Charities Life Cycle Landscape Report 2025
Study Background
In June 2024, the Office of Commissioner of Charities (COC), Charity Council, and Ernst & Young Advisory (EY) launched a lifecycle study to help Singapore charities assess their development stage and identify improvement opportunities. The survey received 540 responses from charities across all sectors.
Study Objectives
This framework enables charities to:
- Self-assess their current lifecycle stage across five key areas
- Identify sector-wide development opportunities
- Access targeted resources and support
- Strengthen operations to maximise community impact
Report Scope
This report analyses Singapore's charity sector landscape across different lifecycle stages, providing demographic insights and stage-specific resources to support organisational development.
You may access and download a copy of the Charities Life Cycle Landscape Report 2025 here for your reference
Charities Life Cycle Diagnostic Tool
Managing a charity effectively requires a clear understanding of where your organisation stands in its development journey. The Charities Life Cycle Diagnostic Tool ("the Tool") has been specifically designed to provide charity leaders with practical insights into their organisation's current life cycle stage.
The Tool was developed through a collaboration between the Office of the Commissioner of Charities (“COC") and the Charity Council, with advice and support from Ernst & Young Advisory Pte Ltd.
The tool will assist you with providing a preliminary assessment of your charity's life cycle stage. In the Tool, you will find descriptions of various organisational life cycle stages. When assessing your charity's current position, please select the description that you feel most closely matches your organisation. If you feel your charity falls between two life cycle stages, choose the option that better reflects your charity's current life cycle.
Please click here to access the Charities Life Cycle Diagnostic Tool.
DISCLAIMER
- The Tool is provided for general informational and self-assessment purposes only. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this Tool, the Tool is ultimately provided on an “as is" basis without warranties of any kind. In providing access to the Tool, the COC and Charity Council make no representations or warranties about completeness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability, or suitability of the Tool for any purpose. The COC and Charity Council further disclaim any warranty that access to the Tool will be uninterrupted; that the Tool (or any functions associated therewith) will be error-free; that defects will be corrected; and that the Tool is and will be free of all viruses and/or other harmful elements.
- The assessment results are based solely on the responses provided by you and should not be considered as professional advice or a definitive evaluation of your charity's status.
- Any reliance you place on the Tool and its results is strictly at your own risk. The COC and Charity Council shall not be responsible or held accountable in any way for any loss or damage (whether direct or indirect) arising from the use of this Tool or its results. To avoid doubt, this includes any loss or damage arising from any decision made or action taken by you in reliance on the Tool or its results.
Consultancy projects by external consultants to review and draft policies and standard operating procedures for the charity, and in attaining organisational excellence certifications and accreditations in key governance and management areas such as:
- Board Governance
- Conflict of Interest
- Strategic Planning
- Programme Management
- Human Resource and Volunteer Management
- Financial Management, Internal Controls, Risk Management
- Fundraising Practices
- Disclosure and Transparency
- Public Image/Communications
- Digitalisation/Data Protection/Cyber Security
- Leadership and Organisational Development
- Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism
- Crisis Management, Business Continuity Planning
Funding Quantum
- For Small and Medium size Charities: Up to 80% of consultancy fee capped at $100,000 per charity over 5 years.
- For Large Charities: Up to 80% of consultancy fee capped at $50,000 per charity over 5 years.
CCF Consultancy Grant Application
Applications for CCF Consultancy Grant should be submitted at
https://oursggrants.gov.sg with your charity’s preferred vendor's quotation. For project costs exceeding $6,000, your charity should attach 3 quotations of comparable scope. Funding will be based on the lowest comparable quote.
Applications for the Consultancy Grant should be submitted to the CCF Secretariat at least 3 months before the project commences to be eligible for the funding.
Project should only commence upon successful approval of the funding application.
Reimbursement Process
The first 50% of the funding amount will be disbursed upfront upon the signing of the CCF funding agreement and submission of the signed agreements with the vendor.
