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“My sincere appreciation goes Catherine, who has developed CFS into Singapore’s leading community foundation and a trusted philanthropy advisor. On behalf of the Board, I wish her the best for her future endeavours.”

13 Years of Impact

Under Ms Loh’s leadership, CFS contributed significantly to the growth of Singapore’s philanthropic sector. It is the largest provider of donor-advised funds, with 260 funds under management. It has raised over $337 million from donors, and disbursed more than S$197 million in grants to over 400 charities, non-profits and social enterprises.

In 2020, it started a nationwide Legacy Giving Initiative, paving a new way for charities to secure sustainable funding. CFS is also one of the pioneers of Community Impact Funds. These are pooled funds which enable donors to give a group of charities or social enterprises, in order to address specific societal needs.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CFS launched the Sayang Sayang Fund, which raised $9.7 million from more than 5,000 individual and corporate donors. The fund supported 276 community organisations and supported over 401,000 individuals.

Under Ms Loh’s leadership, CFS has maintained a strong commitment to good governance, winning the Charity Transparency Award for four consecutive years and the Charity Governance Award in 2019.

Ms Loh reflected: “Over the last 13 years, I am proud to have built CFS into a robust, trusted charitable organisation and contributed to the growth of the philanthropic sector with our donor-advised funds and pooled funds. We have nurtured a pool of committed philanthropists and actively promoted legacy giving as a sustainable source of funding for grantees. As I hand over the reins to Paul, I am confident he will take CFS to new heights.”

Bringing CFS Into the Next Chapter

Mr Tan joined CFS as Chief of Staff in August 2024 after completing his PhD at Nanyang Technological University, where he looks after the Strategic Planning and Finance functions.

He said: “It is a privilege to be entrusted with this role. I have been inspired by the transformative work CFS has accomplished since it started 16 years ago and will build on the foundation Catherine has laid. With Singapore’s vibrant non-profit scene, new societal needs and more discerning donors, there is much potential for doing good ahead for us. I look forward to working with my colleagues to cultivate a generous society where communities care for one another and thrive. Join me and CFS on its next lap of growth and impact.”

In addition to his professional achievements, Paul has a rich history of volunteerism, including serving on the boards of arts and cultural organisations and different government and philanthropic committees. Before joining CFS full-time, he contributed as a member of its Programmes and Grants sub-committee.