The Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (PFD), managed by the Social Welfare Department (SWD), is inviting the 18th round of Regular Portion applications and the 11th round of Dedicated Portion applications for implementing After-school Learning and Support Programmes starting from today (December 19). Welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and eligible primary and secondary schools can submit proposals from today to October 31, 2025. The PFD Secretariat will process and grant approval to the applications in two periods in accordance with the chronological order that the applications are received.
The Government set up the PFD in 2005 to promote a 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 around $800 million for the Regular Portion to help the disadvantaged and around $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 enable their whole-person development.
A spokesman for the SWD said that in the earlier 17 rounds of Regular Portion applications of the PFD, matching grants totalling over $600 million were approved for 233 welfare NGOs to implement a total of 1 209 welfare projects sponsored by over 1 900 business organisations, benefiting around 1 025 000 disadvantaged persons. The first 10 rounds of Dedicated Portion applications attracted a favourable response. Over $346 million in matching grants have been approved for 568 after-school learning and support projects. Over 490 business organisations have participated in the projects, benefiting around 138 000 primary and secondary students.
For the new round of applications, 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 –
| 18th Round Regular Portion applications | 11th Round Dedicated Portion applications | |
| 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 19, 2024, to May 30, 2025 Period 2: December 19, 2024, to October 31, 2025 |
Period 1: December 19, 2024, to April 30, 2025 Period 2: December 19, 2024, to October 31, 2025 |
Note: Applicants can submit proposals at 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 that 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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