I‧CARE Service Projects Funding Application Guidelines
1. Pre-Submission Information
1.1 Purpose of Funding
I‧CARE Service Projects Funding aims to promote students’ development through participation in social services projects. Our vision is to facilitate students’ initiatives characterised by passion and commitment, and the application of knowledge learnt in the University, to serve the local, regional and international communities, leading to sustainable personal growth and cultivation of social elites as global citizens.
1.2 Categories of Funding
Two types of funding are available for application: Main Round Applications and Year-round Applications.
Main Round Applications are open once a year, and are open to all CUHK undergraduate/postgraduate students, student associations, as well as colleges, academic, research, and administrative units. This type of application is suitable for projects that have a budget more than HK$20,000.
Year-round Applications are open year-round and open to all CUHK undergraduate/postgraduate students, student associations, as well as colleges, academic, research, and administrative units. The maximum amount awarded for each application is capped at HK$20,000. The total budget of the proposed project should not exceed $50,000.
Student Knowledge Exchange Fund （學生知識交流基金） can be applied through the Main Round Applications and Year-round Applications. It is a special funding allocation suitable for students who want to make use of their knowledge and skills acquired in classes to help the others. Applicants of this fund should explain clearly on the application form how they can apply the knowledge learnt from any of the credit-bearing courses they have taken on the formation and implementation of their service projects.
1.3 How to Submit
A complete Service Projects Funding application should contain the 1) application form, 2) advisor endorsement form (Appendix 4), 3) a set of non-local undertakings and information sheets (Appendices 1-3) (for non-local projects only) and optional supplementary documents.
Applications should be sent directly to I‧CARE Office at Room 504, Wong Foo Yuan Building. The e-version of application from, project summary and proposal should be submitted to .
All applications must attain advisory support from ONE full time staff member holding an academic, administrative or professional position. Such staff will be the advisor of the project and will be responsible for: a) being the holder of the project’s financial account; and b) providing professional advices and support to the project. The advisor should sign the aforementioned advisor endorsement form for the applicant.
Please note that the application will not be considered if the a primary student representative is absent or is expected to graduate before the completion date of the proposed project.
Please refer to the I‧CARE website for application deadlines. The starting date of the proposed project should be at least two months after the date of deadline for Main Round Applications and two months after the date of submission for Year-round Applications.
Applications must be submitted in their entirety. Extensions are generally not granted for supporting documents that are not completed at the time of application. Early submission of applications will also allow sufficient time for follow-up enquiries from the selection committee if necessary.
Consultation with I.CARE managing office is encouraged. Applicants can seek advices on directions, project implementation, ethics, etc. in project planning. Appointments can be made directly with the managing office through email and telephone.
All projects must be completed within one year. Extension might be granted depending on the progress of the project. Such extension will not exceed duration of 6 months in normal cases.
1.4 Proposal Processing
i) Review Criteria
Only social service projects will be accepted for application. In considering a proposal, due consideration will be given to, inter alia, the following factors wherever applicable:
(a) the degree of students’ initiative and participation;
(b) the degree of innovation of the project;
(c) the degree of understanding on the background of the served communities;
(d) cost-effectiveness and efficiency;
(e) whether the project encourages inter-disciplinary collaboration;
(f) potential impact on societal issues or problems;
(g) power to draw socio-cultural, educational and policy implications;
(h) sustainability and continuation of the project;
(i) number of beneficiaries;
(j) level of support from other source(s).
Only projects which have clear objectives to provide human-targeted services as well as promote wellness of human life will be supported. Projects with a political/social advocacy focus will not be considered.
In addition to the above criteria, advantages will be given to project covering one or more of the I‧CARE themes in the framework for whole-person development:
I - Integrity and Moral Development
C - Creativity and Intellectual Development
A - Appreciation of Life and Aesthetic Development
R - Relationships and Social Development
E - Energy and Wellness
In order to promote interdisciplinary participation, applicants should make sure that students from any single major programme should not make up more than half of all participating students. Exemption can only be made if the applicant can demonstrate conclusively that it cannot be followed.
ii) Review Process and Award Recommendation
Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee formed by members of the Steering Committee. The selection committee may invite experts with special knowledge of the areas related to the proposed services projects to give comments on the proposal. A reviewer cannot review a proposal if it involves individuals with whom he/she has a disqualifying conflicts of interest, such as a close relative, current or former collaborator, or current or former student/advisor.
Applicants may be requested to give a presentation in front of the selection committee. If the selection committee decides a proposal is impressive but require a significant alternation to be accepted, the applicant may be requested to make revisions to the proposal during the review process.
Applicants will be notified when a decision has been made (whether an award or a declination). Generally, funding decisions are made in four to eight weeks of the closing date unless further information is required.
iii) Reporting Requirements
For projects that last more than six months, an interim report is required. An interim report should be submitted within one month after the first half of the project duration; e.g. if the project lasts from January to September, the interim report should be submitted by the end of May. An interim report may be required at one or more stages.
A final report is required upon completion of the entire project (or a progress report at the end of each academic year, in the case of a continuous project). A reporting form (downloadable from the I.CARE website) should be submitted for such final report arrangement. It should be submitted within one month after the completion of the project. A presentation may be required at an annual symposium and/or closing ceremony. The Steering Committee may make use of materials resulted from the project in future I‧CARE publications.
2. Application Preparation Instructions
2.1 Advisor
It is a requirement for all applications to have at least one advisor (e.g. the endorsing professor) who hold a full time academic, administrative or professional position at the University to assist the students.
2.2 Application Form
The project proposal is replaced by the new application form starting from September, 2015. Applicants are only required to complete the application form in details and submit the required supplementary forms as well as optional information that can support the application.
