The Journey of Radical Philanthropy

Where it all began

Lien Foundation was set up in 1980 by Dr George Lien Ying Chow (1906-2004). An eminent banker, hotelier and community leader, Dr Lien’s influence surpassed sector boundaries, reaching far beyond Singapore. He co-founded Nanyang University, helped set up Ngee Ann College (now known as Ngee Ann Polytechnic), and served as chairman of the first council of National University of Singapore.

He carved a path of progress through education initiatives, ensuring that younger generations were not deprived of learning opportunities. His vision encompassed not only the access to education but also the aspirations for a brighter future, motivating them to strive for excellence. In 2005, the Foundation became the first Singapore family foundation to professionalise. Presently, it operates with a dedicated team of seven individuals.

Taking risks in unfamiliar landscapes

We are willing to make bold bets with a long-term orientation. Undaunted by ambiguity, experimental projects we started have gone mainstream (e.g., Mission I’mPossible, ECHO Framework and IngoT).

Unfolding what we know

We continually challenge assumptions and our own thinking. We embrace every opportunity to learn and discover new possibilities alongside our partners.

To transform

We bet on people we believe in who are working on tough problems. These often lie at intersections, such as health and social care. We think beyond traditional service silos and engineer partnerships that grow the ecosystem.

Our Mission & Values

We rally top talents to take on wicked problems, co-developing solutions that are sometimes radical, often commonsensical, to raise standards in palliative care, eldercare, and maternal and child health.

Courage over conformity

We confront hard truths, question assumptions, take risks, and stand for what's right.

Curiosity over complacency

We seek innovation and invite fresh perspectives at the frontiers of human experience.

Candour over ceremony

We build trust through open, equal partnerships, focusing on problem solving while being honest with our shortcomings.

Our Approach

As we make just a handful of investment decisions a year, we take a more proactive approach to develop projects where we can experiment and take risks. We value working with strong organisations spanning the scientific community, hospitals, creative experts and designers to democratise solutions, with an emphasis on early intervention across our focus areas.

Operating at the systems level, we target neglected areas with little to no competition, and where our ability to add value shines through. We also assess our ability to contribute beyond monetary terms, bringing expertise, resources and networks to enhance the project’s success. The initiatives often reflect a fresh approach that extends beyond traditional paradigms.

New Service Model

Capability Building

Research

Film & Storytelling

Using creativity and design to unlock new possibilities

Reimagined spaces

User Experience Design

Illustration

Art

Ways of Working

We hope the following helps partners understand what we do differently and why.

How we see our partners

Even though we are a grantmaker, we do not work with partners via a lopsided, one-dimensional relationship. Ours will be a relationship of equals, based on mutual trust and respect. We will seek to contribute to your work beyond the grant, such as by striving to know your subject matter well enough to be a credible sparring partner to offer quality new perspectives. Conversely, we look to you to contribute to our work beyond the grant, such as by giving us opportunities to learn alongside you.

How we communicate

We value candour. We will be frank in our conversations with you, and we request the same of you. Our preferred communication style is informal, expeditious, and face-to-face. We hope that mistakes made, ours or yours, will be shared early and honestly with the other party, so we can work together to resolve it instead of being notified after the fact. We uphold high standards of professionalism among ourselves and our partners; if and when either of us fall short, we should expect and be grateful to be called out.

How we execute

We like to keep things simple, so we can focus on the actual work. We seek to be a reliable and responsive partner, and ask the same of you. We dislike bureaucracy, processes that curtail human agency, and documentation for documentation’s sake. When we visit, we request for it to be free of formalities and involve as small a group as possible, for we are cognisant of your operational priorities. As we implement, we encourage you to take calculated risks and not hold back for fear of failure, safe in the knowledge that we share equal responsibility.

How we view success

We appreciate the value and limits of evaluation. What we are more interested in is learning, which we believe should be the focus when trying something new, as we are now. We will not be preoccupied with KPIs, which are most meaningful only after we get the model right. We define success in terms of the quantity and quality of insights gained, and the adoption of our work by others. We see success also in the enjoyment of each other’s company, and the desire to partner again. In a sector powered by heart, we consider it our privilege to work with you.