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Visit by Moscow-based non-profit organisations
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Events

Events

Visit by Moscow-based non-profit organisations

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A Russian delegation comprising heads of various non-profit organisations and foundations recently visited the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) as part of a study trip organised by the NGOs Resource Centre of the City of Moscow.

The group’s main purpose was to meet with local non-profit organisations, exchange views and experiences as well as understand the impact the non-profit sector has on Singapore’s sustainability and quality of life.

The group represented various Moscow-based non-profit organisations providing support to disabled, sick or disadvantaged children, war veterans, environmental issues as well as promoting volunteerism and inclusive education and training with the help of new technologies.

During the lively two-hour session, we shared about our work with donors and charitable organisations, governance and marketing outreach. The participants and CFS team exchanged views on government support, tax benefits, fundraising and sustaining donor support – all of which are crucial to ensuring the long term survival of non-profit organisations around the world. The group was particularly interested in learning about how endowment funds generate sustainability for charities. They were also impressed by our recent ‘Portraits of generosity‘ campaign and how the role of marketing was important to achieving awareness and growth.

All in, it was an engaging and enriching experience with both sides gaining a better understanding of the common challenges non-profit organisations face. We hope to take up on the group’s invitation to make an exchange trip to Moscow one day

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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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Opinion

Accessing Quality Education: A Boost for the Last Leg

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As a follow-up to our last story, we now take a look at children as the next generation, and how we can empower them through philanthropy to be further educated.

Education is the great equaliser, as the old adage goes. Coined by American public education pioneer Horace Mann in 1848, education was seen as the tool for the disadvantaged to basically find better jobs and lift themselves out of poverty. For the last almost 200 years, that has remained largely true.

However, when an individual’s educational journey begins, factors such as the quality of education received and extracurricular resources have resulted in education itself being a source of inequality in society.

Which brings us to the maxim that “one has to spend money to make money”. In Singapore, preschool education, extra tuition, coaching lessons and post-secondary education all cost money (Dollars and Sense, 2022 and MoneySmart, 2022). Not every family will be able to afford that for their children.

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) supports programmes which boost the pre-, primary and secondary school education of children and youth from challenging backgrounds. It is important, however, that these minds continue to be nurtured as far as possible; not just for the sake of the youth and their families, but also for the sake of society, in which these youths will hopefully become contributing members.

For the families, the primary reason is that the higher an educational qualification one has, the stronger one’s earning power (Ministry of Manpower, 2021), enabling them to break out of the poverty cycle.

At a societal level, Singapore needs to maintain its highly skilled and educated workforce, which is what helps to keep our economy so competitive on the global landscape (EDB, 2022). To do this, it is imperative, as maintained by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, that the relevant skills are imparted, including through tertiary and continued education (The Straits Times, 2022).

It is heartening to know that many donors with CFS have chosen and continue to support the tertiary education of youths: from financial assistance for living expenses for Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students and study grants at polytechnics to awards and scholarships at universities, and more.

The late President Mr Nathan himself was a staunch supporter of helping tertiary students in need. The S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund (SRNEUF) was set up 11 years ago and has supported over 1,600 students since, including students from ITE, various polytechnics, the National University of Singapore and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).

“The SRNEUF believes in supporting youth from under-privileged backgrounds, giving them the chance to continue with their higher education so as to better realise their potential,” says Mr Bobby Chin, Grant Advisory Committee Chairman of the SRNEUF. “We are happy to have supported hundreds of youths over the years to further their education.”

One such SRNEUF beneficiary is SUSS student Iqbal, who aspires to be a social worker focusing on helping youth-at-risk or supporting the medical field. He shares that the study grant benefited him tremendously, helping his family with household expenses and allowing him to be more independent.

His cohort mate Pearlyn, also a SRNEUF beneficiary, reveals her dream to extend her help to society, after being inspired by the help from others that her family received during a crisis in 2020. On top of studying, she is tutoring primary school children to relieve the burden on her parents. She too expresses huge gratitude for the financial assistance from the SRNEUF.

Another CFS donor, who prefers anonymity, has been supporting ITE students with financial assistance for tuition fees, essential living expenses and even provided laptops. They also continued their support for ITE students who have gotten into polytechnics.

Jonathan Siong, one of their beneficiaries, shared: “When the pandemic hit, times were hard for many foreign students like myself, and my family was struggling. However, the donors helped me when I needed it the most. Without them, my education path would have stopped right at ITE.” He says that words cannot describe how thankful he is for their support and he hopes to become successful and in turn give back to the community.

