Hong Kong NGOs express concern, demand clarity over changes to subsidy allocation system to reward support for government
- NGOs now scored on efforts to support official policies, such as events promoting national education, in change to Social Welfare Department funding allocation system
- But organisations worry they will be sidelined and call for clarity over changes, with one lawmaker claiming criteria may be perceived as political censorship
Hong Kong NGOs have expressed concern and demanded clarity over changes to a scoring system that helps social service providers more easily secure subsidies by voicing support for the government.
But the Social Welfare Department said on Monday that changes to determining how funds were allocated, which were introduced in the first quarter and included recording whether non-governmental organisations had helped to arrange activities supporting official policies, would ensure that assistance went to those in need.
“Having social welfare organisations that are patriotic and support the administration in implementing welfare policies is conducive to ensuring all welfare work is precisely in place, and benefits residents in need and disadvantaged groups,” a department spokeswoman said.
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Under the changes, organisations are scored on whether they had led or helped events in support of government policies over the past three years.
The spokeswoman said such events included ones related to national education and the country’s development, as well as activities to celebrate the October 1 National Day or the July 1 anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese rule.
The department had also “increased the weight for establishing district liaison or service networks in the scoring rubric to highlight the importance of strategic collaboration in the community”, she added.
The exact weighting within the department’s scoring system was not revealed.
In a proposal form secured by the Post, the government requires applicants to fill out queries in six categories before considering granting them the subsidy.
Apart from sharing how applicants echoed or supported government policies over the past three years, other criteria include detailing their related experiences, operational strategies and collaboration with communities.
The other two are related to their implementation plans, such as staffing and promotion, as well as their budget and human resources management designs.
The Hong Kong Council of Social Service, the city’s largest federation of non-governmental social welfare service organisations, said it had recently held an introductory session with some stakeholders, in which they expressed “no particular concerns” over the new criteria.
“They have always been supportive and cooperative with the government’s policies”, a spokesman said. “Providing a track record of the past three years should not pose significant difficulties.”
Alice Lau Oi-sze, chief executive of the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, one of the city’s major charities, asked for a clearer rubric about how NGOs could obtain a high score, although she later stressed she supported the changes.
“For example, authorities should tell us if one event counts as one point,” she said. “They should also tell the industry why they have decided on these two criteria.”
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Sze Lai-shan, deputy director of the Society for Community Organisation, another NGO, said many organisations might find it difficult to secure funding if the new scoring system was implemented retrospectively.
“Many NGOs have no time and resources. The government should clarify how much involvement they expect from those groups and whether mere participation is enough,” she said. “Does reflecting residents’ opinions mean not supporting authorities?”
Sze also suggested the government should set up a grace period so that social service providers had time to adapt to the new rules.
Social welfare sector lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen, of political party Third Side, said the new criteria could be perceived as political censorship aimed at cracking down on dissent, adding that small organisations would be hit the hardest.
“They already have insufficient resources, so it will be an additional burden for them to find funds to hold more activities,” said Tik, who is also the chief executive of the Hong Kong Institute of Family Education.
“Small organisations are already at a disadvantage. They will be marginalised if they fail to secure new projects.”
Welfare authorities grant subsidies to NGOs that offer help to the community, such as elderly and child care, and rehabilitation and corrective services. The department invites organisations to submit proposals for funding and selects them using quality-based principles.
Operators must provide the department with quarterly data on their performance and conduct self-assessments at least once a year. The department also regularly conducts evaluations to help operators plan to improve their service quality.
But Jessie Yu Sau-chu, director of the Hong Kong Single Parents Association, said the new items “should have been introduced long ago” to hold unruly social service providers in check.
“If you are getting money from the government, you must show your love to the country and Hong Kong,” she said.
