Asia Philanthropy Circle

🌟 JOB OPENING: For the #WeekendJobHunt, our Climate Team is #hiring for a new #Climate Associate to work on our climate philanthropy portfolio. For those passionate about the #climate space and want the opportunity to move more action towards climate, this is a role for you. You'll work closely with APC's Climate Director Swati Agarwal and assist in donor engagement, research, event coordination, and support the team to scale funding for climate and resilience initiatives.  ➡️ 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 https://lnkd.in/gB5hEgqY 𝐀̲𝐥̲𝐬̲𝐨̲ ̲𝐬̲𝐭̲𝐢̲𝐥̲𝐥̲ ̲𝐡̲𝐢̲𝐫̲𝐢̲𝐧̲𝐠̲:̲ ➡️ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿, 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 https://lnkd.in/gs4Zv6k8 ➡️ 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 https://lnkd.in/g7DaVezA #PhilanthropyJobs #SharingIsCaring #ClimateJobs #GreenJobs jobs that makesense Asia

Inclusive development was on the agenda at the #PAS2026 Leaders Breakfast yesterday. One thing surfaced clearly: real change doesn't come from single programmes, funders, or breakthroughs. It comes from the #systems we build together—and whether they endure long after we've stepped back. Here are some of the reflections we took away on what designing for inclusive development could look like in practice, especially for us in #philanthropy (We'll also try not to repeat what everyone has been saying!): 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 Success isn't measured just by what programmes deliver, but by what communities sustain once funders and programmes exit. This means designing with communities, not just for them—understanding how issues connect to a wider web of challenges, strengthening existing systems rather than replacing them, and recognising the trust, relationships, and lived experiences that make solutions work. 2️⃣ 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Fragmented, siloed interventions rarely break cycles of inequality—they often help maintain them. Philanthropy shines best when it brings together institutions, communities, policy, and markets to solve shared challenges. 3️⃣  𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬—𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 We've said this before (and we'll keep saying it until it sticks), but funding public goods such as critical #data and making them available to all, is one of the most powerful investments #philanthropy can make. It not only helps identify gaps, coordinate action across actors, and strengthen interventions—and crucially, enable all of us to work in complement, rather than in competition. Fewer duplications. Less wasted resources. More impact where it counts. 4️⃣ 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬  While #strategy, #funding, and #structure matter (a lot), so do the things that don't quite fit a workplan: building genuine relationships, informal conversations (after hours, at the water cooler, in hallways, on WhatsApp), building empathy to understand issues, and investing in strong execution teams—these will do more for the success of interventions than they're given credit for. Sustainable, inclusive development is not a programme—it is a practice: of humility, of coordination, and long-term thinking. Thank you to Philanthropy Asia Alliance and AVPN for putting this room together, for inviting us to the conversation at a time when it matters most. Laurence Lien Esther Chang, CFRE Patsian Low Desmond Kuek Temasek Trust Austere Panadero Zuellig Family Foundation Benjamin Moey Hui Hong Seow Elizabeth Ee Theresa Cua #PAS2026 #philanthropy #inclusivedevelopment #systemsthinking #socialimpact #collaboration #Asia

It's going to be a busy week at next week's #PhilanthropyAsiaSummit! We're looking forward to be back, and to reconnect with partners, peers, and changemakers coming in from the region. Our team will be convening conversations with partners on #ClimateResilience, #Oceans, #InclusiveDevelopment, and on strenghtening #Philanthropy in #Asia. Find us here! Come by to say hello, and stay for the conversations ahead. ➡️ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 Co-hosted with Indonesia Marine Funders Collaboration 19 May 2026, 7:30 – 10:30 AM ➡️ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬’ 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭: 𝐑𝐞-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚 Co-hosted with Philanthropy Asia Alliance and AVPN 20 May 2026, 7.30 - 9.00 AM Our sister organisation, Asia Community Foundation, will also be hosting the following sessions during PAS: ➡️ 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚 19 May 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM [Full] ➡️ 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧-𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 Co-hosted with The Nature Conservancy 19 May 2026, 4:00 – 7:00 PM If you’ll be at PAS, we hope to connect with you there! Here's to meaningful conversations, new #collaborations, and seeing many familiar and new faces throughout the week.

🌟🌟We're extremely excited and proud to share that our Co-Founder and Chairman Laurence Lien has been named to this year's TIME 100 #Philanthropy List, recognising leading figures who are shaping the future of #giving across the world. He is the only figure from #Singapore and #SoutheastAsia to be named to the list since its inaugural edition in 2025. ➡️ READ THE ARTICLE HERE: https://lnkd.in/gD2JC2Rq Over the past two decades, Laurence has been a key figure in shaping the landscape of philanthropy in Asia. Aside from chairing APC, he leads the Lien Foundation with its model of 'radical philanthropy' investing in innovation to catalyse systemic change, establishing the Community Foundation of Singapore in 2008 to strengthen the local giving infrastructure, and co-founding Asia Community Foundation with Francesco Conrotto Caruso and Stanley Tan to enable more strategic, cross-border giving in the region. Laurence has been a long-standing champion of greater collaboration among philanthropists, and of a more strategic, locally-rooted, and systems approach to addressing the region’s most pressing and complex challenges. “For me, it is really about making the greatest difference on the ground,” he says to TIME. Laurence joins key global leaders in giving, from Rajiv J. Shah (The Rockefeller Foundation), our wonderful partner Asif Saleh (BRAC), who we are working with in piloting a fairer migration pathway to reduce debt for workers coming to #Singapore from #Bangladesh, and to our friend Xin Liu (ENLIGHT FOUNDATION), whom we are partnering with on a collaborative fund to advance ECD access for rural Chinese children under 3. ➡️ READ THE ARTICLE HERE: https://lnkd.in/gD2JC2Rq Esther Chang, CFRE Elizabeth Ee Sue Fertal Toomey