Expressing her personal thanks to her benefactors, ITE alumna Chow Ying Shu, appreciates their contribution to her education as it helps to reduce her financial burdens, which in turn allows her to focus on her studies. She is currently pursuing her diploma in Hotel Management with their support. “This makes my goals that much more reachable,” she says, adding that their generosity will motivate her and serve as a reminder to always give back to society whenever she can in the future.

CFS appreciates all donors who are supporting youth from disadvantaged backgrounds in achieving their dreams and maximising their potential. Thanks to them, the future of the students as well as the Singaporean community looks a lot brighter.

To find out how you can support tertiary students from challenging backgrounds rise above adversity, please visit https://www.cf.org.sg/giving/ways-to-give/.

This article was written CFS Principal Consultant Reutens-Tan. He is an experienced sustainability advocate and practitioner, working closely with charities to build thriving communities, which he believes is key to a sustainable Singapore.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CFS or its members.

References

Dollars and Sense. (12 January 2022). How Much Do You Need To Afford A Full-Time Polytechnic Course In Singapore? https://dollarsandsense.sg/cost-guide-how-much-do-you-need-to-afford-a-full-time-polytechnic-course-in-singapore/  

Ministry of Manpower. (June 2021). Median Gross Monthly Income from Work (Including Employer CPF) of Full-Time Employed Residents Aged Fifteen Years and Over by Highest Qualification Attained, Age and Sex. https://stats.mom.gov.sg/iMAS_Tables1/LabourForce/LabourForce_2021/mrsd_2021LabourForce_T25.xlsx 

MoneySmart. (15 June 2022). NUS, NTU, SMU & Other Singapore University Degrees – How Much Do They Cost in 2022? https://blog.moneysmart.sg/education/singapore-university-education-cost/ 

Singapore Economic Development Board. (1 July 2022). World-class talent. https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/why-singapore/world-class-talent.html 

The Straits Times. (27 April 2022). Skills training must improve on 4 fronts for S’pore workforce to stay competitive: Chan Chun Sing. https://str.sg/w86n

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News

“最后一桶金”规划新现象 别让财富添乱使尽不留遗产

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John Doe
a person in a wheelchair throwing coins into a bag of money

这些年来越来越多人把部分遗产捐给慈善,甚至出现鼓吹“现在就花掉孩子遗产”的SKIN(Spend Your Kids’ Inheritance Now的缩略语)“使尽”现象。

世界首富之一比尔·盖茨多次承诺,把1130亿美元(约1595亿新元)财产几乎全捐给慈善,三个孩子各获1000万美元;他坚信留大笔钱给孩子绝对不是好事。

沃伦·巴菲特则宣布,一分也不留给三个孩子,会捐出所有给慈善。

本期《实况报道》请擅长信托和遗产事务的律师、法学教授和老年学学者谈SKIN“使尽”现象,并访问退休人士,了解不准备留太多给孩子的原因。

“不要留太多给孩子”的趋势渐长,有越来越多找律师办理遗嘱或信托事务的人,把部分遗产捐给慈善,或自设信托,以便更好地管理所支持的慈善事业。

两名擅长处理信托和遗产事务的资深律师告诉《联合早报》,积极行善的客户越来越多,一些甚至已定期捐钱给慈善机构,而不是等到过世后才这么做。

王律师事务所(WongPartnership LLP)专业人士及私人客户争议业务组负责人沈木英律师说,不论是用在自己身上、当礼物送给孩子或至爱,或是捐给慈善机构,财富在一个人还活着时是最有价值的。

“有的施予者享受从金钱得到的快乐,比如孩子或慈善机构向他表达感激之情,或通过捐钱做了好事而乐在其中。

“从这个角度,我可以明白为何一些人想在有生之年花光一切。”

她就见过一分钱也不给孩子的父母,有的因为跟孩子的关系恶劣,有的则因孩子挥金如土。相反的,也有继承遗产者积极行善,打算捐出大部分遗产。

福鼎律师事务所(Fortis Law Corporation)创办人陈子佳律师说,把遗产留给孩子是根深蒂固的传统价值观,但“花光”个人财产的做法也有益处。

他指出,父母留遗产给孩子理由很多,比如,在孩子成长期间常“缺席”,所以用遗赠示爱或表达愧疚。

有的因孩子是特需者,就用遗产设立信托,让孩子在他们离世后生活有照应。

“不论什么原因,孩子可能真的需要帮助,而留遗产给孩子的做法本身就能教导孩子施予的价值。”