The remaining 50% will be reimbursed upon submission of the following:
- Appointed consultants’ report
- Satisfactory assessment of the Final Evaluation Report
- All invoices
These documents are to be submitted to the CCF Secretariat within 1 month after the completion of the consultancy project. The total reimbursement will be granted at the approved funding amount or 80% of the actual expenditure, whichever is the lower.
Outsourcing of corporate functions such as payroll, finance, accounting, human resource and information technology functions to third-party service providers in areas such as those below to improve backroom-operations efficiency.
- Accounts Payable
- Accounts Receivable
- Assets Record Management
- Audit Management
- Due Diligence Screening for purposes such as Anti-Money Laundering / Countering the Financing of Terrorism
- Financial & Management Reports
- Human Resource Management
- Information Technology Management
- Journal Adjustment
Funding Quantum
For All Charities: Up to 50% of monthly charges for 1st year and up to 25% for 2nd year, capped at $30,000 per charity over 5 years.
CCF Shared Services Grant Applications
Charities may submit applications for different Shared Services projects simultaneously provided the projects are for different functions (e.g. one for payroll and another for accounting services). However, please note these key conditions:
- Only one application per function is permitted throughout the support period (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027). Once a function has been supported, subsequent applications for the same function will not be accepted regardless of the initial support duration.
- CCF co-funding is available up to 2 years of function. Charities must include their intended full duration in a single application. Early withdrawal or termination of an approved application is possible with valid justification.
- Projects with Shared Services scope that have already received support for up to two years during the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027 will not be eligible for additional funding.
- A cumulative funding cap of $30,000 per charity applies throughout the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027. This cap is inclusive of all approved applications across all different scopes of functions.
Applications for CCF Shared Services Grant should be submitted at https://oursggrants.gov.sg with your charity’s preferred vendor’s quotation. For project costs exceeding $6,000, your charity should attach 3 quotations of comparable scope. Funding will be based on the lowest comparable quote.
Applications for the Shared Services Grant should be submitted to the CCF Secretariat at least 2 months before the service commences to be eligible for the funding.
Project should only commence upon successful approval of the funding application.
Reimbursement Process
First 30% of the approved amount
- Submission of signed agreements with the vendor
- Completed signing of the Funding Agreement with NCSS
Second 30% of the approved amount
- Submission of the invoices for the first year of service period. All invoices are to be submitted within 2 months from the date of the last invoice.
Final 40% of the approved amount or actual shared service charges, whichever is lower.
- Submission of the invoices for the second year of service period. All invoices are to be submitted within 2 months from the date of the last invoice.
(A) Basic infrastructure components
For Small and Medium size Charities: 80% of the supported cost or actual expenditure, whichever is lower, and capped at:
- 4 computers (Desktop or Laptop):
$1,500 per equipment
- 2 Printers:
$300 per equipment
- 1 Broadband Account:
$1,700 per account (One time application only)
- Website development costs to facilitate publishing of charity’s information for transparency:
$3,000 per charity (One time application only)
- Subscription charges of video and audio-conferencing tools:
$250 per charity (One time application only)
- Firewall devices:
$3,000 per charity (One time application only)
(B) - Digital solutions that can strengthen governance, enhance productivity and operational efficiency of charities, in areas such as those below.
For All Charities: Up to 80% of the supported cost or actual expenditure, whichever is lower, and capped at
$40,000 per charity over 5 years.
- Accounting Management
- AI Personal Productivity Solution
- Booking System
- Case Allocation System
- Case/ Client Management System
- Church Management System
- Community Map App
- Competency Management System
- Data Analytics Solution
- Donor Management Solution
- Due Diligence Screening Platform for Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism purposes
- Event Management System
- Human Resource Management System
- IRAS Donation API Integration Services
- Learning Management Solution
- Motorised Upper & Lower Limbs Pedal Exerciser**
- Online Survey Solutions
- Online Board Meeting Solution
- Portable Interactive Training Device
- Remote Working*
- Volunteer Management Solutions
- Telepresence Robot**
- Singpass Login*
- Singpass myInfo*
- Walking Rehabilitation Equipment**
*solutions will require 3 comparable quotations if the total cost of the solution is more than $6,000. Funding will be based on the lowest comparable quote.
