A $60,000 grant has enabled several Singaporean social service agencies to harness data technology in improving care for vulnerable populations. The funding was part of the inaugural Data for Good Exchange (D4GX) programme, organised by the philanthropic arm of Bloomberg in 2025, which sought to enhance the technological capabilities of charities in the region.
One beneficiary, Rainbow Centre, supports approximately 900 students with autism across three schools. Coordinating care was previously hampered by fragmented information and inconsistent behavioural reporting. Since July 2025, staff have used a new database to record student behaviours such as meltdowns through standardized metrics including frequency, duration, and intensity. The system automatically generates trend lines that help educators and therapists identify when intervention is needed, improving responsiveness and allowing staff to focus more on analysing data rather than administrative tasks. Belinda Chua, the centre’s training and consultancy assistant director, noted that the tool eased the administrative burden, enabling more targeted interventions.
The D4GX initiative responded to widespread challenges in the charity sector, where agencies often collect large amounts of data but lack the expertise to analyse it effectively. After an open call in early 2025, 57 charities took part in workshops designed to build foundational data skills. Six agencies were then selected for a three-month accelerator from September to December, receiving mentorship from Bloomberg data experts and financial industry professionals from institutions including GIC, Standard Chartered, and UBS.
Among the other participating organisations, CaringSG focuses on supporting 5,000 caregivers of children with special needs and people with disabilities. The group confronted difficulties in consolidating fragmented data spread across different systems. With the grant, CaringSG developed a platform that aggregates caregiver information and connects family members, enabling staff to identify siblings of special needs individuals—an often overlooked group—and flag caregivers at risk of burnout. The system also maps caregivers’ locations to facilitate peer support. Edwin Tan, CaringSG’s chief executive, said the tool aims to enable earlier support for caregivers under stress.
Similarly, Dover Park Hospice applied artificial intelligence to assess caregiver burnout by analysing over 500 social work case notes using the Zarit Burden Interview framework, a clinical tool to measure caregiver stress. This analysis identified risk factors such as unemployment and solo caregiving, which can prompt earlier intervention. Marda Ng, head of the hospice’s social work and psychosocial services, highlighted the importance of addressing caregiver strain, noting that supporting these individuals can also assist with their bereavement.
Despite the clear benefits, charities reported challenges in accessing specialised AI talent given high demand in the sector. The grants allowed Dover Park Hospice to license AI tools for trial runs, Rainbow Centre to hire external vendors, and CaringSG to engage data specialists.
Bloomberg plans to reopen D4GX for applications in November 2026, with an expanded focus that includes AI adoption alongside data analysis. The programme fits within a larger government initiative, with Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development allocating $15 million in July 2026 toward experimenting with new technologies in social services. The efforts reflect a growing emphasis on data-driven innovation to improve care delivery in the non-profit sector.