Call for Proposals – Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme (PASS)

The Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme (PASS) is inviting a new round of applications. 

Overview

PASS aims to fund industry-led projects for the promotion and development of Hong Kong's professional services.  Funding support is provided for Hong Kong's non-profit distributing organisations to carry out non-profit-making projects for enhancing the standards of local professionals, promoting the strengths of Hong Kong's professional services, and deepening the interaction between Hong Kong professionals and their external counterparts. Other types of projects with practical benefits for local professionals may also be funded.

Eligible Applicants

1. A wide range of professional services sectors are eligible for funding
2. Non-profit-distributing organisations operating as trade and industrial organisations, professional bodies, research institutes, etc., which must either be statutory organisations or organisations formed or registered
3. To ensure that a project has practical benefits to a professional services sector and is supported by it, a Government-subvented organisation must secure cash sponsorship from non-subvented professional, trade and industrial organisation(s), or company(ies) in the private sector. The amount of sponsorship must not be less than 5% of the project cost. 

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects should be non-profit-making which may include:

1. Outreach and promotional activities, e.g. exhibitions, promotional seminars and sectoral networking/business-matching events;
2. Exchange activities, e.g. international conferences/ forums, visits and exchange meetings;
3. Capacity-building programmes, e.g. post-professional training courses/ workshops, study tours and expert briefings; and
4. Researches and studies, e.g. market researches, studies on framework/best practice guidelines for professional standards and additional accreditations for professionals.

Projects which are or will be funded by other government sources will NOT be considered.

Project Duration

Up to 3 years 

Funding Threshold
The maximum amount of funding support is 90% of the total eligible project costs, or HK$3 million, whichever is lower.

The grantee will have to meet the balance of the project cost by contributing at least 10% of the total eligible project cost, either in cash or in kind, through self-financing, third party sponsorship, income derived from the project or other means.

Application Procedure
Details please refer to RO website. 

Enquiries
Miss Jenny Yau (Email: rojennyyau@ust.hk, Tel: 2358 7929)