Budget 2025: More than $600m set aside for matching of donations to charities
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The new grant is part of the Government’s increased support for fund-raising efforts of charities and social causes.
ST ILLUSTRATION: CHNG CHOON HIONG, ADOBE STOCK
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SINGAPORE - More than $600 million will be set aside by the Government and Tote Board to match donations made to charities and social causes in an effort to encourage philanthropy.
This includes a new $250 million SG Gives grant which will match, dollar for dollar, donations made to programmes through the Community Chest, President’s Challenge, and the Collective for a Stronger Society.
These programmes include KidStart, ComLink+, and New Life Stories’ Family Strengthening Programme, which helps former offenders and their families.
The new grant is part of the Government’s increased support for the fund-raising efforts of charities and social causes in 2025, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in his Budget speech on Feb 18.
For every dollar donation made to the programmes in 2025, it will be matched by an equivalent dollar under the matching grant. Donations of $250,000 or more per year with a three-year commitment will be matched with $1.50 for every $1, to encourage sustained giving among larger donors.
There will also be a $270 million top-up to the Tote Board’s Enhanced Fund-Raising Programme, which helps Singapore-registered charities apply for matching support for their fund-raising projects.
The programme will also be extended for three years until the end of the 2027 financial year.
Since 2020, the Government and Tote Board have provided dollar-for-dollar matching support for local charitable causes, capped at $250,000 per year.
A $100 million top-up will also be made to the Cultural Matching Fund, which provides dollar-to-dollar matching for cash donations made to eligible arts and heritage charities. The fund will also be extended for five years until the end of the 2029 financial year.
More help will be extended to self-help groups, with the Government providing additional funding of $60 million over the next five years to help these groups better support the communities they serve.
Self-help groups include Yayasan Mendaki, the Singapore Indian Development Association, and the Chinese Development Assistance Council and the Eurasian Association.
“Our self-help groups play an important role in addressing the needs of their respective communities, and in strengthening our social compact,” said PM Wong.
He said the Government will share more in due course on how Singaporeans who wish to do so can donate their SG60 vouchers to those with greater needs.
PM Wong pointed out that many businesses have stepped forward to support Singaporeans during SG60, with special SG60 discounts and offers, and he encouraged more businesses to join in and offer support.
Singapore is at its strongest when we stand together, he said.
“We may have our differences.
“But we are all Singaporeans, living on this tiny red dot, as one family.”
He added: “When we rally together as one, there is no challenge we cannot overcome.
“This unity is what keeps us resilient, thriving and moving forward, even in an uncertain and troubled world.”
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