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Our Annual Report 2021 is now available for download

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Home Resources News Our Annual Report 2021 is now available for download

News

Our Annual Report 2021 is now available for download

John Doe

We are pleased to share that the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) Annual Report 2021 has been published. Download your copy here to learn more about the year’s highlights and our impact on the community.

Even as the pandemic gripped our nation, we are humbled to report that – together with our donors, charities, and partners – CFS delivered a year of bold action and made tremendous progress on our mission to facilitate impactful giving.

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CFS delivered a record of $24 million in grants – the highest since our inception – disbursed to 291 organisations and 13 individuals, and a total of $5.7 million via the establishment of 19 new funds for the financial year ended 31 March 2021.

The Annual Report contains the following information:

Corporate Information
Key Highlights
Forward Vision
Governance and Policies
Financial Statements
Grantees List

Regarding the year under review, the report reflects the information contained in CFS’ annual results, as well as the audited consolidated financial statements.

CFS stands ready to work alongside all of you to champion greater giving and create a better world for future generations. To find out more about CFS, get in touch with us.

About CFS

The Community Foundation of Singapore is a non-profit organisation founded in 2008 to encourage and enable philanthropy in Singapore. We match donors’ interests with causes and offer ways for them to make a greater impact through their charitable funds. We also collaborate with charity partners to identify and develop programmes that support diverse communities.

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Stories Of Impact

Shining a light on early childhood literacy

John Doe

Our donors have long been a pillar of support for the charity SHINE Children and Youth Services, especially their Reading Odyssey. This programme builds reading skills and confidence in disadvantaged children. CFS is commemorating 15 years of giving and this story is one of a three-part series that highlights the strong relationships CFS has fostered with charities over the years.

While most children in Singapore are able to read when they start primary school, some have very limited literacy skills. This could be due to challenging personal circumstances or undiagnosed learning difficulties in their earlier years. The problem is that this limitation immediately sets them back from their peers academically.

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Reading Odyssey to the rescue

SHINE Children and Youth Services bridges this gap through a volunteer-supported reading programme called Reading Odyssey. The programme struck a chord with us at the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) and with several of our donors keen to support educational causes. It goes beyond nurturing skills like word recognition. It also builds confidence and hope for these children, who tend to suffer from low self-esteem.

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

“Through CFS’s strategic efforts in garnering support from funders, the programme was able to partner with more community groups and agencies to expand its reach from four to seven communities in 2018,” notes Geraldine Low, Director of SHINE’s Educational Psychology Service.

By 2022, this empowering initiative had grown to cover 13 communities, benefitting over 800 primary school students. It amassed a formidable pool of over 800 volunteers, who patiently guide the children with their reading, widen their exposure to genres and topics, and spur them to become lifelong learners. Reading Odyssey also draws on learning support experts to provide specialised guidance to children who may have conditions like dyslexia.

A partnership that works

It can be a challenge to seek support for children in the community with learning or reading difficulties that are ‘hidden’ and whose needs are easily misunderstood. We appreciate CFS who has been open and committed to journey alongside the team to seek clarity on needs and programme intervention, provide feedback, and actively position the programme to relevant funders.

Geraldine Low, Director of Educational Psychology service, SHINE

CFS’s partnership with SHINE dates back to 2010, during our formative years as the nation’s first community foundation. The charity, founded in 1976, provides an array of services including educational psychology, school-based social work, therapy and mental health. To date, a total of 105 contributions amounting to over $5.5 million have been made by generous CFS donors.

“The donations from CFS have provided a stable and reliable source of funding. This has allowed SHINE to continue operating and delivering vital services to children and youth without interruption,” says Geraldine, adding that the money has also helped SHINE develop new initiatives and explore innovative approaches to their programmes.

A common vision

The powerful work done by SHINE falls under one of our five focal areas for grant making: Accessing Quality Education. We believe holistic, quality education can help break the poverty cycle for low-income families and improve social mobility. We partner with a wide range of charities and educational institutions to help every child receive a good, well-rounded education.

For donors who want to make a difference in early childhood education, we introduce them to programmes like Reading Odyssey, which advances child literacy as well as social inclusivity in Singapore.

“By pooling knowledge and experiences, initiatives that are evidence-based, culturally sensitive and tailored to the unique needs of the beneficiaries can be designed and implemented,” says Geraldine.

That is why SHINE hopes to continue working closely with CFS and to explore long-term funding strategies with CFS, so it can make even more of a lasting impact.

We are proud of our long-term relationship with SHINE and are committed to working with like-minded charities to create a greater impact on the lives of children in underserved communities under the CFS cause Accessing Quality Education.

CFS is celebrating our anniversary throughout 2023—15 years of empowering donors to make a meaningful impact. Since our inception in 2008, we have received over S$292 million in donations in Singapore and disbursed over S$157 million in grants to over 400 charity partners.

To discover how you can make a difference, please visit www.cf.org.sg/contact-us/get-in-touch/

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Budget 2023: Govt to extend 250% tax deduction for donations until 2026

John Doe

Singapore will extend its tax deduction rate for donations for another three years until the end of 2026, as part of efforts to foster and sustain a spirit of giving.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday that this will be done although the tax deduction for donations at 250 per cent is
already very high compared with other jurisdictions.

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The Government will review thereafter what would be a more sustainable level of tax deduction for the longer term, he said.

