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You are currently viewing Charity Insights, which explores the landscape from the perspective of social purpose organisations in this country.
Use the toggle below to switch to Donor Insights and view how and why individuals give.
You are currently viewing Charity Insights, which explores the landscape from the perspective of social purpose organisations in this country.
Use the toggle below to switch to Donor Insights and view how and why individuals give.
Over the past decades, Singapore has built a strong foundation for giving, reflected in how we work, live and care for one another. The Donor Insights data shows that 74% of people acted pro-socially in 2025. This reflects a society with a strong willingness to contribute. The opportunity now is to translate this willingness to give and help into deeper, more sustained and purposeful participation.
At the same time, charities face evolving needs, finite resources, and rising expectations around impact, accountability and professionalism. Organisational resilience is, therefore, not simply about surviving difficult circumstances, but about building the strength and adaptability to continue serving communities effectively. Purpose is central to this: a clear purpose anchors priorities, clarifies decision parameters, focuses limited resources, and helps people understand how they can contribute to a shared mission.
Purpose, as the 'north star', is a critical part of organisational resilience. Overall, CAF identifies six characteristics of resilient charities: purpose, evidencing impact, financial and operational fitness, people and culture, being well networked, and external awareness. Together, these provide a useful lens for charity leaders to consider not only how their organisations are performing today, but how prepared they are for future change.
Strong governance underpins these foundations. Boards must keep organisations anchored to purpose while ensuring they have the capabilities, networks, culture and perspectives to adapt and evolve. National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's (NVPC) Centre for Non-Profit Leadership (CNPL) BoardPulse2.0 programme helps charities examine board effectiveness and organisational dynamics, while our BoardMatch service connects them with potential Board members who possess the relevant expertise and perspectives. By strengthening the effectiveness of boards and creating opportunities for others to participate, charities can better harness Singapore's spirit of generosity and translate it into lasting impact.
Overall, would you say the charity sector in your country is…
Which challenges are most pressing for your organisation? (select the top 3):
How did organisations find coping with this increased demand over the last 12 months?
Which, if any, of these actions have you had to take in order to cope with increasing demand?
The proportion of charities that receive each type of funding:
If you received no more donations or funding from today, how long could you continue operating using only your reserves, any investments or earned income?
How much of your funding is given as ‘restricted’ funds?
Geographically, where does your funding come from?
Aside from giving more money, how could funders empower organisations like yours to do more good?
Which of the following statements, if any, do you feel apply to funders?
Roughly speaking, how much time do you spend on each of the following?
Which of the following would you like to do a better job of engaging ?(select up to two)
How well does civil society in your country collaborate together for the greater good?
What are the barriers to developing your civil society network further?
How effectively do you do the following?
Does your organisation use a formal framework or strategy for capturing and measuring impact?
How trustworthy do you think the people of your country find the following types of organisations?
Overall, do you think the Government is a positive or negative influence on the charitable sector?
The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) is the national agency dedicated to growing a culture of volunteerism and philanthropy in Singapore. By engaging individuals, organisations, communities and leaders across the people, private and public sectors, we seek to create a more caring, inclusive, and compassionate society. Together, we envision Singapore as a City of Good, where everyone is able to give every day and everywhere (3Es), contributing their time, talent, treasure, ties and testimony (5Ts).
The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) is the national agency dedicated to growing a culture of volunteerism and philanthropy in Singapore. By engaging individuals, organisations, communities and leaders across the people, private and public sectors, we seek to create a more caring, inclusive, and compassionate society. Together, we envision Singapore as a City of Good, where everyone is able to give every day and everywhere (3Es), contributing their time, talent, treasure, ties and testimony (5Ts).
