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The Community Foundation of Singapore launches new Sayang Sayang Fund

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) has established Sayang Sayang Fund to provide support for frontline healthcare workers as well as vulnerable communities impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.“Many people have approached us asking how they can help. They want to recognise and show appreciation to the healthcare staff who work tirelessly during this period of the novel coronavirus outbreak. As the only community foundation in Singapore, we are best placed to connect donors and community partners, and come together to support the needs of the communities,” said Catherine Loh, CEO of CFS.

CFS posing with their awards at the Charity Transparency and Governance Awards 2019

CFS wins two awards at the Charity Transparency and Governance Awards 2019

CFS wins two awards at the Charity Transparency and Governance Awards 2019: The Charity Governance Award – Special Commendation for Governance and Management – and the Charity Transparency AwardCFS is honoured to have won the Charity Governance Award – Special Commendation for Governance and Management – as well as the Charity Transparency Award. Conferred by the Charity Council, we were privileged to be amongst a select line-up of outstanding charities that were recognised for exemplary disclosure and transparency practices at the Charity Governance Awards dinner on 3 December 2019.

Standing man in blue shirt with wooden wall backdrop.

Including the Excluded: Everyone Plays a Part

Through working and volunteering in the non-profit sector, I often meet people living in dire circumstances. I vividly remember one incident while distributing breakfast to families living in public rental units. Speaking in simple English, the mother thanked us profusely for the warm porridge and noodles – generously contributed by a donor – so the money saved could go towards their monthly transport.Giving goes a long way. But recognising and acknowledging the realities of those in need may be just as important.

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

The Learning Initiatives for Employment (LIFT) Community Impact Fund (CIF) was launched in 2019 by The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), which provides vocational training and socio-emotional support for marginalised individuals in Singapore before placing them into jobs.CIFs are flagship programmes established by CFS in partnership with charities to address unmet needs or under-supported social issues in Singapore. It takes a ground-up approach to understand the needs of care recipients and outcomes they care about to ensure that they would truly benefit from these programmes.

A woman expertly prepares coffee in a bustling coffee shop, showcasing her barista skills amidst the aromatic ambiance.

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

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**.

A call for collaborative giving: Join hands to make a difference and contribute towards a common cause.

A Call for Collaborative Giving: Bridging the Divide for Persons with Disabilities

This second Colabs publication reveals some of the challenges that persons with disabilities in Singapore face integrating into our community, especially after 18 years of age. This includes the lack of sustainable employment options and other opportunities to participate meaningfully in society. Some suggestions for collaborative solutions – based in part on the collective feedback of over 80 participants in the series – are outlined in the publication which can be downloaded here.

Three individuals standing together in front of a screen, engaged in an activity or presentation.

CFS welcomes new Chairman Christine Ong, succeeding Laurence Lien

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) welcomes new Chairman Christine Ong on 1 April 2019, succeeding outgoing Chairman Laurence Lien. The handover was announced at the CFS Philanthropy Forum 2019 held on 18 March.Signalling a new phase for CFS as the organisation looks to the future, Christine brings extensive experience spanning 30 years from the banking and finance industry, with key leadership positions in Citibank and UBS. She has long been involved in volunteering and mentoring in community regeneration, education and the arts. At UBS, she started a community affairs programme which raised $3 million to support various causes around the region including educating disadvantaged young people in East Java and saving children from being used as drug mules in the Mekong sub-region.

A group of people posing (From left) James Tan, Tan-Wu Mei Ling, Justina Tan, Joyce Teo, Dr Ang Kiam Wee, Pang Sze Khai and Jacky Ang

Media release: The first Singapore Youth Impact Collective to empower disadvantaged youths

This is the first initiative in Singapore that uses the collective impact model, which enables funders and non-profits to own and address complex social issues in a coordinated manner.The Collective aims to increase the ability of disadvantaged youths to progress to working life through training and skills development.

Fresh off the press

Annual report 2018In financial year 2018, CFS received a total of $9.7 million in donations. We disbursed $12.4 million worth of grants to 186 charitable organisations supporting various causes. This year’s annual report also showcases CFS’s latest donor advised funds, grantmaking highlights, collaborative giving initiatives and recent events.

Media release: Community Foundation of Singapore celebrates 10th anniversary

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 partnersMore 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.

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