The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD) managed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) is inviting the 17th round Regular Portion applications and the 10th round Dedicated Portion applications for implementing After-school Learning and Support Programmes starting from today (December 20). Welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and eligible primary and secondary schools can submit proposals from today to October 31, 2024. The PFD Secretariat will process and grant approval to the applications in two periods in accordance with the chronological order in which the applications are received.
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, including $800 million for the Regular Portion to help the disadvantaged and $400 million for the Dedicated Portion. Since its launch in 2015, the Dedicated Portion has been actively promoting the Government-Welfare Sector-Business-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.
A spokesman for the SWD said that in the earlier 16 rounds of Regular Portion applications of the PFD, matching grants totalling over $588 million were approved for 229 welfare NGOs to implement a total of 1 169 welfare projects sponsored by over 1 860 business organisations, benefitting around 1 013 000 disadvantaged persons. The first nine rounds of Dedicated Portion applications received a favourable response. Over $339 million in matching grants have been approved for 552 after-school learning and support projects. Over 480 business organisations have participated in the projects, benefitting around 131 000 primary and secondary students.
For the new round of application, the ceiling of grants for each Regular Portion project is $3 million and that for each Dedicated Portion project is $4.5 million. Applications for the Regular Portion and the Dedicated Portion are open today. Details are as follows:
| The 17th Round Regular Portion Application | The 10th 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) |
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| 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/svcdesk/funds/ partnership/ |
SWD homepage: www.swd.gov.hk/en/svcdesk/funds/ dedicatedportion/ |
| Application periods (Note) | Period 1: December 20, 2023, to May 31, 2024 Period 2: December 20, 2023, to October 31, 2024 |
Period 1: December 20, 2023, to April 30, 2024 Period 2: December 20, 2023, to October 31, 2024 |
Note: Applicants can submit proposals any time from today till the end of the first and the second application periods. The PFD Secretariat will process and grant approval to the applications in accordance with the chronological order in which the applications are received.
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 2710 or 3468 2718, or by email to pfdenq@swd.gov.hk.
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