How to get started
No matter where you are on your philanthropic journey, CFS is equipped to support both first-time philanthropists and those with a history of giving.
If you are new to philanthropy, your meeting with CFS begins with an initial consultation to identify your desired charitable objectives and preferred types of charities.
If you are looking to extend charitable giving from ad hoc support, CFS offers advice on aligning and refining your charitable giving.
Donors with several years of giving experience can take advantage of CFS’s expertise for a strategic review of past giving initiatives, or recommendations for potential future giving directions.
For companies, CFS helps consolidate, review, and align philanthropy with core business objectives or your corporate social responsibility initiatives.
As CFS works across many sectors, donors with CFS can opt to create a broad portfolio of giving with an extended reach, or they may choose to focus on depth.
Setting up your own donor-advised fund is easier than you think. Here are four simple steps to guide you along.
1
Planning
- Select the type of donor-advised fund you wish to set up – it can be a flow-through fund, an endowment fund or an investible flow-through fund.
- Decide on how much to donate – it can be an upfront lump sum or a pledged amount.
- Name the fund – it can be named after yourself, your family, organisation or something meaningful.
- Think about your giving goals – if there are special causes you care about, let us know. Funds can be established to support ‘causes and projects that are in line with the charitable objectives of CFS’ and also include a priority focus.
2
Preparation
Next, a deed will be prepared for your review. This document will include the name of your fund, pledge amount and charitable intent. Upon your approval, a final deed will be prepared.
3
Execution
To execute your deed, you will need to sign and nominate a witness to co-sign. At the same time, make an initial donation by cheque to ‘Community Foundation of Singapore’.
4
Activation
Your fund will be up and running in about four weeks, after which you can start talking to us about grantmaking.
