Other Support

Other Support

SUBVENTIONS

Lump Sum Grant Subventions

15.1

The Lump Sum Grant Subvention System (LSGSS), which aims to improve the delivery of welfare services through greater flexibility in resources deployment, has been implemented since 1 January 2001. As at 31 March 2013, 165 NGOs were funded under LSGSS, accounting for about 99% of the total subventions. SWD provides a one-stop service with advice, guidance and support to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on issues relating to performance monitoring and subvention matters.

15.2

In early 2008, the Government appointed the Lump Sum Grant Independent Review Committee (IRC) to assess the overall effectiveness of the LSGSS. Having analysed the views collected, the IRC considered that the principles of the LSGSS are sound and the system is worth retaining. The Government accepted all the 36 recommendations made by the IRC for improving the LSGSS and had implemented or taken forward all the recommendations.

15.3

The Lump Sum Grant Independent Complaints Handling Committee handles Lump Sum Grant related complaints that cannot be dealt with satisfactorily by NGOs.

Service Performance Monitoring System

15.4

The Service Performance Monitoring System (SPMS) of SWD aims to ensure that:

  • service operators are responsible and accountable to their service users, SWD and the community for the proper and prudent use of public funds to deliver welfare services;
  • service operators are providing quality social welfare services to service users; and
  • service operators are pursuing service quality improvement in response to changing community needs.

15.5

The SPMS includes:

  • submission of self-assessment reports on Essential Service Requirements, Service Quality Standards, Output Standards and Outcome Standards by service operators on their service units’ performance with specific action plans on non-compliant areas;
  • submission of variance reports on the performance of Output Standards and Outcome Standards by service operators; and
  • conducting review/surprise visits and on-site assessments by SWD for selected service units to assess their implementation of the above performance standards.

Best Practice Manual

15.6

The IRC recommended in its Review Report in December 2008 that a Best Practice Manual (BPM) for NGOs on various management issues such as human resource policies, the level of reserves and their gainful deployment, corporate governance and accountability, etc., should be developed by the welfare sector, with professional input from management experts if necessary; and that the Lump Sum Grant Steering Committee (LSGSC) should work with the sector in drawing up this manual. In late 2010, SWD commissioned a consultancy study for the production of the BPM. The meeting of the Lump Sum Grant Steering Committee held in November 2012 noted the draft research report and agreed that SWD and the consultant should gauge the sector’s views on the preliminary framework of the BPM for the preparation of the draft BPM. Since December 2012, SWD and the consultant have conducted a number of consultation sessions for the sector, with the expectation that the consultations will be completed by April 2013.

Social Welfare Development Fund

15.7

The IRC also recommended in its Review Report to set up a $1 billion Social Welfare Development Fund (SWDF) to support 171 subvented NGOs in carrying out training and professional development programmes, business system upgrading projects and service delivery enhancement studies. With the funding support of the Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee, SWD launched the SWDF in January 2010 for implementation by three three-year phases for nine years in total from 2010-11 to 2018-19. As at 31 March 2013, about $262.9 million was approved for 150 NGOs to operate IT-related and non-IT-related projects. For SWDF phase 2 (2013-2016), invitation for applications was issued to all subvented NGOs in January 2013.

Charitable Fund-raising

15.8

Under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance, Cap. 112, the Inland Revenue Department grants tax exemption to charitable institutions or trusts of a public character. The Director of Social Welfare (DSW) issues permits under Section 4(17)(i) of the Summary Offences Ordinance, Cap. 228, for any collection of money or sale or exchange for donation of badges, tokens or similar articles for charitable purposes in public places while the Secretary for Home Affairs issues Permits for fund-raising activities of other purposes under Section 4(17)(ii) of the same Ordinance, and the Secretary for Home Affairs issues licences under the Gambling Ordinance, Cap. 148, for the conduct and sale of lotteries. In 2011-12 and 2012-13, a total of 1 094 permits were issued by DSW, including permits for flag days.

15.9

To improve the transparency and accountability of charitable fund-raising activities, SWD has promulgated the “Reference Guide on Best Practices for Charitable Fund-raising Activities” (the Guide), which covers best practices in the areas on Donors' Right, Fund-raising Practices and Financial Accountability. Charities are encouraged to adopt these best practices voluntarily for their fund-raising activities. The public is also encouraged to use the Guide as a reference against which the performance of a charity in fund-raising can be measured.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

15.10

The Information Systems and Technology Branch (ISTB) provides information technology (IT) support and advice to meet SWD's business needs and implements SWD's Information Systems Strategy (ISS). It also promotes the use of IT to bring about more effective organisation management and service delivery among NGOs in the social welfare sector.

Departmental Information Technology Plan

15.11

The Review of the Departmental Information Technology Plan (DITP) was completed in June 2012. Under the new DITP, IT projects and initiatives have been recommended to enhance the Department’s operational efficiency and service delivery as well as to accommodate new computerisation requirements arising from the changes of business needs in the coming five financial years.

Information Technology Strategy for the Social Welfare Sector

15.12

The Review of the Information Technology Strategy for the Social Welfare Sector was completed in March 2013. The consultant has recommended the strategic directions and measures to further foster the IT development in the sector for the next five years.