**solutions with data capturing and analysing functions.
Supportable scope are: - 3-year funding (80% for 1st year, 50% for 2nd and 3rd year)
- Professional Fees & Add-on (Up to $6,000)
| Non-supportable scope: - Extended warranty
- Bank charges
|
* For digital solutions, Social Service Agencies will continue to receive funding support under the Community Capability Trust (CCT).
CCF ICT Grant Applications
Your charity may submit its ICT Grant applications at
https://oursggrants.gov.sg with its preferred vendor’s quotation.
(A) Basic infrastructure components
Applications for Basic infrastructure components should be submitted at least 1 month before the purchase or project commencement, including purchase contracts/engagement letters which the charity entered into with the vendor, to be eligible for the funding. Purchase and project should only commence upon successful approval of the funding application.
(B) Digital solutions
Applications for Digital solutions should be submitted at least 2 month before the purchase or project commencement, including purchase contracts/engagement letters which the charity entered into with the vendor, to be eligible for the funding. Purchase and project should only commence upon successful approval of the funding application.
Reimbursement Process
Category A (Basic Infrastructure)
The full 100% of approved amount will be reimbursed upon the submission of the following:
- Charity’s Acceptance of Letter of Approval (LOA) from NCSS. This is to be completed within
2 weeks from the date the approval package was sent.
- Invoice
- Vendor agreement (where applicable)
- Supporting Documents ensuring the system has been implemented or fully utilised.
Category B (Digital Solutions)
First 80% of the funding amount will be disbursed upfront upon:
- Charity’s Acceptance of Letter of Approval (LOA) from NCSS. This is to be completed within
2 weeks from the date the approval package was sent.
- Vendor / Service Agreement or Signed Contract from Service Provider (where applicable)
The remaining 20% will be disbursed upon the satisfactory assessment of the following, within 8 months of project completion:
- Vendor agreement for 1st to 3rd year recurrent cost (where applicable)
- Invoice for 1st to 3rd year (where applicable)
- Supporting Documents ensuring the system has been implemented or fully utilised.
The grant aims to encourage ground-up collaborations and incentivise charities to consolidate their needs and build capabilities/solutions that can be shared among charities. It will support projects that could enhance charities’ governance, productivity, operational efficiency and capabilities development. Examples of projects are:
- Development of manuals/guidelines/ best practices for charities or charities’ beneficiaries.
- Design of systems that can be co-shared to enhance charities’ capabilities.
Charities may engage an external consultant to support the project or implement the project themselves. To qualify as a collaborative project, it must involve and benefit at least 2 charities (i.e. with 2 different UEN No.). In the project proposal, the Lead Charity should list out the Names of Charities (and UEN No.) that would benefit from the collaborative project.
Charities can apply for Collaboration Grant in addition to the other existing grants.
Funding Quantum
- For All Charities: Up to 80% of project cost capped at $50,000 per project.
- Charities which wish to seek funding for this collaborative project may appoint a Lead Charity and submit a project proposal for consideration anytime throughout the year. The project proposal should include details on project objectives, project cost and deliverables.
CCF Collaboration Grant Application
Applications for CCF Collaboration Grant should be submitted at
https://oursggrants.gov.sg with your charity’s preferred vendor's quotation. For project costs exceeding $6,000, your charity should attach 3 quotations of comparable scope.
Applications for the Collaboration Grant should be submitted to the CCF Secretariat at least 3 months before the project commences to be eligible for the funding.
Project should only commence upon successful approval of the funding application.
Reimbursement Process
The first 50% of the funding amount will be disbursed upfront upon the signing of the CCF funding agreement and submission of the signed agreements with the vendor.
The remaining 50% will be reimbursed upon submission of the following:
- Collaboration Report
- Satisfactory assessment of the Final Evaluation Report
- All invoices
These documents are to be submitted to the CCF Secretariat within 1 month after the completion of the project. The total reimbursement will be granted at the approved funding amount or 80% of the actual expenditure, whichever is the lower.
