The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD) announced today (December 29) its invitation for the 14th round Regular Portion applications and the seventh round Dedicated Portion applications for implementing After-school Learning and Support Programmes. Welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and eligible primary and secondary schools are encouraged to submit proposals to the PFD managed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).
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 last year to raise the ceiling of grants by 50 percent, 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.
A spokesman for the SWD said that in the earlier 13 rounds of Regular Portion Applications of the PFD, matching grants totalling over $490 million were approved for 204 welfare NGOs to implement a total of 1 024 welfare projects sponsored by over 1 600 business organisations, benefiting more than one million disadvantaged persons. The first six rounds of Dedicated Portion Applications attracted a favourable response. More than $250 million in matching grants have been approved for 401 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 14th Round Regular Portion Application | The Seventh 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/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, 2021 (first phase) and September 30, 2021 (second phase) |
April 30, 2021 |
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.
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