From tomorrow to the end of March next year, donations to Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) will be matched dollar for dollar through the new $200 million Bicentennial Community Fund (BCF), Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu announced yesterday.

Each IPC will be entitled to up to $400,000, subject to the utilisation of the fund and other eligibility conditions.

To date, the fund supports more than 600 registered IPCs, encouraging them to engage potential donors and volunteers so as to better meet the needs of the community.

Only registered IPCs may tap the fund during the stipulated period and it will be administered by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre with support from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

A series of briefings on more details about the fund will be held next month for IPCs.

The minister also said that IPCs can expect additional support in the form of assistance to adopt digital giving platforms, such as the SG Cares app and Giving.sg platform, allowing them to engage new donors in the digital space.

Information on grants and resources from the Government and other partners will also be provided to the IPCs through various schemes.

Ms Fu said yesterday that nurturing a culture of caring required a collective effort from everyone.

She said: "We are here today because of our forefathers. They have made sacrifices and helped one another regardless of race, language or religion, to make a better life for themselves and their children.

"Through the Bicentennial Community Fund, we hope to further encourage all Singaporeans to continue the philanthropic and community self-help spirit of our forefathers, 200 years on and 200 years forward."

Ms Fu was speaking at the Ng Teng Fong General Hospital at the launch of the J.Walkers programme which encourages the public to walk 3,000 steps along the sheltered path that connects Jurong East MRT station to malls, such as IMM, and ending at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital's tower B.

Ms Ivy Tse, chief executive officer of Halogen Foundation Singapore, an IPC, said: "I certainly look forward to BCF as an opportunity to be tapped to uplift causes that are needed to move Singapore ahead.

"We all have a part to play to make a positive contribution towards the country's collective growth," she added.

Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore's advocacy and marketing executive Daren Ng said he felt the fund would encourage donors to contribute beyond seasonal giving trends.

"The (fund) will also be an excellent way to give individual and corporate donors the extra boost to make donations or curate new and impactful partnerships," he said.