沈木英说,虽然有客户认为孩子有一半的可能性会乱花遗产,但也有客户认为给孩子一笔钱,将有助于孩子取得成功。

 

设立慈善基金更好掌控财富

她指出,多数客户“守住”财富,是为孩子所需。一旦满足了孩子的需求,他们便会开始捐出行善。

不过,她留意到捐献者更有主动权,“与其直接捐钱给慈善机构,更多客户设立自己的慈善基金,以便更好掌控”。

她的一个客户选择帮某慈善机构设立医疗设施,再给予资助,而不是直接捐钱。

一些则每年把资产或生意赚取的部分收入捐给慈善,另一些把部分资产纳入慈善信托或基金,为慈善机构创造收入。

“还有一些给每个孩子一份财产,也给一份做慈善。也有客户设条件,要孩子先捐出所得遗产的10%,才能继承剩余的90%。”

沈木英指出,微软创办人比尔·盖茨累积的财富是子孙享用不尽的,所以设立慈善基金。但一般打工族以养家育儿为己任,慈善可能不是第一选项。

“事实是,越没钱的人,越要孩子过得比他们好,所以想方设法留下资产,但我认为帮孩子,不该凌驾于自己的需求和生活享受之上。”

陈子佳也认为,必须在SKIN和留遗产之间,取得平衡。

“我已立好遗嘱,也制定了持久授权书(LPA)。我确保自己有足够资源办好三件事:应付医药和退休开销,以及清还所有贷款和债务。”

 

孩子主动要求不要遗产

这些年来,陈子佳看到不少客户定期捐钱给慈善机构,有的甚至把遗产全捐给慈善。有些是因为他们的孩子能自给自足、明理和善良,叫父母留给较不幸者。

“我看到许多孩子,坚持父母不要列他们为受益人,把遗产转给有需要者或其他家庭成员,我就是其中一个。”

陈子佳坦言,他叫母亲把遗产留给兄弟姐妹、侄甥和慈善,“我希望以后我的孩子,也叫我不要列他们为遗产受益人”。

他感激父亲给他最好的教育:“做人要舍得。大舍大得,小舍小得,不舍不得。”

 

个案① :防子女争财产 卖掉大洋房

为了避免留下房子惹“后患”,七旬退休专业人士数年前毅然卖掉住了几十年的大洋房,搬到市区公寓,口袋满满地与老伴安享晚年。

问有三个子女的林大悟(化名),这样做难道不心痛不可惜?难道没想过把洋房留给其中一个孩子?

他语重心长说道,屋子太旧了,修理或重建都得花钱,租出去的话,租户不一定会爱惜房子,有问题也会来烦你。

“留的话,留给哪一个孩子?大家一定有不同意见。继承的人也未必喜欢屋子和地点,还是卖了干脆。我虽然知道房价以后会涨,但留下也有后患,除非你只有一个孩子。”

林大悟说,把财富传给下一代的传统观念是时候该调整了,但也不是改变一切,一分钱都不给儿孙。

他认为,给孩子的最佳礼物就是按他们的能力,让他们接受最好的教育,在有生之年尽可能帮助孩子,使他们可以自立、自组家庭,过安定的日子。

“给他们过多遗产,他们不会知道那些是你一辈子省吃俭用积攒而来的。钱到了他们手上变成零用钱,一下子就花光了,有时还嫌不够。”

“老年人必须确保能经济自立。钱在你口袋,总比在别人口袋好。你的辛苦钱一天不用,不花在自己身上,都还不是你的。但这么说也不是鼓励你挥霍乱花。”

他也说,儿女在事业和家庭起步阶段都须要帮助,但每个的情况不同,不要顾虑分配公平与否。

“最好孩子不需要你帮太久。他们有本事的话,其实不需要你,没本事,你即使有大把钱,也会惹争端。”

他感叹,有的父母尚在,手足之间就为了争夺资产而闹上公堂。“沒教好啊。父母尚未去世已经如此,不敢想象两老不在后,会搞出什么乱象。”

他眼看一些已故名人的孩子对簿公堂,“家家有本难念的经啊!身居高位的他们已是如此,平民百姓如我更不用说了。”

