Philanthropic donors have become more strategic and intentional with their giving, says Paul Tan. For one, they are increasingly perceptive of root causes, and so are increasingly supportive of sustainable and systemic solutions. In addition, they are now more receptive to funding less visible needs such as mental health, caregiving, and end-of- life care.
Younger donors also seem to have a growing interest in missions relating to climate and environment, as well as arts and heritage, notes the CEO of Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS).
Founded in 2008, CFS is the nation’s oldest community foundation: a public charity that pools donations into a coordinated investment and grant-making facility. This is accomplished through a donor-advised fund that allows donors to make charitable contributions, receive tax deductions, and recommend grants to their favourite charities over time.
The minimum amount for establishing a donor-advised fund at CFS is $200,000. Donors are availed of three options: endowment fund (the capital is invested and only the returns are disbursed as grants, allowing the fund to support causes in perpetuity); flow-through fund (all funds are available for immediate grantmaking, with no investment component); and investible flowthrough fund (a hybrid model where funds are invested, but can be disbursed flexibly when needed).
Tan’s career has been, in his words, “unusual”. He started out as a journalist, then took on various roles at SPH, Mediacorp, and Singapore Tourism Board. He later served as Festival Director of Singapore Writers Festival and Deputy CEO of the National Arts Council before becoming Chief of Staff at CFS. He was appointed as CEO in April.
Thus far, CFS has raised over $344 million and disbursed over $200 million to some 400 charities. The bulk of the organisation’s donors are individuals and families—corporate partners make up less than 20 percent of the donor base—and they tend to have diverse goals.
“Some want to honour a loved one’s legacy while others want to address a social issue close to their heart, but generally, they simply want to give back meaningfully. Our role is to help them translate that intent into structured, impactful giving.”
Paul Tan on facilitating purpose
That said, CFS focuses its efforts in five key areas: education, ageing, climate and environment, employability, and mental well-being. It’s all about meeting demand. “We see ourselves as a bridge that balances the philanthropic intent of donors with the evolving needs of the community.”
In addition to stewarding donor-advised funds, CFS also initiates and manages Community Impact Funds—collaborative funds designed to respond to urgent needs or address emerging social issues in a timely, coordinated way.
One example is the Sayang Sayang Fund launched at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The ground-up initiative raised over $10 million to support vulnerable groups affected by the crisis including frontline workers, low-income families, and seniors in isolation, and the fund enabled quick disbursement of resources.
Tan’s goal for the next three years is to set ambitious targets for new donations and grants, and catalyse more generosity in Singapore as CFS continues to understand the needs of the larger community. It helps that charitable priorities now emphasise collaboration, data-informed decision-making, and upstream interventions. Essentially, we no longer just address symptoms, but also tackle structural challenges like social mobility, ageing, and inequality.
“Together, these shifts reflect a broader societal awakening. Donors and charities alike are asking harder questions: What kind of society do we want to build? Who is being left behind? How can we care not just for the most visible, but also the most vulnerable?
“In many ways, this is a hopeful sign that Singapore’s giving landscape is maturing, and that we are moving toward a more empathetic, thoughtful, and inclusive form of philanthropy.”
Photography Mun Kong
Art direction Ed Harland
Grooming Keith Bryant Lee using Shu Uemera & Keune Hair Professional
Photography assistant Melvin Leong
