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Charitable Trust Funds

Charitable Trust Funds

There are a number of charitable trust funds in Hong Kong to which members of the general public or specific groups in the community may turn to for relief and assistance. Many of these funds are statutory funds covering a variety of purposes - charitable, educational and welfare, etc.

Trust Funds and Temples Joint Secretariat provides administrative support for the following funds of this sort:

In addition, administrative support is provided by Home and Youth Affairs Bureau for:

  • a number of trust funds with educational or other specific purposes operated under the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Incorporation Ordinance (Cap. 1044)

Brewin Trust Fund

Background

This fund was established in 1906 when $50,000 was raised by members of the Chinese community to start a trust fund in honour of Mr. A.W. BREWIN, the then Secretary for Chinese Affairs. The Fund was reconstituted under the Brewin Trust Fund Ordinance (Cap. 1077) after the Second World War with a statutory committee and with the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Incorporated as the Trustee of the Fund.

Fund Objectives

The Fund aims to provide assistance for:

  1. the maintenance and benefit of widows, widowers and orphans; and
  2. the relief of hardship of workers employed in Hong Kong who have become wholly or partly incapacitated for work by reason of age, sickness, disability or otherwise.

Method of Application

The Director of Social Welfare, Social Welfare Department, Wu Chung House, Wan Chai, Hong Kong receives and considers applications for miscellaneous or maintenance grants not provided for under the Public Assistance Scheme, such as grants to persons in distress, grants to the aged, handicapped or persons in ill health, allowances to residents of the Home for the Aged, and grants to disabled orphans leaving charitable institutions at the age of 18.

The Commissioner for Labour of the Labour Department (Address: 16/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong) receives and considers applications for grants to employees, injured employees, or family members of deceased employees in need of financial assistance in specific circumstances.

Applications should be sent to the relevant address indicated above.

Enquiries

All general enquiries should be addressed to the Deputy Manager (Finance) (tel. no. 3718 6808).

Chinese Temples Fund

Background

The Chinese Temples Committee, constituted under the Chinese Temples Ordinance (Cap. 153), has 24 temples under its direct control. Keepership fees and worshippers' donations are paid to the Chinese Temples Fund controlled by the Committee. Income from investments also adds to the revenue of the Fund.

Fund Objectives

The income of the Fund is used to finance customary ceremonies and the maintenance of temple properties. Surpluses are transferred to the General Chinese Charities Fund, which is also controlled by the Committee (see below).

Enquiries

For general enquiries, please contact the Secretariat at 3718 6888.

General Chinese Charities Fund

Background

The General Chinese Charities Fund consists of surpluses transferred from the Chinese Temples Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Chinese Temples Ordinance (Cap. 153). The Fund is administered by the Chinese Temples Committee chaired by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs.

Fund Objectives

Grants from the Fund may be made to any Chinese charity in Hong Kong as the Chinese Temples Committee sees fit. In addition, sums are allocated annually to the Home Affairs Department Headquarters and to each District Office for emergency relief grants.

Applications for emergency relief arising from local incidents may be made through the District Office or the Government department concerned. For cases where Hong Kong residents are seriously injured or deceased in calamities outside Hong Kong, applications may be made to the Home Affairs Department Headquarters through the Immigration Department.

Enquiries

For general enquiries, please contact the Secretariat at 3718 6888.

Grantham Scholarships Fund

Background

The Grantham Scholarships Fund was raised by the people of Hong Kong to commemorate the governorship of Sir Alexander Grantham. The Fund was established by the Grantham Scholarships Fund Ordinance (Chapter 1076). It is managed by a statutory management committee of which the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs is the ex-officio Chairman.

Fund Objectives

The Fund provides scholarships and maintenance grants for students in secondary schools, technical schools and institutions of higher education in Hong Kong.

Method of Application

  1. Maintenance Grants:

    Applications are invited in July to end of September every year by press advertisements and general school circulars issued by the Head, Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency.

  2. Scholarships:

    Schools are normally invited to make nominations for the "Scholar of the Year Award" in October every year by the Trust Funds and Temples Joint Secretariat.

Enquiries

All general enquiries may be made to the Grantham Scholarships Fund Secretariat, Room 34/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (tel. no. 3718 6801).

Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund

Background

This Fund, founded by the late Mr. LI Po-chun, was established under the provisions of the Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund Ordinance (Cap. 1110). The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs is the Chairman of the statutory committee which administers the Fund.

Fund Objectives

Approximately one half of the income of the Fund is used for scholarships, including overseas postgraduate scholarships, awards to students attending local tertiary institutions, the United World Colleges and Secondary 4 or above at one of four Anglo-Chinese secondary schools (namely, King's College, Queen's College, Queen Elizabeth School and Belilios Public School).

The balance of the income is paid to the Director for Social Welfare for the relief of distress cases in which no adequate assistance is available from other sources.

Scholarship Applications

Applications for overseas postgraduate scholarships are invited through the Press in December every year. Application forms are available from the Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund Secretariat, Room 34/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (tel no. 3718 6801).

Scholarship Enquiries

Enquiries may be made to the Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund Secretariat, Room 34/F., Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (tel no. 3718 6801).

Relief Grant Applications and Enquiries

Applications and enquiries for grants for relief of the poor or needy may be directed at any time during the year to family service centres and field units of the Social Welfare Department (tel. no. 2343 2255).

The Lord Wilson United World Colleges Scholarship Fund

Background

The Lord Wilson United World Colleges Scholarship Fund was established in 1992 by means of a Declaration of Trust made by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Incorporated. The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs is the Chairman of the Lord Wilson United World Colleges Scholarship Fund Council which determines all administrative matters of the Trust Fund and the fulfilment of its purposes.

Fund Objective

The main objective of the Fund is to provide scholarships to students attending the United World Colleges in Hong Kong and overseas.

Method of Application

Applications for the United World Colleges Scholarships are normally invited between October and November every year through a press advertisement.

Enquiries

Enquiries concerning the details of the scholarships should be made to the Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, 10, Lok Wo Sha Lane, Sai Sha Road, Sha Tin, New Territories (tel. no. 2640 0441).

Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund

Background

The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund was set up through public donations in April 1987 in memory of the late Governor, Sir Edward Youde. It was established by the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Ordinance, Chapter 1140 of the Laws of Hong Kong.

Fund Objectives

The Fund encourages and provides for the education, learning or research by the people of Hong Kong (Section 6 of the Ordinance).

Applications and Enquiries

Applications and enquiries should be addressed to the Secretary, Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council, Room 1217, 12/F., Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong (tel. no. 2150 6097).

Sir Robert Black Trust Fund

Background

This Fund was created with an initial donation of $1 million by Sir Shiu-kin Tang to commemorate Sir Robert Black's governorship. The Fund is managed by a Statutory Committee set up under the Sir Robert Black Trust Fund Ordinance (Cap. 1101).

Fund Objectives

The Fund aims to provide -

Type I grants: Grants to social welfare or youth organisations and other suitable institutions in support of local or overseas development programmes (e.g. leadership training courses, study tours and conferences with a high training element) which they organise or participate in through representation or delegation.

Type II awards: Awards to individuals for postgraduate studies or other training programmes, local or overseas.

Method of Application

Applications for Type I grants or Type II awards are invited through press advertisements in mid January every year. Applications may be returned to the Sir Robert Black Trust Fund Secretariat, Room 34/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Enquiries

Enquiries may be made to the Sir Robert Black Trust Fund Secretariat, Room 34/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (tel. no. 3718 6801).

Sir Murray MacLehose Trust Fund

Background

The Sir Murray MacLehose Trust Fund was set up to commemorate Lord Murray MacLehose's governorship. The Sir Murray MacLehose Trust Fund Ordinance (Chapter 1118) was enacted in 1982 to provide for the establishment and administration of the Fund. The Fund is vested in the trusteeship of the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Incorporated.

Fund Objective

The Fund is used for the benefit of the people of Hong Kong at the sole discretion of the Chief Executive of the day (Section 3 of the Ordinance).

Method of Application

Applications are invited through Government policy bureaux and press advertisements. All applications are screened and prioritized by the relevant bureau.

Enquiries

All general enquiries should be addressed to the Deputy Manager (Finance) (tel. no. 3718 6808).