Organisations and individuals are invited to apply for grants from the Beat Drugs Fund from now until December 20 to conduct anti-drug projects from April.

The fund subsidises worthwhile anti-drug projects which can help reduce the problem of drug abuse, particularly among the young, and promote community-wide efforts in the campaign against drugs.

For the 2005-06 funding exercise, projects proposed pursuant to 10 selected themes under different service areas will be given priority. Innovative and cost-effective projects with effective built-in evaluation will be accorded additional priority.

Better grants for innovative ideas

Grants for each project will normally not exceed $3 million and the funding period will not exceed two years. Exceptionally innovative projects can be granted a maximum of $5 million and the duration can be three years.

The fund was set up by the Government in 1996 with a capital base of $350 million. So far, 269 projects have been supported by the fund involving a total of almost $126 million.

Of them, about $34.91 million has been granted for 56 treatment and rehabilitation projects, $79.72 million for 199 preventive education and publicity projects, $3.94 million for seven research projects and $7.52 million for seven mixed-type projects.

Application forms and guides to the funding exercise can be downloaded at the Beat Drugs Fund website.

They are also available for collection at the Secretariat of the Beat Drugs Fund Association at 30/F, High Block, and the Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre on the Roof Floor, Low Block, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway; all Public Enquiry Service Centres of the Home Affairs Department; and the District Social Welfare Offices of the Social Welfare Department.