Providing philanthropy opportunities outside Singapore

Response to parliamentary question on exit of UN Women from Singapore, 80/20 fundraising rule for charities and efforts to promote regional and international philanthropy

Question

Ms Anthea Ong: To ask the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what lessons are learnt from the recent exit of UN Women from Singapore after 20 years of operations; (b) whether it is timely to review the 80/20 fundraising rule for charities given the global and interconnected nature of issues confronting societies; and (c) what efforts are being made to promote regional and international philanthropy.

Response

Minister Grace Fu:

1. The closure of the local chapter of UN Women is an internal decision by the board and members of the society.
2. The 80:20 fund-raising rule under the Charities Act, requires at least 80% of funds raised for foreign charitable purposes be applied towards charitable purposes in Singapore. This is to ensure that donations from our Singapore public are used primarily to benefit locals, and to address local needs. The Commissioner of Charities can and does waive this 80:20 rule on a case-by-case basis, such as for fund-raising for immediate disaster relief in other countries.
3. Ms Ong is right that globalisation and connectivity ties the fortunes of countries together, and many solutions to global issues require collective action from all countries. The government, through the Economic Development Board, engages and develops a robust ecosystem of Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), including international organisations dedicated to philanthropy. This includes organisations such as the Asia Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) and the Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC) – which use Singapore as a venue to convene, share best practices and form partnerships to address global issues.
4. To support cross-border giving, the International Involvement Hub (I2Hub) was launched in 2013. Comprising the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), the Singapore International Foundation (SIF), the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) and family of Temasek Foundations (TF), it provides opportunities for the Singapore community to contribute towards and participate in social, relief, and community development initiatives in communities outside Singapore.