The objective of the Project is to enhance the employment of people with disabilities through market-driven approach and direct creation of more work opportunities for people with disabilities.  Through the payment of grants as seed money to NGOs, the Project supports the creation of small enterprises/ businesses, (the “Business” which expression shall, as the context may permit, include the proposed business before the grant, the business approved for the grant and the business created or carried on with the grant) to ensure people with disabilities can enjoy genuine employment in a carefully planned and sympathetic working environment.

Guiding principle

To achieve the above objective, the number of employees with disabilities should not be less than 50% of the total number of persons on the pay-roll for the Business.  For the employees, a proper employer-employee relationship such as the entitlement to the normal employment benefits as defined under the Employment Ordinance etc. is expected.  For the purpose of calculating the percentage under this paragraph, in case if there is any consultant or other similar person who receives any consultancy or management fee from the Business, the consultant or the person himself and all his/its employees shall be deemed to be persons on the pay-roll of the Business.

Who are eligible to apply

The grants from the Project are open for application by bona-fide charitable NGOs which have their own distinct legal entities authorized to carry out business activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.  These NGOs must have tax-exempted status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112).  They may or may not be receiving subventions from the Social Welfare Department.  For NGOs not receiving subventions from the Social Welfare Department, documentary proof of their having tax-exempted status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) to the satisfaction of the Director of Social Welfare and to substantiate their having actively engaged in welfare and charitable activities for at least five years before the submission of the applications have to be submitted with the applications.  The applicant NGO may create and conduct the Business in its own name or by way of a wholly-owned subsidiary incorporated for this specific purpose.  In the latter case, documentary proof of the relationship between the applicant NGO and the wholly-owned subsidiary has to be submitted with the application.  In any event, separate books and accounts of the Business are required to be kept.

Form of funding support

Funding support is given in the form of a non-recurrent grant to the successful NGOs to assist them to pay the necessary initial capital expenditure on equipment, fitting-out works, etc. and the initial operating expenses for the preparatory business or marketing team.  The funding support will be determined by the Assessment Panels with reference to NGOs’ projections to be submitted in accordance with application guide para. 3.3.4 and any other factors deemed appropriate.  The maximum amount of a grant is $2 million per Business.  Supplementary grant will normally not be considered.  Disbursement of the grant will be based on specific milestones in the development of the Business, taking account of circumstances of individual cases.  That part of the grant to support the initial operation of the Business from the time of commencement should normally be confined to a period of two years.  The Business is expected to become self-sustaining after two years' operation.

Please click here (MS Word Document) to download the guidelines.

Application Form is available, please click here (MS Word Document) to download.