New round of application for Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged - Dedicated Portion for Implementing After-school Learning and Support Programmes launched
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An SWD spokesman today (December 1) said that the Government set up the PFD in 2005 to promote tripartite partnership among the welfare sector, the business sector and the Government to help the disadvantaged. With the provision of matching grants from the Government, business organisations are encouraged to make donations to support welfare NGOs in running social welfare projects.
The Government has injected $800 million into the PFD since its inception, of which $200 million is earmarked for implementing more after-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary school students from grass-roots families to facilitate their whole-person development. The first two rounds of application for the Dedicated Portion were launched in 2015 and received a favourable response. Around 150 after-school learning and support projects have been approved so far, benefitting more than 60 000 primary and secondary school students in total, the spokesman said.
Bona-fide charitable welfare NGOs with tax-exempted status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112), and public sector primary and secondary schools including government schools, aided schools, caput schools and schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme, may apply for the Dedicated Portion. 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 for matching grants under the Dedicated Portion.
Project proposals should be geared towards strengthening the whole-person development of target students, which may include tutorial classes or programmes that help develop students' learning capability and study skills and strengthen their life-planning skills, as well as help relieve parents' stress in parenting, improve their parenting skills and assist them in staying in employment or joining the workforce, the spokesman added.
Details of application for the Dedicated Portion are available on the SWD website: www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_supportser/sub_partnership. For enquiries, people may contact the Secretariat of the PFD during office hours on 2892 5104/2892 5306, or send an email to pmpfd@swd.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, December 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:30
Issued at HKT 15:30
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