Through the Community Foundation of Singapore, legacy giving can transform a lifetime of success into lasting impact

“He didn’t ask to be remembered,” says Ryan Lee of his late father. “But we wanted his generosity to live on, not for attention, but to set an example.”

Lee vividly recalls the challenges of caregiving for his late father, who had been living with dementia. Beyond the physical toll of taking care of his father during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee found it mentally and emotionally difficult to see the once strong, independent man become increasingly reliant on him simply to get through everyday life.

And yet, it was through this experience that Lee and his brother came to understand the importance of honouring their father’s legacy. Soon after their father’s passing, and prompted by their father’s request that a portion of his estate be donated to support the aged and sick, they established the Lee Choi Seng Foundation through the Community Foundation of Singapore (CFS).

Instead of a one-time donation, the brothers, with the expert guidance of CFS, created a dedicated fund to support causes that had been close to their father’s heart—ensuring that his spirit of generosity would continue well beyond his lifetime.

At its heart, this is what legacy giving is about: the act of making a thoughtful and enduring gift—whether through a will, trust, or dedicated fund—that continues to support charitable causes long after one’s lifetime. In essence, it is a way of transforming personal values, passions, and beliefs into lasting impact, ensuring that the causes that are closest to you remain supported well into the future.

A Living Legacy

It is this same desire to develop an enduring legacy that led Rachel Yang and her husband, Bryan Chua, to establish the SCATECH Philanthropy Fund. Named after Yang’s late father’s company, the fund serves as an extension and beacon of his humility, generosity, and compassion—values that have long been instilled in Yang as well.

“He was generous in ways that didn’t need to be seen,” she explains. Now parents themselves, Yang and Chua see the fund—which supports migrant workers, the arts, and education—as a living expression of their family’s values, and something they hope their two children, too, will embody one day.

More than just wealth and material assets, true legacies are woven into the lessons and principles we leave behind, and the manner in which they can inspire others to do the same. And if you aspire to craft a legacy of substance and impact for yourself or your loved ones, there is no better partner than CFS.

Your Cause, Your Way

The cause-neutral foundation, founded in 2008, has brought together donors, advisers, and over 400 charities and non-profit organisations.More than that, CFS is the nation’s first and largest holder of donor-advised funds—a flexible giving vehicle that allows individuals to set aside charitable funds now and decide when, how, and which causes those funds should be distributed to.

Beyond the immediate tax benefits, this philanthropic platform—which requires a minimum commitment of S$200,000—allows you to create a fund in your name without the administrative hassle that comes with setting up a private foundation.

Pair this with CFS’s strong governance, end-to-end support, and deep relationships across various sectors of the charity landscape, and you have a rigorous and flexible way to provide continued support to the causes you care about most during and long after your lifetime.

Give With Confidence

Besides providing you with impact reports on your donations, CFS also employs strict and comprehensive evaluation processes when vetting potential charities and programmes to support. By assessing overall costs, expected outcomes, and track records, its detailed approach ensures a list of optimised and well-governed partners that deliver maximum impact.

It is this comprehensive yet personalised approach that has earned CFS the trust of over 260 passion-driven individuals, families, and organisations. After all, when it comes to giving, what can be more compelling than the people and stories that inspire others to make a difference?

Community Foundation of Singapore

#04-88 The Central

6 Eu Tong Sen Street

Singapore 059817

6550 9529

www.cf.org.sg | legacygiving.sg

This story first appeared in the October 2025 issue. Purchase it as a print or digital copy, or consider subscribing to us here