Assessing Fundraising Burden on Smaller Non-Government-funded Social Service Agencies

Ms Elysa Chen asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the Ministry has assessed the fundraising burden on smaller Social Service Agencies that are not Ministry of Social and Family Development-funded but must raise additional charitable donations each year to keep pace with National Council of Social Service salary guideline increases; and (b) whether any co-funding or transitional support mechanism will be introduced for these organisations.

The Skills and Salary Guidelines published by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) guides social service agencies (SSAs) to pay their employees fair and competitive remuneration and maintain the sector's attractiveness. The Guidelines are adjusted so that salaries remain competitive with comparable roles in competing markets.

SSAs can tap on the Community Capability Trust (CCT) fund to build organisation capabilities that strengthen donation support to their organisation, including areas of financial sustainability strategy, communication and partnership planning, and their compensation and performance management practices. NCSS has also developed a playbook that provides a comprehensive guide on how SSAs can build fundraising capabilities.