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Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are invited to take part in the eighth round of applications for the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD) starting next Monday (October 15). The Fund aims at promoting cross-sectoral co-operation to help the disadvantaged and benefit people in need.
A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said that in the eighth round of applications, priority will be given to the following projects:
(a) projects that seek to enhance quality of life, employment/skills development, empowerment and exclusion prevention;
(b) projects with outcome evaluation;
(c) projects with promising sustainability and strategic partnerships with business corporations;
(d) projects covering elements of early intervention with preventive measures targeting a social problem. Proposals with strategic plans to reach and provide support and services for the disadvantaged, such as hidden elders, people with ill health, poor and isolated families, deprived children living in disadvantaged circumstances, non-engaged young people and the unemployed able-bodied, will carry more weight in the selection process; and
(e) those projects that can demonstrate the NGOs' initiatives in rendering appropriate services and expanding their working partnership with business corporations to meet the changing needs of their target groups.
Bona-fide charitable welfare NGOs with tax-exempted status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) can apply for the matching grant of the Fund. Donations from registered business corporations operating their business in Hong Kong or charitable trusts/foundations which are established and managed by such business corporations will be considered by the Fund. Allocation of the Fund for each approved proposal will be capped at $2 million, while each applicant welfare NGO is allowed to submit a maximum of 10 applications in this round.
To facilitate the NGOs in compiling their applications for a grant of $100,000 or below, the SWD has prepared a Simplified Application Form on its homepage for applicants to download.
The spokesman added that the SWD would inform NGOs, chambers of commerce and business partners of their eighth round application through emails. The department will further promote the Fund through online platforms, agency visits and district promotional activities. A briefing session will also be organised for NGOs to elaborate the application details.
The Government set up the $200 million PFD in 2005. With the provision of matching grants, the Fund encourages business corporations to make donations and take part in NGO-run social welfare projects which seek to help the disadvantaged and create a caring society. Many business corporations have engaged in these projects and provided voluntary services to disadvantaged people. In view of the achievements made, the Government injected in 2010 another $200 million into the Fund to support its further development.
Since its inception, the PFD has approved the allocation of about $240 million in the previous seven rounds of application submitted by 140 welfare NGOs together with 906 business partners. More than 800 000 disadvantaged persons have benefitted from a total of 564 welfare projects.
The beneficiaries (by the size of matching grants) have comprised disadvantaged families (19 per cent), children (19 per cent), elderly persons (16 per cent), people with disabilities (14 per cent), disadvantaged young people (12 per cent), women (4 per cent), unemployed people (4 per cent), new arrivals (2 per cent) as well as ethnic minorities and others (including street sleepers, ex-offenders, chronically ill people and drug abusers) (10 per cent).
The eighth round of applications will open on October 15 and close on February 28, 2013. For enquiries, please contact the PFD Secretariat (tel: 2892 5104/2892 5304, email: pmpfd@swd.gov.hk) or visit the SWD homepage (www.swd.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, October 12, 2012
Issued at HKT 10:01
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