We had the pleasure to bring together APC members and friends for an intimate conversation with notable Australian philosopher Peter Singer around effective #giving, and to hear his thoughts on the future of #philanthropy. In a thought-provoking and wide-ranging discussion, we touched on not just effective giving, but also on moral responsibility, the future of humanity, and how we give, and how philanthropists and investors can think deeper about the #impact we want to see—how we prioritise action, and our responsibility to future generations. A few reflections from the discussion stayed with us: ➡️ 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗯̲𝗼̲𝘁̲𝗵̲ 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗼𝘂𝗿. While philanthropy is often shaped by personal convictions and emotional connections, creating meaningful impact also requires asking difficult questions around effectiveness, scale, and outcomes—and the importance of evidence to support them. ➡️ 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲. It is still important to respond to urgent human needs, while continuing to work toward longer-term structural solutions that reduce suffering at its roots. If a house is on fire, first save the people inside—but it's no reason to stop thinking about fire prevention! ➡️ 𝗔𝘀 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲. How do we balance alleviating suffering today with our responsibility to future generations in mitigating long-term existential risks? Our sincerest thanks to our wonderful hosts Wayne Chang🔸and Sally Tsai, and to Peter Singer for generously sharing your time and reflections—and to everyone who joined and contributed to such a thoughtful exchange. Barbara Calixto Zhilin X. Jasmine Khin Elizabeth Ee Esther Chang, CFRE #Philanthropy #EffectiveGiving #SocialImpact #FutureOfPhilanthropy #AI #ExistentialRisks #Responsibility #EffectiveAltruism #ProfitforGood #TheLifeYoucanSave

📣 We're #Hiring! We're expanding and looking for a new Senior Associate for #Communications and #Events to join our small but mighty team! This is an exciting time as APC steps into our second decade—we have a lot to build together, and we want someone to be part of shaping that future. You will own APC's main channels, with opportunities to stretch if you want to build your competencies across the spectrum. This is a role for someone who finds meaning in building something, while keeping the boat steady as we navigate uncharted waters. If you have a strong background in #communications and #marketing, experience in end-to-end #events management, and are passionate about learning and contributing to the #philanthropy and #socialimpact sector in Asia, we'd love to hear from you. 🌟 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 #𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘄̲𝗲̲ ̲𝗮̲𝗿̲𝗲̲ ̲𝘂̲𝗻̲𝗮̲𝗯̲𝗹̲𝗲̲ ̲𝘁̲𝗼̲ ̲𝘀̲𝗽̲𝗼̲𝗻̲𝘀̲𝗼̲𝗿̲ ̲𝗪̲𝗼̲𝗿̲𝗸̲ ̲𝗣̲𝗲̲𝗿̲𝗺̲𝗶̲𝘁̲𝘀̲ ̲𝗳̲𝗼̲𝗿̲ ̲𝘁̲𝗵̲𝗶̲𝘀̲ ̲𝗿̲𝗼̲𝗹̲𝗲̲. ➡️ MORE INFO: Website: https://lnkd.in/gB5hEgqY My Careers Future: https://lnkd.in/g7DaVezA PS: We're also still on the lookout for a new Manager for our Mandarin Collective: https://lnkd.in/gs4Zv6k8 #PhilanthropyJobs #SharingIsCaring #Hiring jobs that makesense Asia The Channels Network - Social Impact Communications

#signalboosting

Together with Asia Community Foundation, we recently had the pleasure of engaging with this year's Gingko Fellows—social #entrepreneurs and non-profit #leaders from #China, who visited Singapore hosted by Li Foundation. Building on a similar visit last year, this visit offered an opportunity to deepen conversations around #crossborder #philanthropy and regional collaboration. In an exchange around #Asia's evolving philanthropy landscape, here are some key takeaways from the session: 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Chinese social entrepreneurs are increasingly interested to exchange ideas and work with partners across #SoutheastAsia, with several fellows already exploring potential collaborations beyond China. 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺  Exposure to Singapore's philanthropy and #socialimpact ecosystem highlighted the value of understanding different models of partnership, funding, and systems-level engagement 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 Platforms like Asia Philanthropy Circle and ACF play an important role in connecting funders, practitioners, and ideas—and helping bridge geographies to enable more effective deployment of philanthropic capital 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 #𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 As challenges get more complex and interconnected, philanthropy continues to play an important, catalytic role—not just in funding solutions, but in enabling collaboration and learning across borders. Beyond the sessions with us, the Fellows also engaged with other organisations and funders to gain a deeper understanding of Singapore's social impact landscape—making for a rich, inspiring exchange all around. One thing is clear: #Impact is becoming increasingly borderless. Thank you to Li Foundation for convening this very meaningful exchange, and we look forward to the next exchange!

📣 𝗪𝗘'𝗥𝗘 𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚! For the weekend #jobhunters, we're looking for a new colleague to join our team, managing our Chinese market portfolio under the Mandarin Collective. If you're passionate about #philanthropy and #socialimpact and interested in developing the #Chinese philanthropy market (Greater #China #HongKong and #diaspora communities), check this role out. This is a rare opportunity to shape a nascent and growing field, and is a meaningful opportunity for community-builders, ecosystem connectors, and those with deep knowledge and expertise on the #Chinese giving market. ➡️ MORE INFO: https://lnkd.in/gB5hEgqY https://lnkd.in/gE5w58sJ #sharingiscaring #impactjobs #philanthropyjobs