Bulletin

Third Round of applications to the Sustainable Development Fund

The EPSC hosted a public forum on 23 June 2005 to brief interested parties and potential applicants on the priority areas for the third round of applications. Some fund recipients from the first and second rounds were also invited to share their experience at the forum.

For the third round, the EPSC suggested that projects that focus on the following areas should receive particular consideration -

(a) Publicity that is consistent with the SDF objectives and that includes a strong element of community involvement;

(b) Making a measurable impact on Sustainable Development (SD) in Hong Kong and creating a legacy for sustainable practices within the community;

(c) Capacity building and collaboration across various sectors, with particular reference to raising awareness of the three Pilot Areas of the first SD Strategy - solid waste management, renewable energy and urban living space - and participation in activities that would contribute to the implementation and further development of the strategy; and

(d) Sustainability Reporting.

The EPSC has also advised that it would welcome in particular projects with the above focus that specifically involve enhancing young people's knowledge of and capacity to practice SD principles.

By the closing date for the third round of applications on 23 September 2005, the SDU received 44 applications applying for total grants exceeding $63 million. Of these applications, 11 were from schools or academic institutions, 7 were from non-government organizations or community groups and 16 came from individuals. Others came from applicants such as business chambers or district-based organizations.

The EPSC met on 19 December 2005 and again on 12 January 2006 to consider the applications and recommended that four applications be approved. As one of these applications is of a grant of $500,000 or more, it required the consideration of the CSD. In February 2006, the CSD advised that this application be approved. The Director of Administration subsequently approved the award of grants for the four projects, at a total budgeted cost of $1.7 million. The SDU then notified all applicants of the results of their submissions.

The four approved projects are:

*   A Musical Drama - Seven Days in the Mountain by Mr James YC Cheung: $250,000 over a period of 14 months

*   Sustainable Development Community Building and Youth Education in Tai Kok Tsui by Life Workshop : $173,040 over a period of 12 months

*   Community Sustainable Development Workshop - Promoting Community Sustainable Development by Women and Youth by Hong Kong Federation of Women's Centres : $777,035 over a period of 30 months

*   Reporting Sustainability in Hong Kong: A First Attempt by Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Hong Kong : $495,000 over a period of 12 months