- In 2021, Giving.sg donations remained strong and were 167 per cent higher than pre-Covid levels in 2019
- The two-year transaction fee waiver on Giving.sg will continue until 31 March 2022 to aid the non-profit sector and over 600 charities as Singapore transitions into endemic phase
Singapore, 19 January 2022 – The generosity of people in Singapore lives on despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with Giving.sg receiving $95.5 million in donations between 1 January to 31 December 2021.
The leading national digital giving platform saw a 2.3 per cent increase in donations received compared to 2020, and was 167 per cent higher than pre-Covid levels in 2019. The sharp rise was driven by a rise in virtual giving during the pandemic.
Beyond individuals going digital in their giving efforts, COVID-19 has also accelerated the pace of non-profit organisations (NPOs) adopting technology in their fundraising campaigns. In 2021, Giving.sg saw a 5.8 per cent increase in the number of NPOs utilising the national digital giving platform, bringing the total to 625. Across all entities, 4,873 fund-raising campaigns were created on the platform, a 21.2 per cent increase from 2021.
The year-end festive period saw $25.4 million in donations in the month of December 2021 (a 20.4 per cent year-on-year increase) and close to $3.4M on 31 December 2021 alone, making it the highest monthly and single-day donations in Giving.sg history respectively. The Great Singapore Give – a fundraising campaign that is part of SG Cares Giving Week – alone contributed $2.1M to the total donations raised.
Furthermore, as part of NVPC’s continued effort to support charities, transaction fees on Giving.sg will continue to be waived until 31 March 2022. The two-year waiver has allowed the community to receive 100 per cent of the donations, helping them to tide over this challenging period.
NVPC’s Deputy CEO, Mr Tony Soh, said, “It has been a difficult time for charities in Singapore. It is even tougher to try to cope with a crisis alone. NVPC has been working tirelessly with various stakeholders over the past two years to uplift people and communities that have been struggling. To enable and facilitate the desire among Singaporeans to give, we have partnered with government agencies and companies to empower charities through marketing efforts such as enhancing the NPOs digital capabilities and creating awareness of national fundraising campaigns such as The Great Singapore Give. We are also grateful to celebrities and influencers such as the FLY Entertainment artistes who have helped spread the word in support of causes they are passionate about.”
He continued, “To adapt to challenges brought about by the pandemic and to keep pace with beneficiaries’ evolving needs, charities need to stay flexible and nimble. NVPC is committed to supporting them on their journey to adapt and transform. Adopting hybrid fund-raising campaigns — synchronising in-person giving initiatives with virtual platforms — could bridge existing gaps in the sector while encouraging more people to give.”
The rise in giving efforts across a variety of causes shows that anyone can make a difference through acts of giving, big or small. While there is generally a preference towards supporting social causes, let us not forget the important and meaningful causes such as the Arts and Heritage, Sports and Environment, as they offer many more avenues in which Singaporeans can give for the greater good.
