New social impact hub to boost collaboration between non-profits

Slated to open in Nov at ex-ELD building, it will be able to house up to 24 groups

- Shermaine Ang

A new social impact hub that can house up to 24 non-profit organisations is slated to open at the end of November.

Called The Foundry, the hub will be located in the three-storey building at 11 Prinsep Link that served as the Elections Department office building until 2019.

The collective impact hub is being set up by registered charity The Majurity Trust (TMT), in partnership with the Singapore Government Partnerships Office, Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Tote Board.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Health Rahayu Mahzam said in Parliament on March 1 that SLA recognises the role spaces play in promoting social good, and has been repurposing spaces to serve the community.

Other social impact hubs include Temasek Shophouse and Common Ground Civic Centre & Consultancy.

TMT chief executive Martin Tan said it has been piloting a coworking concept with six nonprofits in the last three years at its Gateway East office in Beach Road.

TMT and the six non-profits Impart, KampungKakis, The Tapestry Project SG, Vintage Radio.SG, Ray of Hope and Better.sg - are looking to move into The Foundry in November. The nonprofits tackle various social issues such as social isolation among seniors and youth mental health.

The first floor of the 17,000 sq ft hub will have an events space which can seat 120 people, a podcast studio and a social enterprise cafe. The other storeys will have an open office concept for organisations or individuals, and anchor offices for larger organisations.