners to co-create the future and strengthen our culture of care. Together, we can dream of a future where thinking about one’s legacy and discussing planned gifts in everyday conversations are no longer the exception, but part and parcel of our giving culture,” said Catherine Loh, CEO of CFS.

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/.

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