The APC Philanthropy Guide Series is a resource tailored for the Asian context and developed by APC for its members. Addressing specific needs at different stages of the philanthropic journey — from strategising and structuring to collaborating and evaluating — each guide presents different approaches, best-in-class models, expert perspectives, case studies of APC members, and other insights from APC’s work. APC Members Please click on the button below to go to the microsite for the APC Philanthropy Guide Series. If you have any questions about the guides or how to access the site, reach out to the APC team for more information. Others in the Ecosystem The APC Philanthropy Guide Series was…

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a challenge faced by many countries in Asia. Across the region, local priorities, challenges, and models can be very different, with varying outcomes. ECD lays the foundation for a child’s physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being and is a strong predictor of long-term human development. However, despite the growing emphasis on ECD in policies and services, questions remain on the adequacy and timeliness of services children receive, as well as the availability of comprehensive programmes that optimise development. The study identifies the current landscape of policy and service provision pertaining to ECD in China, Indonesia, the…

Less than 2% of global philanthropy goes towards addressing climate change, with even less going towards Asia. Recent IPCC reports [2021 / 2022] point to an extremely urgent need for climate action to curb emissions, and adapt to devastating impacts already being felt in vulnerable parts of the world. It is clear that more collective action is needed across the region to address this shared threat. The complexity of addressing climate change requires working together. The APC Climate Collective, which was launched in early 2022, gathers members to enable them to find focus areas for climate action in Asia. The…

A study in 2016 by the Singapore Institute for Mental Health reported that 1 in 7 persons in Singapore has experienced a mental health issue in their lifetime. Coupled with Singapore’s ageing population, society faces a myriad of mental health-related issues such as dementia. Recent reports and movements have also highlighted the rise in teenage suicides and depression.  In 2020, APC members began to explore mental health issues in Singapore, organising several roundtables and workshops together with Caregivers Alliance, the Singapore Institute for Mental Health, and the Centre for Evidence and Implementation. Since then, members have regrouped to form the…

Migrant workers can face an array of challenges in the migration process, including navigating through multiple layers of stakeholders and high recruitment fees. A recent 2021 study on migrant workers of Singapore reported that the median recruitment fee paid by Bangladeshi workers to be SGD 6,000 (three times higher than those paid by Indian workers). Given that the majority of Bangladeshi migrant workers need to borrow money to finance their recruitment fees, Bangladeshi migrant workers are often arriving in Singapore with huge financial burdens even before they start work. This is a systemic issue that requires a systemic response. In…

Although the World Bank has indicated Malaysia is on track to achieve high-income nation status in the next two to six years, vulnerable communities remain sidelined from this advancement. These communities include daily wage earners, contract workers, indigenous peoples, and others among local and refugee communities. According to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, poverty in these communities has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the lack of a comprehensive social protection system. In 2021, building on a dialogue session with the UNHCR organised by APC on the surge of refugees emerging in the region from the…

Microsite here: https://www.edumap-indonesia.asiaphilanthropycircle.org/ There are more students in Indonesia than there are people in Spain, but more than half perform below minimum levels in mathematics and reading.  Progress is being made, but more is needed.  This report analyses Indonesia’s education landscape, and identifies opportunities for philanthropists to focus their efforts and bring about change for the better. Catalysing Productive Livelihood is a publication by Asia Philanthropy Circle that highlights the current state of Indonesia’s education system, the best practices of education interventions in-country and globally, and the “white spaces” in philanthropy efforts.  The report analyses four areas within the education…

1000 Days Fund Indonesia pools funding from members and funders in Singapore and Indonesia to address the issue of stunting and malnutrition in Indonesia. Leveraging partners’ resources, the 5 year programme will pilot in selected areas and work with local communities to target the problems comprehensively.

Philanthropy in education is popular across Asia but funds mostly flow into physical infrastructure and scholarships, and not into education software.  In particular, in order to effectively improve on the public education space, APC believes that we have to address the capability of the top level of school management as this is a critical factor for the success of any school and for changes to be effective.  APC’s pilot programme to train school leaders/principals is working with the India School Leadership Institute (ISLI) and Global School Leaders, the international platform for school leadership development programmes that are delivered locally. The…

Accommodation and service options for the senior population in Singapore is currently limited and nursing homes do not cater for seniors with low dependency needs and desire high autonomy and purposeful-living.  The Assisted Living Facility (ALF) Pilot aims to provide a demonstrable model for the market and government, offering a more community-centric model that engages with the residents.  APC is collaborating with a non-profit organisation to build this first purpose-built facility in Singapore.