Tote Board commits $6m for the Future-Ready Society Impact Fund and Knowledge Partnership

Singapore, 10 May 2023 – To enhance the future-readiness of Singapore’s social ecosystem, Tote Board has committed $6 million over three years and partnered with Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (LKYCIC) and Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) to support action-oriented, evidence-based futures solutioning. Of which, $3 million will be channelled towards supporting the new “Future-Ready Society Impact Fund”, which will bring together community partners from the People-Private-Public sectors to co-solution towards a future-ready social ecosystem. These solutions will be informed by futures research, co-designed with partners, and driven by the community. The Fund is launched by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

About the Future-Ready Society Impact Fund and Knowledge Partnership

The Future-Ready Society Impact Fund supports the piloting of innovative solutions with the potential to result in an impactful transformation of Singapore’s social ecosystem. This could be new or alternative solutions to address society’s wicked problems, complex social dilemmas and emerging societal needs on the horizon. This aims to expand the range of tested and validated solutions that can be quickly leveraged in the various plausible alternative future scenarios that may arise. The pilots will be co-driven and co-created together with citizens and community partners.

A key enabler that supports the Future-Ready Society Impact Fund is the Knowledge Partnership initiative. This comprises futures-oriented research and knowledge building led by LKYCIC; the goal is to surface potential gaps and opportunity areas for intervention in the futures space. Research insights will be distilled and synthesized into potential solutions to be piloted by IPS. This will tighten the nexus between evidence-based futures research and action-oriented futures solutioning.

Thematic focus of Future-Ready Society Impact Fund and Knowledge Partnership

The Knowledge Partnership will enable in-depth study in the following two thematic areas to provide an evidence-based identification of promising solutions to be piloted under the Future-Ready Impact Fund. The thematic focus will evolve as the partnership evolves with the learning from the futures research and action-oriented futures solutioning.

• Future of Resilient Families and Empowered Communities

This theme seeks to explore how we can better support vulnerable groups in Singapore, through building resilient families to serve as reliable sources of support for vulnerable individuals and empowering the community in coming together to form a broader network of support around these individuals. Potential pilots may include alternative modalities of organising community support and delivering social care, and broader strategies that contribute towards economic inclusion, social cohesion and social mobility.

• Future of Civic Engagement

This theme will unpack the future of civic participation and how citizens’ voices can be better incorporated in the governance process in a manner that is equitable, effective, consistent and constructive. With the growth of digital technologies and interactive platforms, it has become easier for citizens to share their views and for policymakers to capture public sentiments. To be future-ready, new forms of civic participation must be envisioned and spearheaded, guided by the following elements: inclusivity, transparency and trust. Potential pilots may include alternative ways to bring citizens together to participate in civic processes and engage in collective deliberation to enlarge our common ground.

“Forward Singapore aims to renew Singapore’s social compact and tap on our shared strengths as a people. Through the Future Ready Society Impact Fund and Knowledge Partnership, Tote Board is committed to bring the people, private and public sectors together to co-create our shared future. Through our impactful grants, Tote Board will work with the community to encourage positive change and drive social impact for a future-ready, caring and resilient society," said Tote Board Chairman, Mrs Mildred Tan.

“We all share a common future. A unity of understanding, purpose and collective action as a “Future Ready Society” will strengthen our social resilience to better meet the many challenges in an increasingly uncertain world. Through our futures-oriented and evidence-based research, LKYCIC hopes to contribute research insights and identify opportunities for solutioning with stakeholders and the community," said LKYCIC’s Chair, Prof Cheong Koon Hean.

“If we are to better meet the needs of Singaporeans, it is crucial we bring together diverse perspectives and collaborate across sectors. The Institute of Policy Studies' Policy Lab is proud to be part of this initiative, which seeks to combine academic and policy research with action. We look forward to working with our partners LKYCIC and Tote Board," said IPS Director, Mr Janadas Devan.