Selected from over 300 eligible applicants, the four organisations will receive two-year grants to strengthen intercultural understanding and harmony across the region.
Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), Asia’s largest platform for social impact, today announced four inaugural grantees of the Harmony in Diversity Fund, established in partnership with Temasek Foundation, The Silent Foundation and Nagulendran Philanthropy Alliance. Aiming to foster cohesive and harmonious societies across Asia, the fund strengthens partnerships among the philanthropic, private, public and people sectors by enabling collaboration, knowledge sharing and the mobilisation of resources for the region’s Harmony in Diversity ecosystem.
Selected from more than 300 eligible applicants across the region, the four community-led organisations will receive grants ranging from US$100,000 to US$200,000 over two years, from September 2026 to September 2028, to support the design, implementation and scaling of their harmony initiatives.
The inaugural grantees are:
“In a region as diverse as Asia, harmony has to be built deliberately, especially as pressures on trust and connection continue to grow. Yet while its importance is widely recognised, the organisations building it on the ground are not always supported with the same discipline or long-term commitment as other areas of social investment. By combining capital and expertise through the Harmony in Diversity Fund, AVPN and its partners can support this work in a more coordinated and accountable way,” said Dhun Davar, Chief of Programmes and Deputy Chief Executive Officer at AVPN.
“This first cohort demonstrates how harmony can be strengthened through practical, locally grounded approaches – from reinforcing values at home to enabling young people and community leaders to collaborate across differences. The Fund provides sustained support to organisations that understand their communities and are already doing this work on the ground,” he added.
Building a More Harmonious Asia
The Harmony in Diversity Fund was announced in September 2025, followed by a call for applications in March 2026, at a time when communities across Asia are navigating rapid economic change, widening inequalities, and growing polarisation. By supporting initiatives that strengthen trust, inclusion, and a sense of belonging among diverse groups, the Fund aims to support safer, more harmonious societies where people can live and work together despite differences.
Through this philanthropic collective giving fund, the Fund will support organisations and leaders working on the frontlines of harmony, from grassroots efforts that bridge divides to opportunities and foster stronger, more connected communities. By backing evidence-based approaches and amplifying local innovations, the Fund seeks to help communities across Asia unlock more benefits from cohesion: deeper intercultural understanding, stronger community connections, and more resilient communities. In doing so, it aims to demonstrate that catalysing harmony building work is a forward-looking strategy for the region’s shared future.
The Harmony in Diversity Fund supports community-based organisations working on initiatives that promote intercultural understanding, strengthen connections and collaboration across diverse communities, build community capacity to advance harmony initiatives, and develop innovative and creative approaches to harmony.
Ng Boon Heong, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation, said: “Community organisations across Asia are already doing important work to build trust and strengthen connection, often with limited resources. The Harmony in Diversity Fund therefore backs these locally grounded solutions so they can deepen their impact, reach more communities and build for the longer term. By strengthening the ecosystem around these organisations, Temasek Foundation hopes to uplift these efforts to go further and create lasting change.”
Teng Ngiek Lian, Founder, The Silent Foundation, said: “Many of those most affected by social division are also the least likely to be seen or heard. Supporting community-led organisations helps bring greater visibility to these ‘silent sufferers’, while giving local groups the resources and platform to respond to their needs. We believe more inclusive societies are built when overlooked communities are given the opportunity to participate and have their voices recognised.”
John Nagulendran, Co-Founder, Nagulendran Philanthropy Alliance, said: “Social cohesion does not happen by chance. It must be built intentionally through trust, shared purpose and continued collaboration across communities. By supporting practical, community-led approaches, we can help create the conditions for people from different backgrounds to understand one another, work together and build more enduring connections.”