Stronger charity sector with unified framework, more accessible support and new training programme

1. The Office of the Commissioner of Charities (COC) and Charity Council have launched new initiatives to strengthen and support the continued development of Singapore’s charity sector. These include (i) a unified governance and transparency framework, (ii) one-stop support hub for shared services; and (iii) new leadership training programme.

2. The initiatives were announced by Mr. David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Senior Minister of State for Education, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the annual Charity Governance Conference, which was attended by over 600 charity leaders and board members.

One Framework, Simplified Compliance Journey

3. MCCY has partnered with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to co-develop a single, integrated guide that consolidates existing governance and transparency standards. This unified framework directly addresses feedback from the charity sector, which highlighted the need for simplified compliance processes.

4. The new framework consolidates various governance documents into a single guide, simplifying the adoption of best practices across all levels of charity organisations. It will also offer clearer actionable guidance on governance standards.

5. Scheduled to be published by early 2026, the new framework will serve as the sole evaluation tool for the Charity Governance Awards and the Charity Transparency Awards, which recognises outstanding charity leadership and transparency. This provides charities with a clear and practical roadmap for enhancing their governance and transparency standards, while establishing the award assessment criteria.

6. The Charity Council will also focus on creating a meaningful feedback loop for charities who submit their application for the awards. By partnering with assessors, valuable insights and observations from the evaluation process will be shared with charities, to turn the awards into a learning opportunity. This helps charities identify their strengths, address areas for improvement, and continue advancing towards governance excellence.

New partnership with Temasek Shophouse for one-stop support hub

7. To further empower charities’ capabilities, MCCY also announced a new partnership with Temasek Shophouse. This collaboration provides charities with a dedicated space within the social impact hub at Temasek Shophouse, where they can access affordable professional services.

8. Through this collaboration, charities have enhanced access to a variety of services to strengthen their operations, such as legal advice from Pro Bono SG and financial and accounting advisory support from the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants. With the new space, these services, are more easily within reach for charities seek guidance on legal, financial, and governance matters.

9. Charities will also benefit from consultations and capability-building workshops offered at Temasek Shophouse, designed to enhance leadership, governance practices, and operational capacity. Further details on these support services will be announced progressively.

New Leadership Programme Co-Developed with Partners

10. Strong governance builds trust, which drives long-term impact. Well-governed charities can inspire donor confidence, attract volunteers and board members, ensure beneficiaries feel supported, and position themselves as reliable partners for grantmakers.

11. To better support charity leaders in building strong governance and leadership, MCCY launched the GovernWell: Excellence in Charity Leadership Training Programme, developed in collaboration with key partners such as the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants, National Council of Social Service, Pro Bono SG, Singapore Institute of Directors, and The Majurity Trust.

12. This foundation training covers essential governance knowledge, ethics, fiduciary obligations, measuring impact, and financial stewardship.  programme has already attracted over 500 sign-ups with positive feedback, with the full four-module programme rolling out by year-end.

13. Mr Desmond Chin, Commissioner of Charities, said “The new unified framework gives charities clearer benchmarks to strengthen their governance standards. Together with our collaboration with Temasek Shophouse and key partners, charities will also have more convenient access to professional expertise, shared services, and leadership development opportunities – empowering them to uphold high governance standards, maintain public trust, and maximise their impact on communities they serve.”