他指出,自己的孩子即使多好多孝顺,他们的伴侶却是未知数,“许多纷争都由此而起,因为他们对你这个长辈以及其他家庭成员的感情不同,到头来是利字当道。”

林大悟已立了遗嘱并制订LPA。“遗嘱和LPA直接了当,我俩其中一个有事,动产与不动产全交给还在的那一个,不会牵涉下一代。”

他说:“新加坡应该有中高档次、包伙食和提供医疗等服务的退休村,让付得起的老人有私人的服务式住所。”

林大悟的许多海外老年朋友就是这样卖了大房子,把钱用在退休村,有尊严地享受剩余岁月。

林大悟最后再三提醒,每个家庭的情况都不同,关键是老年人要有经济自由。

“不要太早分家产,也不要让他们知道将得到什么。如果孩子一直要钱,不断争吵,就索性捐给可以信任的慈善机构。”

 

个案② :多年沟通与磨合 父母终于安心“花钱”享乐

多年打拼后累积可观财富,年长父母想为儿女规划财产安排未来,但儿女更希望父母专注当下享受生活。两代人为彼此着想却一度引起不愉快,但如今达成共识,老两口放心“花钱”,晚年活出精彩和意义。

陈丽丝(化名,29岁,项目经理)的父母40多年前顶下红山一家小店铺,从小买卖一步步发展。随着公司规模越来越大,陈家的经济条件越来越好,21年前搬入了荷兰村一带的独立式洋房。

“父母特别疼爱我们四个孩子,花钱毫不吝啬。但我们从小目睹父母打拼的精神,也立志像他们一样,努力自力更生。”

陈丽丝说,大哥10年前结婚时打头阵,对想要为新人买房的父母说,以后都不会拿爸妈的钱。兄妹四人借机向父母提出,希望他们能够提早退休,去享受晚年生活。

“记得当时父母的反应很激烈,还问是不是觉得他们老了没能力赚钱养家,让我们哭笑不得。”

对陈丽丝和哥哥来说,父母从小的疼爱、付出和栽培才是最宝贵的财富,再多的遗产也不及看到父母在有生之年开心重要。

经过多年的沟通和磨合,如今年近70的父母终于完全理解儿女的立场,也就遗产事宜达成了共识。

父母在疫情暴发时退休,积极投身义工和慈善。随着边境开放,两人开始出国旅行,尝试年轻时没能享受的体验。

“我们告诉父母,他们最好把所有的钱都花完,不留任何遗憾。他们看到我们事业和生活都有足够保障,也就放心让我们自理。”

妥善安排遗产 儿女父母须坦诚沟通

老年学和信托专家认为,遗产或许不是越多越好,但究竟多少才“合适”、剩余的如何安排,还须要父母和儿女坦诚开放的沟通。

新加坡管理大学法学院教授陈汉吾说,多数新加坡人都要留遗产给孩子,希望子孙过得比上一代好。《回教法执行法令》就规定三分之二遗产须留给包括孩子的受益人。

针对SKIN的趋势,他认为,老练、超高净值者认为,留太多钱给孩子不是祝福而是祸害,“要达到目标努力奋斗,太多钱反而成了障碍,也会一直怀疑人们接近他们是为了钱”。

新加坡新跃社科大学副教授(老年学课程)和体验式教育中心高级专家马学嘉博士说,多数普通收入的家长担心留给孩子太少,因此可能省吃俭用,努力存钱给孩子,给他们带来更多金钱保障。

不过,遗产积累越多,越影响父母的生活质量。

她解释,这种心态和行为源自传统的集体主义(collectivism)价值观。不论是几十人的大家庭或是仅有四五人的核心家庭,成员之间都会考虑共同利益,必要时更是准备牺牲自我利益。

随着我国社会的变迁,家庭结构有所改变,有年轻一代选择单身,即使结婚,也可能计划只养“毛孩”(意宠物)、不要儿女。他们的日常开销因此可能更少,不大需要额外的金钱贴补生活。

马学嘉说,与其父母省吃俭用、拮据度日,相信孩子更乐意看到他们安享晚年,“父母和孩子两代人的观念不同,须要坦诚开放地沟通”。

生老病死是人之常情,但人们或因恐惧而忌讳讨论,孩子该如何开口与父母讨论遗产事宜?

