To provide more support for the charity sector and encourage giving, the Singapore government will provide a top-up of $100 million and extend its support for the Tote Board’s Enhanced Fundraising Programme by three years until the end of FY24.
Charities can apply to receive dollar-for-dollar matching for eligible donations up to $250,000 per charity per year, finance minister Lawrence Wong announced in his speech.
This applies to donations raised during fund-raising events or on approved digital platforms.
Wong said the country has seen an outpouring of generosity, kindness and support from Singaporeans throughout the pandemic, evident in the number of donations received on Giving.sg which increased nearly three-fold to around $100 million.
“I will build on this momentum to strengthen the culture of giving in our society,” said Wong.
The Charities Capability Fund will also receive a top-up of $26 million for five years. This will help nurture a more productive and innovative charity sector, enabling them to do more for the community, said Wong.
The arts and sports sectors will also continue to receive support — to strengthen Singapore’s high-performance sports ecosystems, the One Team Singapore Fund will be extended for another five years. This will provide dollar-for-dollar matching for donations to rally the support for Team Singapore athletes.
To further encourage cultural philanthropy, the government will provide a top-up of $150 million to the Cultural Matching Fund for three years. The fund provides dollar-for-dollar matching for donations made to art and heritage charities.
Separately, the Enabling Masterplan 2030 which supports people with disabilities will be launched later this year to strengthen areas such as employment, lifelong learning and respite care.
Cover image: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore
