The National Trades Union Congress (“NTUC”) today launched the NTUC Community Fund (the “Fund”), a new charitable fund established to strengthen support for young children and seniors in Singapore.
The NTUC Community Fund unites resources and support from across the Labour Movement to better serve workers and their families in an evolving Singapore. Registered as an Institution of a Public Character, the NTUC Community Fund brings together two existing charities – Bright Horizons Fund by NTUC First Campus and Health for Life Fund – to bridge gaps in early childhood development and eldercare.
The NTUC Community Fund is committed to growing into a $500-million endowment fund over the next five years. Building on its initial $200-million base from the consolidation of the aforementioned two funds, the growth towards this target will be supported primarily by contributions from the businesses of NTUC Enterprise.
Officiating the launch of the NTUC Community Fund, NTUC Secretary-General, Mr Ng Chee Meng, said: “Many low-income families in Singapore have shared their concerns – about their children having a fair start in life, and whether their elderly parents will be well cared for as they age. These concerns sit at the heart of NTUC’s social mission, and the NTUC Community Fund is how we act on our mission, in a much bigger way. With a target of $500 million over the next five years, we will continue standing with workers and their families at each stage of life, to show care and to support them as they navigate different challenges.
Because Every Worker Matters, and that means their families matter too.”
Supporting Families in a Changing Singapore
As the NTUC Community Fund focuses on two life stages where timely support can have lasting impact, approximately $12 million has been earmarked for disbursement in 2026 to programmes supporting child development and eldercare.
The Fund currently supports 7,000 children and 2,000 seniors per year. Over the next three years, it aims to expand its annual reach, targeting 10,000 children and 3,000 seniors.
For young children, the NTUC Community Fund supports equal access to early education and holistic development, particularly for those from lower-income families or with additional needs, through initiatives such as You’ve Got Talent and the Development Support Specialist Programme, which provide enrichment, early intervention and in-classroom support to strengthen children’s confidence, social skills and participation in learning.
For seniors, the Fund supports affordable and accessible care to enable ageing in place, including financial assistance for essential care services and community-based programmes such as Walking Football and Community Café that help seniors stay active, connected and supported within their communities. More information on these programmes and beneficiary profiles can be found in the Annex.
While the initial focus is on young children and seniors, the NTUC Community Fund will continue to evolve, with plans to expand into other areas to better serve community needs. Any expansion will be carefully phased and guided by evidence to ensure support remains targeted and effective.
While these programmes provide immediate support and opportunities to workers and their families, the NTUC Community Fund recognises that sustainable change requires the mobilisation and uplifting of the whole ecosystem. To that end, the Fund will also take on a catalytic role, supporting innovation, taking proven models of care and scaling them to benefit the wider Singapore community.
Working with Partners to Uplift Sectors and Deliver Greater Impact
Scaling this impact to the wider community, the Fund will work closely with NTUC First Campus and NTUC Health to strengthen service delivery and scale successful models through collaboration with a broader network of community organisations, including Social Service Offices, Social Service Agencies, and like-minded corporates.
The Fund will also drive partnerships with market operators to pilot innovative care solutions and approaches, to raise overall quality of care across Singapore.