马学嘉强调,每个家庭有个别的相处模式,但最重要的是以父母的意愿为中心。

她分享自己做义工的经验说,一些老人家对立遗嘱所需的程序和考量不了解,儿女就说教似地告诉父母该怎么做,附加自己对遗产的设想和要求,没考虑父母想要怎么安排。

“作为儿女,我们应该帮助父母了解过程,并尊重他们的意愿,在需要时帮助他们完成。”

陈汉吾是新加坡社区基金会(The Community Foundation of Singapore)捐献者指示委员会(Donor Advised Committee)成员,也为本地慈善组织提供咨询。

他说,一些富人觉得生活在危机重重、极度不平等的世界,所以希望捐一些遗产,改善贫困甚至气候问题。

“年轻一代对留遗产给慈善事业相当正面。这一代非常热衷于一些事项,例如气候改变。”

但陈汉吾认为,为慈善捐赠财产不仅是有钱人的专利。儿女如果有一定能力,以父母的名义给学校或大学捐钱设立奖项,也很有意义。“用大概5万元设个奖项,可以纪念死者多年。”

他指出,早前的殖民时期,英国政府没提供足够的社会服务,只能靠社群自发提供援助。

本地著名的华人慈善家就有陈笃生、陈嘉庚、陈六使和李光前,陈汉吾说:“从殖民时期,慈善早就成为新加坡DNA的一部分。”

信用:联合早报©新报业媒体有限公司。复制需要许可

This article was originally published in Zaobao here. Source: Zaobao © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

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Stories Of Impact

Equipping the marginalised to create a future for themselves

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Lady in blue dress standing in front of vibrant yellow backdrop.

Photo credit: Bettr Group

When Zaza’s only daughter was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, Zaza felt lost and powerless to decide the fate of her child. Coupled with the ongoing process of a divorce, her situation grew more desperate, plunging her into depression and hopelessness. She had a diploma in pre-school education, and had to reject offers to further her studies due to her circumstances. It was desperation that kept the single mother going; it was all she could do to keep her head above water and not succumb to the overwhelming pressure.

‘I didn’t know what to do,’ Zaza recalls. ‘I was about to give up. Bettr Barista was my last hope of surviving towards becoming an independent, single parent. That was my last shot.’

Yet against all odds, Zaza has come far to become a Barista at The Social Space café, located in Kreta Ayer. This is all made possible by Bettr Barista (BB), a coffee academy whose mission is to empower the lives of marginalised women like Zaza through professional training and teaching them life management skills. Bettr Barista is a partner of the Learning Initiative for Employment (LIFT) Community Impact Fund, launched by the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) in July 2019.

LIFT aims to support programmes like Bettr Barista’s proprietary Holistic Training programme, which provides vocational training for marginalised women and youths at risk, equipping them with the skills to secure jobs in the open market.

Pamela Chng, CEO of Bettr Barista, first had dreams to start a business to do good when she left the tech industry after eight years.

‘I found myself burnt out because I derived little emotional satisfaction from my work. I knew I wasn’t motivated by money – I had realised this much earlier in my life,’ Pamela explains. ‘If I continued to work hard at a business, it had to mean more – to myself, and to society.’

Bettr Barista has certainly made an impact on many of the lives it has touched, including Zaza’s. As the first B Corp certified company in Singapore, it is BB’s mission along with 2,750 other B Corp companies around the world to redefine success as a business and use it as a force for good. These companies have a responsibility beyond just maximising profit, and must operate in an ethical manner that gives back to the community.

Unsurprisingly, Bettr Barista was named the social enterprise of the year in 2017, and 94% of their trainees found jobs upon graduating from the academy’s Holistic Training programme. Not only that, 80% gained improved self-confidence and emotional management skills after having gone through their training.

‘Confidence is the main factor I got. When I started with BB it was difficult in the beginning,’ Zaza says. ‘I had no confidence, only a sense of being lost and a lack of hope. The moral and financial support that BB gave me helped me get back on my two feet. Now I move forward and I will never let adversity control my life again.’

What started in 2011 has grown and developed into The Bettr Group. Apart from selling home-grown specialty coffee in Singapore, it now encompasses a training academy, retail products, events services, and social impact programmes. At the heart of it all is a social mission — to empower vulnerable groups and equip them with skills to create a future for themselves. Pamela hopes to bring Bettr Barista into the future through expanding into the rest of Southeast Asia to countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.

