Application Home

Application Process

Eligibility & Application
Eligibility

All non-listed enterprises registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Chapter 310) with substantive business operations in Hong Kong are eligible to apply

Funding ceiling per project

HK $1 million

Cumulative funding ceiling per enterprise

Maximum number of approved projects is 70 and the cumulative funding ceiling per enterprise is $7,000,000, which is the total cumulative funding ceiling of the Scheme (“Mainland Programme” and “FTA and IPPA Programme”) per enterprise.

* Effective since 7 November 2022.

Disbursement of Funds
(Applicant enterprise can select either method [1] or [2])

Applicant enterprise can select either method [1] – Initial Payment required or [2] – Initial Payment not required to submit application.

For details of the funding arrangements and financial management, including the guarantee arrangement, please refer to paragraph 5 of the “Guide to Application (FTA and IPPA Programme)”.

Project Duration

Maximum of 24 months. Project with duration over 18 months and up to 24 months requires one progress report and annual audited accounts for the first 12 – month period.

Types of Project
Projects falling within the scope of the Programme (i.e. any one or more of the areas of (i) branding; (ii) upgrading and restructuring; and (iii) promoting sales) that assist individual Hong Kong enterprises in enhancing their competitiveness and facilitating their business development in the FTA and IPPA markets are eligible for applying for funding support under the Programme. There are two types of eligible projects:

Type (i) Project Applications
Develop Holistic Business Plans

Type (ii) Project Applications
Implementation of Specific Measures

Projects that involve the engagement of qualified service providers by the applicants to develop holistic business plans in the areas of branding, upgrading and restructuring and/or promoting sales for the applicants to enhance their competitiveness and facilitate their business development in the FTA and IPPA markets.

Projects that involve the implementation of specific measures in the areas of branding, upgrading and restructuring and/or promoting sales by the applicants themselves to enhance their competitiveness and facilitate their business development in the FTA and IPPA markets.

Guides and Reference
Document Type

Description

Download

Guide to Application

The guide to application provides a detailed guidance to assist applicants to complete the application form. The guide record general information, application eligibility, project and funding amount, application and approval procedures, project monitoring, reimbursement of funding, and other references information.

Notes to Applicant

Providing the application requirement to the applicant enterprises for pay attention and consideration before apply.

Chinese version only

Unallowable Costs

Unallowable Costs

Service Provider (Applicable to “Type (i) Project Application”)
The Applicant may employ a Service Provider for preparing the holistic business plan for the application. In order to safeguard the quality of the consulting services provided to the Applicant and the effective use of the Government funding, criteria of the Service Provider employed are set out as follows:

(a) having registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance (Chapter 310), or being a statutory organisation in Hong Kong, or being a company with valid business license in the FTA and/or IPPA economies (applicable to FTA and IPPA Programme), and

(b) having established for at least one year, and

(c) having at least one principal possessing five years or more practical experience of providing consultancy services related to branding, upgrading and restructuring and/ or domestic sales for enterprises in Hong Kong, the FTA or the IPPA economies. The principal must be actively engaged in the consultancy study throughout the whole study period, and

(d) having completed at least five projects in branding, upgrading and restructuring and/or domestic sales at the time of application.

The Service Provider must provide proofing evidences including the enterprise background, working experience of their staff and the reference projects record to Implementer.

The Implementer of the BUD Fund has not appointed any companies or organizations to provide any fee charging services in relation to the dedicated fund (including assisting the enterprises to submit the applications, formulation of the Holistic Business Plans and implementing the approved projects.

Reminder on Application Submission
Applicants can fill in their applications and upload all supporting documents online easily. Submission by post, by e-mail, or in person would not be accepted.

Application Submission
The programme is open for application all year round. Applications are processed on a continual basis instead of by batches on a quarterly basis.