(From left) SMRT group CEO Ngien Hoon Ping, SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo and permanent secretary for Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth Teoh Zsin Woon on May 29.

SINGAPORE - Selected charities with Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status will be able to run campaigns free of charge across SMRT’s advertising network over the next three years.

Under a new tie-up between the public transport operator and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), charities whose proposals are selected will work with SMRT’s advertising arm, Stellar Ace.

The ad spaces span the MRT stations along the North-South, East-West, and Circle Lines, the Bukit Panjang LRT Line, and all bus shelter advertising panels islandwide.

On May 29, the two organisations signed a three-year agreement at the Staytion Lifestyle Centre in Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station to strengthen fundraising and volunteer outreach for charities with IPC status by giving them access to high-visibility public platforms.

SMRT pledged to sponsor up to $1 million of advertising space in its transport network to support the charity sector in Singapore, said SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming at the ceremony.

“This will help raise awareness of the causes championed by IPCs and encourage more people to come forward to support them – whether through donations or voluntary work,” he said.

There are about 700 IPCs in Singapore. Those interested can submit their proposals at www.stellarace.com.sg/csr.

Two types of campaigns will be supported. “Evergreen” campaigns focused on awareness, volunteerism and long-term engagement can run for up to 52 weeks, while fundraising campaigns aimed at driving donations and public action within a specific period can run for up to 12 weeks.

Speaking at the event, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo said: “Many of our IPCs do extraordinary work with very limited resources, so SMRT’s support will go a very long way in helping our charities continue more of their very meaningful work.”

SMRT’s support for the initiative is funded by savings generated from its staff-led improvement initiatives.

The partnership with MCCY is part of SMRT’s broader corporate and social responsibility efforts, through which it contributes nearly $1 million annually to support different community groups.

SMRT and National Gallery Singapore also inked a partnership on May 29 to promote art, culture and public engagement across SMRT’s transit spaces.

“SMRT will open up its transit spaces — stations, platforms, passageways — as venues for community engagement, educational outreach, and public participation in the arts,” said Mr Neo.