The $200M Bicentennial Community Fund to boost efforts of IPCs and grow SG Cares

• The Singapore Bicentennial is an opportune time to show gratitude for what we have and build on SG Cares to continue the philanthropic and community self-help spirit of our forefathers.

• On a dollar-for-dollar matching basis, for donations raised during the period of 1 Apr 2019 to 31 Mar 2020, each IPC can get up to $400,000 of the Bicentennial Community Fund. With over 600 registered IPCs and a wide range of charitable causes, there are many ways in which Singaporeans can contribute to Singapore

• IPCs will be encouraged to involve volunteers and engage new donors, with the support of National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) as the fund administrator.

1. From 1 Apr 2019 to 31 Mar 2020, donations to Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the new $200M Bicentennial Community Fund (BCF), up to a cap of $400,000 per IPC. This is subject to the utilisation of the Fund and other eligibility conditions. The BCF aims to provide greater support to more than 600 registered IPCs to-date. It also encourages IPCs to engage potential donors and volunteers, and encourage more people to be a part of their service journey. The IPCs can then better meet diverse needs of the community, regardless of race, language or religion. This will contribute to the growth of Singapore Cares (SG Cares), a national movement that represents the values and goodwill of our people, and ensures that no one gets left behind.

2. At Ng Teng Fong General Hospital’s Health On Track Health Carnival and J-Walkers Launch on 30 March, Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth said, “As we mark the Singapore Bicentennial, let us reaffirm our commitment to grow SG Cares and build a caring home together. With over 600 registered IPCs and a wide range of charitable causes, there are many ways in which we can contribute to Singapore. Let us work together to continue the philanthropic and community self-help spirit for our forefathers, and make caring a part of our everyday lives.”

3. Eligible organisations which can tap on the fund must be a registered IPC between 1 Apr 2019 and 31 Mar 2020. The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) will administer the BCF with support from MCCY. Additional support will be provided to IPCs to help them to engage the wider community. For example, online giving is becoming increasingly popular. NVPC will assist IPCs to adopt digital giving platforms such as the SG Cares App¹ and Giving.sg² to engage new donors in the digital space. Information on other grants and resources by the government and other partners will also be provided to the IPCs. One such example is the Business and IPC Partnership Scheme (BIPS), which encourages partnerships between corporates and IPCs.

4. Ms Ivy Tse, Chief Executive Officer, Halogen Foundation Singapore said, “Just as how the charity and social service sectors have been growing, the giving landscape has also been evolving rapidly and presents great potential for us to create many more sustainable giving movements in support of meaningful causes. I certainly look forward to the BCF as an opportunity that is tapped upon to uplift causes that are needed to move Singapore ahead. We all have a part to play to make a positive contribution towards the country’s collective growth.”

5. Mr Daren Ng, Advocacy and Marketing Executive of Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore said, “The BCF will encourage donors to give beyond the seasonal giving trend we typically see towards the end of the year. This will facilitate a steady stream of donations to charities throughout the year. The BCF will also be an excellent way to give individual and corporate donors the extra boost to make donations or curate new and impactful partnerships.”

6. Mr Tan Seng Chai, Group Chief People Officer of CapitaLand Group and Executive Director for CapitaLand Hope Foundation said, “Through our philanthropic arm, CapitaLand Hope Foundation, we have donated more than S$16 million over the years through actively engaging our corporate and community partners, and customers, amplifying our giving efforts to our partner IPCs. With the BCF, every dollar we contribute will now count for even more. We hope more will be encouraged to join CapitaLand in our future philanthropic efforts, but more importantly, this boost to the fundraising efforts of our IPC partners, will enable them to provide better care for their beneficiaries in the long term.”

7. For more information on the BCF, please visit www.mccy.gov.sg/sectors/initiatives/bicentennial-community-fund or email your queries to bcf@nvpc.org.sg. NVPC will be engaging the IPCs on more details in the first week of April. A series of briefing sessions will also be held in April to help IPCs understand how the BCF can benefit them.
   
   Annex A: Factsheet on BCF and Annex B: Frequently asked questions on BCF [PDF, 353 KB]

About SG Cares

SG Cares is a social movement championed by public agencies, corporate and community partners to build a more caring and inclusive home for all. The movement invites all Singaporeans and people who live in Singapore to put values into action through active volunteerism, ground-up efforts and everyday acts of care. It also aims to build capability and share resources across various sectors and organisations to grow opportunities for volunteering. By inspiring and supporting one another, we can show the world that we are a nation that cares.

About National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC)

NVPC is a non-profit organisation promoting a giving culture in Singapore through catalysing development in volunteerism and philanthropy to build a City of Good. We facilitate partnerships with non-profits, companies, public sector bodies and individuals to enliven the giving ecosystem within Singapore. We curate and celebrate stories about giving to inspire and encourage more to take action. We conduct research on giving motivations and behaviours, create roadmaps and landscape of the giving sector, and to be the go-to-place for giving. We honour and recognise giving champions who demonstrate that giving is part of Singapore DNA. We connect and convene networks and build communities to impact the giving space on a national level. www.nvpc.org.sg

For media queries, please contact: 
Ms Joyce Poon
Senior Manager (Strategic & Media Communications), Corporate Communications Division, MCCY
Tel: 6837 8433 (O)
Email: joyce_poon@mccy.gov.sg

Ms Rachael Klyne
Senior Manager, Marketing & Advocacy, NVPC
Tel: 6550 9383 (O)
Email: rachaelklyne@nvpc.org.sg

¹SG Cares App is the “go-to” App for individuals to volunteer and donate. It enables the user to personalise the contents and track his giving journey.

²Giving.sg provides a platform for IPCs to fundraise and list volunteering opportunities. These opportunities will be displayed through the SG Cares App.