The ESR Programme seeks to promote sustainable poverty prevention and alleviation efforts at the district level that help enhance self-reliance, targeting socially disadvantaged groups, by providing seed grants for eligible organisations to set up social enterprises(the “SEs”). Instead of providing welfare or short-term relief, the ESR Programme aims at increasing the skills and capacities of the socially disadvantaged, providing them opportunities to upgrade themselves and enabling them to be effectively integrated into the community.
The ESR Programme serves as a funding scheme enabling the plurality of SEs with diverse social objectives, plurality of business models and diverse services, targeting at socially disadvantaged groups.
Key details
Max amount per application
HK$3,000,000
Grant type
Seed Funding,Project-based Funding
Application submission type
Open Year-Round
Max programme duration
36 months
Eligibility
Categories
Public and Societal BenefitHuman Services
Target beneficiaries
Those Under the Poverty Line
Areas of focus
Community ServiceSocial ServicesEntrepreneurshipSustainable Development
Grant conditions & requirements
Charitable Organizations (with the exemption status under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap.112))
The applicant should be a bona fide non-profit-making organisation which shall be –
- a statutory organisation or an organisation registered under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (e.g. the former Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) / Companies Ordinance (Cap.622), the Societies Ordinance (Cap. 151), etc.); and
- a charitable institution or trust of a public character, which is tax-exempt under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112).
For Non-section 88 Organisations
Applicants who are not tax-exempt under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance but are non-profit-making organisations or social enterprises can also apply.. They should be –
- organisations or limited companies registered under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; AND
- must have non-profit-making undertakings for at least one year; OR have experience in running SEs (can be in the form of prototype) for at least one year.
In submitting the completed ESR Application Form, these applicants are also required to provide a duly completed prescribed supplementary proforma (i.e. “Proforma for Non-section 88 Organisations” ) and submit supplementary information / documents.
