Letters | As Hong Kong battles new coronavirus, here’s how city can help charities keep up the good work
- Wealthier Hongkongers could donate their HK$10,000 government handouts, while companies could relax the timing and conditions of grants and CSR programmes
Covid-19 has caused fundraising and other streams of revenue to dry up almost overnight. Across Hong Kong, desperate NGOs and social enterprises are asking for help, and many will have to close their doors within the next few months.
At this time of great need, we ask everyone to consider what you can do to offer support. Our team at the Foundation for Shared Impact has worked with dozens of social impact organisations and would like to provide some suggestions based on what we have learned.
Companies should consider addressing the immediate NGO funding needs by being flexible with the timing and conditions of their philanthropic grants and corporate social responsibility programmes this year. And, most importantly, please do not restrict your contributions. NGOs know what their needs are. Providing them with unrestricted capital will help to ensure that they can cover existing headcount and basic operating expenses.
We also ask large companies to consider developing secondment opportunities between their employees and the social sector. This can be a great way to boost morale, keep employees engaged, reduce overheads, and provide significant social impact.