2.3 Student Bodies Composition
For projects organized with non-CUHK bodies, applicants must indicate clearly 1) a full list of organizing committee; 2) the CUHK members on such list. Proofs of CUHK student identity might be required. At least 50% of the organizing committee must come from CUHK.
2.4 Professional trainings
If a project includes any professional guidance, including but not limited to medical advice (such as Body Mass Index ) and psychological assessment, being given by student participants, they MUST go through adequate trainings to equip them with the relevant knowledge and practical skills.
2.5 Ethical Issues in Service-Learning
The proposal should clearly state the ethical considerations that have been made in the design and implementation of the proposed service activities. Participants should be provided with proper training to equip them with the technical know-how of the specific services to be provided, as well as a broader understanding of the societal context the project is situated within.
They should be prepared to treat service recipients with respect and understand the limitations of the project. The application form should also address the potential psychological burden the proposed service activities may place on students as well as possible means to prevent or reduce the potential psychological harm.
3. Budgetary Guidelines
3.1 General Guidelines
Guidelines included in this section are based on past allocations and are not intended to limit your requests. Applicants may request funds as long as the item and amount are considered necessary and reasonable. Amounts and expenses budgeted should also be consistent with relevant campus-wide policies and procedures in expenditure and procurement.
The Steering Committee encourages sustainable procurement and environmental responsibility.
For projects organized with non-CUHK bodies, a detailed budget which lists all items and costs incurred is required. The applicants should highlight the items and their costs being borne by the CUHK correspondents. A total cost of all CUHK-borne items should be provided at the bottom of the budget.
3.2 Salaries and Wages
As a general policy, funding cannot be used to provide any salary compensation or other monetary reward for current faculty members or supporting staff, or the recruitment of new faculty members or supporting staff.
Monetary reward for student volunteers in the form of daily/hourly student helper payment is generally not granted. General operating expenses for student organisations are also not covered.
Honorarium for professional services provided by non-CUHK participants is potentially acceptable if deemed necessary.
3.3 Purchases
Funding may be used for minor equipment necessary for completion of the project, but not for purchase of capital equipment (e.g. the cost of film but not the cost of the camera).
Funding may be used to purchase educational materials as long as no infringement upon copyright is resulted.
Purchase of prizes to be used as incentives is generally discouraged.
3.4 Travel
For local travel, funding may be used for group transportation to and from a service project or field trip for service recipients. Travel costs for volunteers alone, however, are not covered.
For overseas travel, funding cannot be used to cover more than half of the overseas expenditure (including but not limited to passage, accommodation and other local costs directly related to student participant support). Applicants are recommended to seek support from other sources.
3.5 Participant Contribution
If the proposal includes a required contribution from the participants, arrangements should be made to support participants in need.
3.6 Enquiry
Please visit the following website for details:
http://www4.cuhk.edu.hk/icare/index.php/en/open-applications-for-imcare-social-service-projects-funding
For enquiries, please contact the I‧CARE office at 3943 3714, email to sunchan@ cuhk.edu.hk, or visit us at Room 504, Wong Foo Yuan Building.
4. Policy on Non-local Services
4.1 General Reporting
4.1.1. Projects under the I.CARE Service Project Scheme will be considered as official student activities coordinated by the University and must follow the “Guidelines for Monitoring and Supporting Activities for Students”. All overseas activities must follow the reporting and safety arrangement listed in the guideline. The Senior Managing Officer of the I.CARE Programme will serve as the endorsing unit head for the purpose of fulfilling the required reporting procedures.
4.1.2. Applicants MUST complete and submit Appendix 1 – the “Agreement and Statement for I.CARE Service Project Scheme (Non-local Project)” (“Undertakings” hereafter) alongside the application form and proposal. Without the Undertakings, no funding will be allocated to any successful applicant.
4.2 Safety
4.2.1. Applicants MUST constantly check for travel warnings hoisted against the destination of the project. They should avoid any visit if the RED or BLACK travel warning is hoisted by the Outbound Travel Alert System. Visits should also be avoided when the security and/or health condition is unsafe, as advised by the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and/or the World Health Organisation (W.H.O.).
4.2.2. The University covers the insurance of the students and accompanying staff for their schedule of the proposed project. They MUST purchase additional insurance if their visits are beyond the proposed schedule of the project.
4.3 Funding and Supervision
4.3.1. To ensure the quality and efficacy of funded projects and to ensure the proper allocation of funding among them, an upper limit of $300,000 will be set as the maximum total budget for each of the non-local projects. Overseas activities unrelated to service provision (such as sightseeing and other cultural activities) will not be funded. These activities plus travelling time should not take up more than 25% of the overall schedule of the overseas duration of project unless otherwise approved by the I.CARE Managing Office.
4.3.2. For projects initiated and implemented by any college/department/unit of the University, ONE full time staff member of the unit MUST be arranged to present in any overseas activities for supervisory purpose if 10 or more students will participate in it. The costs incurred for such purpose should be borne by the unit. The staff member will serve in terms of a duty trip and receive cost coverage from the I.CARE Programme.
4.3.3. For projects initiated and implemented by students/student groups, advisory support from ONE full time staff member at Terms A must be attained. Such staff will be the advisor of the project and will be responsible for: a) being the holder of the project’s financial account; and b) providing professional advices and support to the project.
4.3.4. The I.CARE Programme may appoint a staff member to participate in any funded overseas activities for supervisory purpose, upon consultation with the responsible units/students.
4.4 Clinical or other Health Related Practice
4.4.1. If a project includes any clinical practice component, at least ONE medical doctor/nurse/person with valid license to conduct clinical practice at the project location should be present throughout the entire duration of the activity.
4.4.2. Should any student participants desire to involve in any clinical practice, they MUST be locally licensed in order to do so. Otherwise, they are ONLY allowed to be involved in an assisting capacity under any circumstances.