The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD) managed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) is inviting the 15th round Regular Portion applications and the eighth round Dedicated Portion applications for implementing After-school Learning and Support Programmes starting from today (December 29). Welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and eligible primary and secondary schools are encouraged to submit proposals.

     The Government set up the PFD in 2005 to promote tripartite partnership among the welfare sector, business corporations and the Government for helping the disadvantaged. The Government provides matching grants with regard to the donations made by business partners to support welfare NGOs in running social welfare projects. Up till now the Government has injected a total of $1.2 billion into the PFD. Apart from a commitment of $800 million for the Regular Portion of the PFD to help the disadvantaged, the remaining $400 million has been earmarked for the Dedicated Portion. Since its launch in 2015, the Dedicated Portion has been actively promoting the "Citizens-Business-Government-School" collaboration to implement more after-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary students from grassroots families to facilitate their whole-person development.
 
     Taking into consideration the local economic downturn and its impact on the disadvantaged, the SWD has extended a special measure taken in the previous two years to raise the ceiling of grants by 50 per cent, that is, the ceiling of grants for each Regular Portion project is raised from $2 million to $3 million and that for each Dedicated Portion project from $3 million to $4.5 million, to allow room for welfare NGOs and schools to provide services for the benefit of more disadvantaged persons. In addition, to enable NGOs and schools to launch different projects at different stages, two deadlines are set for both the Regular Portion applications and the Dedicated Portion applications. The second deadline for both types of applications is October 31, 2022.

     A spokesman for the SWD said that in the earlier 14 rounds of Regular Portion Applications of the PFD, matching grants totalling over $520 million were approved for 214 welfare NGOs to implement a total of 1 076 welfare projects sponsored by over 1 700 business organisations, benefiting more than one million disadvantaged persons. The first seven rounds of Dedicated Portion Applications attracted a favourable response. About $280 million in matching grants have been approved for 436 after-school learning and support projects so far. Over 400 business organisations have participated in the projects, benefiting more than 130 000 primary and secondary students.

     Summaries of the two applications are as follows:
 

	The 15th Round Regular Portion Application	The Eighth Round Dedicated Portion Application
Eligible applicants	Bona-fide charitable welfare NGOs having tax-exempt status under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112)	Bona-fide charitable welfare NGOs having tax-exempt status under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112)   Public sector primary and secondary schools including government schools, aided schools and caput schools, and schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme
Contents of the projects	Social welfare projects for the disadvantaged	After-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary students from grassroots families
Application guides and forms	SWD homepage: www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/ page_supportser/sub_partnership	SWD homepage:  www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/ page_supportser/sub_dedicatedportion
Deadline for applications	June 30, 2022 (first deadline) and October 31, 2022 (second deadline)	April 29, 2022 (first deadline) and October 31, 2022 (second deadline)

     Details of the Regular Portion and the Dedicated Portion of the PFD are available on the SWD homepage: www.swd.gov.hk. For enquiries about the applications, please contact the Secretariat of the PFD during office hours on 3468 2718 or 3468 2710, or by email to pmpfd@swd.gov.hk.

Ends/Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Issued at HKT 15:00

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