Funding
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Social Welfare
Subventions and Service Monitoring
Through the Lump Sum Grant Subvention System, 164 NGOs were receiving recurrent subventions as at end-2018 to provide social welfare services according to government policies. NGOs may also seek grants from the Lotteries Fund to meet their non-recurrent commitments.
The department monitors the output, outcome and service quality of subvented service units. through the Service Performance Monitoring System, including reviewing regular self- assessment reports submitted by NGOs and conducting review and surprise visits. The Lump Sum Grant Independent Complaints Handling Committee handles related complaints that cannot be resolved satisfactorily at the NGO level.
From time to time, the government reviews and introduces measures to optimise the grant arrangements. A task force, set up under the SWD in 2017, is looking into enhancing the system. It comprises Legislative Council members; representatives from the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and NGO management, staff and service users; Lump Sum Grant-related committees; independent individuals; the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the SWD. The scope of the review was established in June. The review is expected to be completed by mid-2020.
Social Welfare Development Fund
The fund supports all subvented NGOs to carry out training and professional development programmes, business system upgrading projects and service delivery enhancement studies. In 2018, about $97 million was approved for 74 NGOs to implement such projects.
Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged
The fund promotes cross-sectoral collaboration in social welfare projects by providing grants. that match donations made by businesses. A portion of the fund is dedicated to providing matching grants to implement more after-school learning and support programmes for primary and secondary students from grassroots families. In 2018, about $79 million was allocated for 75 welfare NGOs and schools to implement 111 welfare projects.
Community Investment and Inclusion Fund
The fund finances diversified social capital development projects, promotes trust and reciprocity among the public and various sectors, and builds cross-sectoral collaborative platforms and mutual help networks for a caring Hong Kong. In 2018, it allocated $68.71 million to 25 new projects. Ongoing projects recorded about 106,000 participants, including about 19,000 volunteers, and about 1,250 collaboration partners. Together, they have built about 170 mutual support networks.
Community Care Fund
The Community Care Fund helps people with financial difficulties, especially those who fall outside the social safety net or who are within the safety net but still have special circumstances that are not covered. As at end-2018, the fund had 26 assistance programmes operating under its auspices, with a commitment of around $6 billion benefiting about 340,000 cases. These included pilot programmes introduced to help the government identify measures that could be considered for incorporation into its regular assistance and service programmes. Twelve
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