He added that Singaporeans have donated generously. Despite the economic downturn due to Covid-19, the donations received through Giving.sg were about three
times higher than pre-pandemic levels, and have remained around $100 million in the last three years.

Giving.sg is a one-stop national giving platform by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, which hosts more than 600 registered non-profit groups in
Singapore.

Another way to continue to foster the spirit of giving that Mr Wong highlighted is through tax-deductible donations to Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) and
eligible institutions.

The Government will also enhance the existing Business and IPC Partnership Scheme into a broader Corporate Volunteer Scheme, which will be extended for three
more years to Dec 31, 2026.

From January 1, 2024, the scope of qualifying volunteering activities will be expanded to include activities which are conducted virtually or outside of the IPCs’
premises.

The Government will also double the qualifying per-IPC cap to $100,000 per calendar year, to facilitate deeper partnerships between businesses and IPCs, he said.

It will also continue to strengthen the capabilities and support the services of charities, social service agencies (SSAs) and community organisations.

“(They) play critical roles in looking after the vulnerable, and mobilising Singaporeans to support those who are in greater need,” said Mr Wong.

Also announced was a $1 billion top-up of the Community Silver Trust, which provides dollar-for-dollar donation matching grants for SSAs that provide community care services for seniors.

This will enable the SSAs to enhance the quality and accessibility of community care, especially for the more vulnerable seniors, he said.

Charities and SSAs can also continue to tap the Charities Capability Fund (CCF) and the Community Capability Trust (CCT) to drive innovation and transform their
operations.

The CCF aims to enhance productivity, operational efficiency, governance and management capabilities of charities and IPCs. The CCT is a platform to support
capability and capacity-building schemes and initiatives for the social service sector.

The Government will also top up $10 million towards self-help groups over the next three years.

Said Mr Wong: “They are doing good work on the ground, and are well placed to provide assistance to members of their respective communities who need help.”

He also cited the example of Ms Emily Yap, a registered nurse at Alexandra Hospital, as someone who still volunteered on her days off for the wider community
despite her heavy workload during the pandemic.

Ms Yap started a ground-up initiative with other like-minded people to deliver grocery packs to the elderly and lower-income families in the community.

She also used her own Community Development Council vouchers to buy kueh bangkit (coconut cookies) for vulnerable families during the Chinese New Year period.

“This is what the Singapore spirit is about,” said Mr Wong.

“We have seen it in action, and experienced it in abundance over the last three years – how we are responsible for one another, keep an eye out for our fellow citizens, and always band together as a team.”

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

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BLLNR: How to donate time and money to a charity effectively

John Doe

While the notion of giving is indeed widespread, it isn’t easy to commit to help those in need when you find yourself caught up in today’s ever-changing environment.

The Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS) is one such organisation that facilitates this line of work by bridging donors with causes of interest to develop programmes and provide grants to enrich lives. It values the 3 C’s to make giving better: connect donors with respective causes, collaborate with charities and commit to managing donor funds.

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One woman has managed to significantly grow the number of donor funds and volume of donations, paving the way for an effective philanthropy — Catherine Loh, the Chief Executive Officer of CFS, believes in the heart of giving. However, her arrival into the philanthropy space was not immediate but serendipitous.

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Money Mind – Leaving A Legacy

John Doe

How can you leave your mark on the world and make an impact on the lives of others?

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Speaking after the association’s annual general meeting at Kallang Netball Centre on Friday, Liang-Lin, a fund manager for a US$7 billion (S$9.5 billion) firm focused on green real estate investments in Asia, hopes to bring her expertise to the table and increase the amount of financial support for Singapore netball during her four-year term.

The 53-year-old took over from Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jessica Tan, who has been the association’s president since 2012. Tan had reached the end of her tenure, which saw the national team make several breakthroughs, including a gold medal at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore.

Liang-Lin holds various appointments such as being Singapore’s representative to the G20 for Women appointed by the Ministry of Finance. She is also a board member of the Community Foundation of Singapore, which promotes philanthropy through facilitating the establishment of charitable funds.

She said: “One of the things that is overlooked when we look at philanthropy and fundraising is that sport is not really part of the things that people will automatically think about.

“Less than one per cent of the funds that we raise in the Community Foundation goes to sport. The values that sport brings need to be amplified more, so that corporates… see the need to support sport. I think that link needs to be stronger so that we get not just more corporate sponsors, but also they can come in for longer periods of time.”

While national agency Sport Singapore provides funding to netball, corporates can also do their part, she added.

She said: “If we play our cards correctly, we can get corporates to come in and hopefully support them, to see the wider purpose of sport and bring the nation together.”

She also hopes the association can be proactive in looking for financial support, adding: “We must work more strategically with governing bodies on educating corporates on the importance of really supporting sport.”

The former netball player also made references to the recent Women’s World Cup for football, noting the “ability for a game that focuses on women in the sport to bring global attention”.

She said: “I want that kind of trajectory of the limelight going to women’s sport. I think that is a trend that will continue, and I hope that netball will be part of that trend.”

Meanwhile, Tan was satisfied that she has achieved the three objectives she had set out to do when she came on board – to improve quality of play, build a fan base and create an ecosystem which involves coaches and players.

The 57-year-old added: “As much as I do feel sad about having to step down, but at the same time, leadership renewal is very important.

“I think Trina will help to galvanise the team together, and bring a lot of new perspectives and quality to the association.”

Join us in making an impact on Singapore sports scene! Reach out to us for more information.

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John Doe

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