SINGAPORE - A centralised platform being developed to gather non-profit organisations in one place will make it far easier for people to donate online.

The SG Cares Digital Kampong project aims to connect donors and non-profit organisations by gathering various charitable causes and publishing them on the Sg Cares App to reach a wider range of donors, said the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).

The ministry, which is partnering the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) on the project, said development will start later this year and take place over two years.

It noted that Covid-19 has highlighted the need for non-profit organisations to garner support from givers through digital means.

However, prospective donors have to browse through different giving sites and create separate user accounts to search and sign up to donate.

SG Cares Digital Kampong will publish causes that are uploaded on a partner charity's website, giving.sg, or volunteer.sg on the Sg Cares app.

This will let users access donation options for a range of charities in one place and give them wider outreach.

Said the MCCY: "Non-profit organisations with lower brand recognition will have access to more givers."

Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong noted that the initiative is meant to make giving easier and even out the flow of support between various organisations.

Singaporeans have given record sums via online donation portals amid the pandemic.

Online donation website Giving.sg received $93.4 million last year, more than twice the sum it collected in 2019. Giving.sg, which is run by the NVPC, is used by more than 580 charities to raise funds.

The article has been edited to include the updated donation figures for Giving.sg.