‘We want to diversify the social programmes that we can offer and to continue building partnerships and in-house capabilities to adapt our programmes to impact these populations,’ says Pamela. ‘Bettr Barista creates a positive impact in every ecosystem it operates in, and helps people maximise their potential to become better versions of themselves.’

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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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News

The Community Foundation of Singapore spreads greater love through effective use of charitable gifts

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portrait of CFS CEO Catherine Loh

Catherine Loh, the CEO of the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS), recently spoke to Lianhe Zaobao to share more about the work the organisation is doing. CFS has over 13 years of expertise in philanthropy advisory, fund administration and grantmaking and has been recognised for its commitment to transparency and governance. Hence donors can be confident that their grants will help meet the evolving needs of the community – now and into the future.  

As shared by Ms Catherine Loh, the CEO of CFS: “With falling birth rates and a rising elderly population, philanthropy can focus more on the elderly in the coming years. While the government take cares of the basic needs, there is much that the general public can do to improve the quality of life of the elderly, give them dignity and allow them to have a meaningful and active third age. 

In the area of education, in addition to the young, we should also be helping adult learners who need additional support as they re-train due to disruptions brought on by rapidly changing technology.” 

Catherine Loh also shared that, following last year’s outpour of generosity, CFS saw how much Singaporeans care about others – supporting programmes relating to the disadvantaged, education, health and more. The Sayang Sayang Fund, established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has drawn over S$9 million in donations from 5,185 individual and corporate donors, helping an estimated 136,000 individuals across Singapore.  

Since its establishment, CFS has collected a total of 192 million, distributing more than 114 million dollars in grants and is currently managing a total of 162 charitable funds. As a charitable organization, CFS helps individuals and corporates set up and manage their own donor-advised funds, supporting causes which they are passionate about.   

Building on the momentum of the launch of the Legacy Giving Initiative and “A Greater Gift” campaign, CFS is focusing on growing knowledge of legacy giving and the value of gifts to charity. A poll – conducted by CFS and NVPC between April and July last year with survey firm Toluna – found that 6 in 10 agree that everyone can make a legacy gift. Going forward, CFS will focus on highlighting ways of making gifts, as well as encouraging and enabling philanthropy conversations – whether at dinner tables or in office settings. 

CFS recognise that, while there is awareness, more information is needed to help individuals make informed decisions. CFS actively reaches out to legal and financial professional advisors, to share about the donor-advised fund as a modern tool for planning philanthropy. It is our hope that professional advisors will more frequently include charitable giving in conversations about wealth planning with clients.  

One example of CFS’s donor-advised fund would be the SR Nathan Upliftment Fund (SRNEUF), which has distributed millions of dollars to bursaries, scholarships and various financial assistance programmes, to support financially disadvantaged students to smoothly advance to higher education. 

As shared by Mr Bobby Chin, Chairman of the Grant Advisory Committee of the S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund: “President Nathan’s life epitomises the spirit of generosity, caring and giving. He was a tireless giver. Known to come from humble beginnings himself, he was always known to have a heart for the less privileged in society. 

As we celebrate the Fund’s 10th anniversary, we are happy to share that the SRNEUF has disbursed over $3.7 million to support ITE, polytechnic and university students through awards, bursaries, scholarships as well as monthly financial assistance.” 

The other example is the Dr. Lim Boon Tiong Foundation which donated 24 million dollars from his estate, to assist elderly and terminal patients, and fund cancer research. Working as a doctor till the age of 80, Dr Lim’s medical background and life experiences shaped his interest in helping the elderly and those suffering from urological conditions. After he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his 70s, Dr Lim became interested in supporting urological cancer research.  

His daughter Sylvia revealed that her father was frustrated because he was unable to help her grandfather who also had prostate issues. When he became ill himself, he wanted more research in this area to benefit future generations. 

Dr Lim passed away prior to the establishment of the fund, leaving his wishes to be executed by his adult children.  

In 2018, his daughters Sylvia and Ivy set up the Dr Lim Boon Tiong Foundation, a donor-advised fund with CFS – with a gift of $24 million supporting causes that Dr Lim was passionate about. 

CFS worked with them to identify and support projects such as the Dr Joseph Lim Boon Tiong Urology Cancer Research Initiative at the National University of Singapore (NUH), Catholic Welfare Services (CWS) and Assisi Hospice. 

This translated article was originally published by Lianhe Zaobao 

Credit: Lianhe Zaobao © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.  

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