Session 1: Building Collaborations for Impact
Our annual flagship conference, Reimagining Philanthropy, drew over 140 participants on Thursday, 20 November 2025 to explore the evolving landscape of giving in Singapore. Centred on the theme of collaboration, the event encouraged stakeholders to envision a future where organisations and individuals work together to address complex social issues more effectively.
This year’s event also marked a special milestone as we celebrated Soristic’s 10th anniversary.
The conference opened with the launch of the Fourth Edition of Singapore’s Biggest Philanthropic Organisations List, which identified 126 private philanthropic organisations with a cumulative giving of $419 million. The top 10 givers contributed over S$316 million, and 42 organisations donated more than S$1 million each.
This was followed by a panel discussion, “Building Collaborations for Impact,” featuring Darrel Lim, Director of Applied Philanthropy and Impact at the Community Foundation of Singapore; Saleemah Ismail, CEO of New Life Stories; and Sana Kazi from ImpactCollab, a new initiative by AVPN. The panellists emphasised that while collaboration can strengthen the ecosystem, it is equally important to choose partners carefully. As Darrel noted, the belief that “more partners is better” is a myth; poorly aligned collaborations add uncertainty and reduce effectiveness rather than enhancing it.
Attendees also received a preview of Give+, a new philanthropy platform developed by the Benjamin Wong Foundation in collaboration with Give.Asia. The platform aims to make giving fast, simple and worthwhile by enabling donors to support causes directly and easily receive updates on their impact.
As Soristic marks a decade of work, Reimagining Philanthropy highlights the growing momentum toward more intentional, transparent and collaborative giving in Singapore. The discussions throughout the event reinforced a key message: meaningful impact is achieved together, especially when supporting disadvantaged communities whose needs are complex and interconnected. Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach, which makes collaboration essential.
With the sector shifting toward more data driven and research backed impact, supported by tools like Give+ and continued efforts to map the philanthropy landscape, Soristic remains committed to helping givers, organisations and communities build a more connected and effective social impact ecosystem.
Session 2: Do Good, Together!
The second part of the conference, Do Good, Together!, showcased our SG60: Stories of Giving and Community Spirit project and included an open mic session featuring 10 changemakers.
SG60: Stories of Giving and Community Spirit aims to broaden the narrative of philanthropy by shining a light on everyday people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are making a meaningful difference. The project explores the challenges and enablers experienced by grassroots changemakers in Singapore and encourages conversations and participation across communities through their stories.
From the findings, six key enablers emerged: the spark to act; support from family and friends; strong teams and volunteers; partnerships and collaborations; funding support; as well as mentorship and guidance. At the same time, six common challenges were identified: limited visibility; funding constraints; volunteer management; societal stigma and judgment; work life balance; and the need to stay relevant and adaptable
During the open mic showcase, the 10 changemakers shared initiatives spanning public health, youth volunteering, mental health and support for seniors. Some projects were youth led, such as Spin Up, which aims to make Values In Action (VIA) projects more accessible, sustainable and impactful for teachers and students. Spin Up addresses educator burnout and the high cost of VIA activities, both of which limit service learning opportunities nationwide. Their asks included volunteer recruitment support, technical support and connections with more partner schools.
It was heartwarming to see changemakers from diverse age groups take the stage to share their visions, express their passion and invite others to collaborate. These stories demonstrated our core message: doing good is a collective effort that thrives on partnership. SG60 broadened our understanding of Singapore’s changemaking landscape by spotlighting diverse contributors and uncovering the key enablers and barriers they experience.
Reimagining Philanthropy 2025 successfully brought together a vibrant ecosystem of givers, ground ups and innovators. We look forward to seeing the connections formed at the event grow into meaningful and sustainable impact, as we continue to champion and support every changemaker, regardless of background or scale of effort.
