Application Process

flow

Eligibility & Application

 

General Application

Easy BUD

EligibilityAll 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.
Cumulative funding ceiling per enterpriseMaximum number of approved projects is 70 and the cumulative funding ceiling per enterprise is HK$7,000,000, which is the total cumulative funding ceiling of the Scheme (“FTA and IPPA Programme", “Mainland Programme” and “Easy BUD” ) per enterprise.
Funding ceiling per projectHK $1 millionHK $100,000
Disbursement of Funds
(Applicant enterprise can select either method [1] or [2], applicable for "Normal Application" only)

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)".

No initial Payment.

For details of the funding arrangements and financial management, please refer to paragraph 5 of the "Guide to Application (FTA and IPPA Programme)" and the Guidance Note for Application on "Easy BUD".

Project DurationMaximum 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.Maximum of 12 months.

 

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.Normal Application:
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 ApplicationThe 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.

(General Application)

(Easy BUD)

Expenditure Items that will not be fundedA list of expenditure items which will not be funded under the Programme. The information might be reviewed and revised from time to time as appropriate.

 

The Qualified 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.