Community Integration Fund

The Community Integration Fund (CIF) supports ground-up projects that help locals, immigrants, and other newcomers interact and build mutual understanding in Singapore. The National Integration Council (NIC) launched the fund in September 2009; MCCY's current programme page describes the application and reimbursement rules. The fund is project co-funding, not an automatic payment to newcomers, a general community grant for any purpose, or a substitute for immigration or citizenship procedures (MCCY, Community Integration Fund, updated 17 August 2026; MCCY, National Integration Council, updated 11 February 2026).

Objectives and eligible project types

Projects must support integration by providing information and resources about Singapore, encouraging emotional attachment and involvement, creating social interaction between locals and immigrants or foreigners, or promoting a positive mindset and mutual understanding. Examples include festivals and celebrations, interest-based activities such as sports, volunteerism, arts and culture, learning journeys, forums, workshops, conferences, videos, and publications. Integration must be a major project objective; a project that treats it as secondary is less likely to receive strong support (MCCY, Community Integration Fund, updated 17 August 2026).

Applicants, funding and reimbursement

Applications are open to Singapore-registered organisations, including companies and trade unions. Individuals must apply through a registered organisation, company, or trade union. MCCY states that the CIF can co-fund up to 80% of total qualifying costs, or qualifying costs after income or net deficit adjustments, whichever is lower, with a maximum of S$100,000 per project. The amount granted varies with the project's fit to the fund's objectives and is subject to approval; the published percentage and ceiling are not guaranteed awards (MCCY, Community Integration Fund, updated 17 August 2026).

The fund pays on a reimbursement basis, and applicants must meet these reimbursement conditions. Successful applicants must submit the project accounts, supporting receipts or invoices, an evaluation report, feedback forms from at least two local-born participants and two new immigrants, event photographs, and other requested documentation within three months after the project ends. The final payment is based on actual qualifying expenditure and income and is capped at the approved amount. Applications are open throughout the year, but MCCY asks applicants to submit at least eight weeks before the proposed project starts (MCCY, Community Integration Fund, updated 17 August 2026).

Exclusions and interpretation

The CIF does not support projects with objectionable content that may adversely affect social cohesion, projects advocating for a religion or political party, or projects that directly profit the applicant. Listed unsupported costs include start-up, operating, and capital costs such as manpower, purchase of assets, honorariums, and cash prizes. These exclusions mean that the CIF should be read as a targeted integration-project fund with assessment and claim conditions, not as unrestricted event sponsorship or a general operating grant (MCCY, Community Integration Fund, updated 17 August 2026).