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Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are today (September 1) invited to the seventh round of application for the Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD), which is aimed 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 seventh-round application, priority would be given to the following projects :
(a) those in pursuit of enhancement of quality of life, employment/skills development, empowerment and exclusion prevention for the disadvantaged;
(b) those with promising sustainability of social partnerships with business corporations;
(c) those comprising elements of early intervention with preventive measures targeting a social problem; and
(d) those that can demonstrate the initiatives of the welfare NGO in rendering appropriate services to meet the changing needs of the target groups and expand their social partnership.
Bona-fide charitable welfare NGOs that have tax-exempted status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) can apply for the matching grant portion 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, whereas each applicant welfare NGO is allowed to submit a maximum of 10 applications in the seventh round. To facilitate the NGOs in compiling their applications for a grant of $100,000 or below, a Simplified Application Form can be downloaded from the SWD homepage.
The spokesman added that the SWD had informed NGOs, chambers of commerce and business partners of the seventh-round application through emails. The department would further promote the PFD through online platforms, agency visits and district promotional activities. Briefings would also be organised for NGOs to explain the application details.
The Chief Executive announced in the 2005 Policy Address the setting up the $200 million PFD. With the provision of matching grants by the Government, business corporations are encouraged to make donations and take part in social welfare projects run by NGOs which seek to help the disadvantaged and create a caring society. In view of the achievements made by the PFD, the Government injected another $200 million into the Fund in 2010 to support its further development.
Since its inception, the PFD has approved the allocation of over $180 million in the previous six rounds of application submitted by 125 welfare NGOs, together with 790 business partners to implement 442 welfare projects. Over 800,000 disadvantaged people have benefited.
The beneficiaries by size of matching grants involved comprise disadvantaged families (21 per cent), disadvantaged children (15 per cent), disadvantaged youth (11 per cent), elderly persons (15 per cent), people with disabilities (15 per cent), disadvantaged women (4 per cent), unemployed persons (4 per cent), new arrivals (3 per cent) as well as ethnic minorities and others (including street sleepers, ex-offenders, chronically ill people and drug abusers) (12 per cent). Many business partners have engaged in the projects and provided voluntary services to the disadvantaged people.
The seventh-round application became open to NGOs today and will close on December 31. For enquiries, please contact the PFD Secretariat (Tel: 2892 5104 /2892 5249, email: pmpfd@swd.gov.hk) or visit the SWD homepage (www.swd.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, September 1, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:45
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