Lianhe Zaobao: CFS has helped donors set up more than 80 funds in the past 8 years
胡洁梅 14 November 2016
从资助年长者活动的基金，到帮助工艺教育学院学生的“纳丹教 育提升基金”，新加坡社会基金会协助设立的基金从八年前的七个， 蓬勃发展至目前的80多个，支持各类公益项目。
年设立的慈善机构新加坡社会基金会（The Community Foundation of Singapore）旨在为善长仁翁提供咨询服务，协助他 们成立基金推展公益活动，并管理基金。捐款者须承诺至少20万元来 设立基金。
基金会总裁罗佩仪在回顾基金会的发展时指出，更多有经济能力 的个人和家庭希望能回馈社会，却没有时间和资源来设立基金会。“ 社会基金会希望为善长仁翁提供一站式咨询，协助他们管理基金，并确保良好且高素质的监管水平。”
她说，更多有经济能力的家庭推动慈善事业，把它当作教育下一 代社会责任的方式。近年就有更多家庭找上社会基金会，要求协助以 家人名义设立基金。
不过这类捐款者一般保持低调的捐款方式，谢绝受访。
罗佩仪受询时透露：“尽管经济增长放缓，基金会今年的捐款额 增长率仍持稳。受经济影响，加上去年SG50庆祝活动和优惠（捐款税 务回扣300％），去年收到的捐款额其实比较多，不过基金会今年也 迎来新的捐款者，因为他们明白在当前的经济情况下，更需要帮助有 需者，因此整体的捐款情况仍不错。”
至今，社会基金会已协助设立80多个基金，发放4200万元，支持 不同慈善项目，合作的慈善团体有超过400个。
基金会根据捐款者想支持的公益项目类别，协助成立基金，让相 关志愿组织机构利用。虽然多数捐款者支持的项目普遍针对年长者、 体障、教育事业等，但已逐渐以较新颖的方式推行，不局限于颁发奖 学金和助学金。
退休商人伯德（William Bird）与妻子设立的基金资助一些机构 为年长者举办郊游活动等，过去六年已有50多个乐龄护理中心获益。
SymAsia是另一个协助捐献者以个人或公司名义设立基金、并在 本地注册的基金会，由瑞士信贷（Credit Suisse）管理。这也是亚太 区唯一由银行经营的捐献者指示基金会（Donor Advised Fund）。捐 献者须承诺至少100万元设立基金。
瑞信亚太区家族办公室服务兼慈善顾问董事洪智聪指出，自2010 年设立以来，SymAsia基金会截至去年10月已有约8000万元捐款支持 亚太区的300多个慈善机构。SymAsia旨在支持人道和社会发展项目、 自然保护、教育、文化等方面的公益事业。
Translation:
From helping the elderly to the S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund, CFS has grown from seven to 80 funds in eight years, supporting a wide range of causes.
CFS provides philanthropy advisory services to donors who pledge $200,000 to set up a fund.
Said CFS CEO Catherine Loh, “More wealthy individuals or families want to give back but lack the time and resources to set up their own foundations. CFS offers one-stop philanthropic services for these donors, helping to manage the funds and ensuring that all grants are made with high levels of governance and accountability.”
“More families have started charitable giving as they see family philanthropy as a way to bring multi generations closer together and instil a sense of social responsibility in the younger generation. In recent years, an increasing number of families have approached CFS to set up family or legacy funds.”
Many of these donors wish to remain private and declined to be interviewed.
Ms Loh continues, “With slowing economic growth, as well as donors having given a higher than normal amount last year due to SG50 celebrations and incentives (300% tax deductions), we do find that donation amounts are lower this year. However, we also have new donors who understand the urgency to provide more financial support to the needy despite the economy slowdown. As a result, overall donation growth is constant this year.”
Up till today, CFS has raised $80 million in donations, disbursed $42 million in grants in partnerships with over 400 charities.
CFS helps donors set up funds, then bridge donors to support their desired charitable causes. While most donors still gravitate towards the usual causes such as education, health, elderly and the disabled, they are open to supporting these causes in new ways.
Mr and Mrs William Bird’s fund has benefited seniors from over 50 eldercare centres.
SymAsia is another organisation that helps individual donors or companies set up funds, managed by Credit Suisse. It is Asia’s first bank that manages donor advised funds, with a minimum donation of $1m to set up a fund.
SymAsia’s Deputy CEO Bernard Fung said, “Since 2010 till last October, SymAsia has raised $80m in donations to help 300 charitable organisations in Asia. SymAsia supports development and community programmes in environment, education, culture.”
- Related Topics For You: ACCESSING QUALITY EDUCATION, AGEING WELL, CHARITY STORIES, DONOR STORIES, DONOR-ADVISED FUND, EDUCATION, HEALTH, INCLUSIVITY & INTEGRATION, NEWS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, STORIES OF IMPACT
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