Low Tuck Kwong Foundation tops list of biggest private donors

A foundation named after Singapore-born coal tycoon Low Tuck Kwong is the top private giver in a list of Singapore's 10 biggest philanthropic organisations in terms of donations given.

- Tang Yi Qing

The Low Tuck Kwong Foundation, set up in December 2022, gave $127.6 million in 2023 to educational and healthcare causes.

The report by Soristic Impact Collective, a social impact consultancy, noted that in 2023, the foundation donated $101 million to the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, aimed at expanding opportunities for the next generation of Asian leaders in public service and beyond.

Other recipients of its support include hospitals in Singapore and the region. Mr Low built his wealth in the natural resources sector and is the founder of Bayan Resources, a coal mining company in Indonesia.

The third edition of the Singapore's Biggest Philanthropic Organisations list, released on Dec 6, was compiled by Soristic Impact Collective based on publicly available data such as the groups' latest financial year statements and annual reports. It can include grants given locally and internationally.