With a view to helping SMEs capture business opportunities and grow their business, a number of government departments and industry-supporting organisations are offering various support services, including the Enterprise Performance Alert Programme, SME Funding Schemes, Mentorship Programme for SMEs, Award Schemes, Reference Materials and Others.

	Enterprise Performance Alert Programme
	SME Funding Schemes
	Mentorship Programme for SMEs
	Award Schemes
	Reference Materials
	Others

Enterprise Performance Alert Programme

The Enterprise Performance Alert Programme, launched by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the SME Centre and the Hong Kong Chamber of Small and Medium Business in June 2003, provide you with one-stop solution to facilitate financial reporting. The Programme also aims to assist you to improve your business operations with active training and advisory services. The Programme covers four areas : (1) Enterprise Performance Watch, (2) Industry Performance Database, (3) Executive Training and Activities and (4) Expert Panel.   ( 1 ) Enterprise Performance Watch (EPW) The web-based Enterprise Performance Watch is a comprehensive self-assessment tool. By inputting their financial data, enterprises can obtain analyses under the following six categories:   Profitability performance   Productivity performance   Cash flow performance   Financing performance   Investment performance   Risk exposure ( 2 ) Industry Performance Database Upon the collection of data from various industries, an Industry Performance Database will be built up. This allows users to ascertain their performance vis-a-vis their counterparts in the said major categories. ( 3 ) Executives Training and Activities   This includes two aspects: (1) intensified training and (2) workshops and seminars.   Intensified training: assist EPW users to understand various financial ratios and interpret the business performance reports generated.   Workshops and seminars: organised on a bi-weekly basis with topics covering effective collection of account receivables, application of IT technology in handling crisis, and business risk exposures of SMEs, etc. ( 4 ) Expert Panel An expert panel, consisting of experts from the legal, accounting and banking industries, has been formed to provide EPW users with professional advice and assist them to solve problems in running their business. For more details on the Enterprise Performance Alert Programme, please visit http://www.smealert.org. Sources: Hong Kong Productivity Council / SME Centre / Hong Kong Chamber of Small and Medium Business

SME Funding Schemes

The Chief Executive, in his Policy Address in October 2001, decided to set up four funding schemes to support SMEs in business installations and equipment, market expansion, training and enhancing competitiveness. The four funding schemes set up in December 2001 and January 2002 are administered by the Trade and Industry Department (TID). They are: (1) SME Loan Guarantee Scheme (formerly known as the SME Business Installations and Equipment Loan Guarantee Scheme) ; (2) SME Export Marketing Fund ; (3) SME Training Fund and (4) SME Development Fund. In December 2002, a comprehensive review was conducted on the four funding schemes and a series of improvement measures were implemented, which included raising the ceilings of the guarantee/grant for individual SMEs, broadening the scope of the guarantee scheme (to cover the working capital loans as well), extending the loan guarantee period and rationalising the application procedures. Besides, the amount of grant under Export Marketing Fund and Training Fund has further been increased since June 2003.   ( 1 ) SME Loan Guarantee Scheme The SME Loan Guarantee Scheme (SGS), whereby the Government acts as the guarantor of individual SMEs, aims to help SMEs secure loans from participating lending institutions (PLIs) for acquiring business installations and equipment, meeting additional operational expenses arising from or in relation to the business installations and equipment under SGS, and meeting their working capital needs arising from the provision of credit terms to customers.   The SGS covers three types of loans: 'Business Installations and Equipment Loans', 'Associated Working Capital Loans' and 'Accounts Receivable Loans'.   The maximum guarantee amount and loan period are listed below : Business Installations and Equipment Loan Guarantee: the maximum amount is HKD2 million or 50% of the approved loan, whichever is lower. The guarantee period is up to five years. Associated Working Capital Loan Guarantee: the maximum amount is 50% of the co-related Business Installations and Equipment Loan Guarantee (i.e. maximum HKD1 million), or 50% of the approved loan, whichever is lower. The guarantee period is up to two years. Accounts Receivable Loan Guarantee: the maximum amount is HKD1 million, or 50% of the approved loan, whichever is lower. The guarantee period is up to two years.   All applications must be submitted through the PLIs. The list of PLIs can be obtained from http://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/eng/sgs.html. ( 2 ) SME Export Marketing Fund   The SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF) aims at helping SMEs expand their businesses through active participation in export promotion activities.   The maximum cumulative amount of grant that an SME may obtain from EMF is HKD80,000. The amount of grant offered for each application is HKD30,000 or 50% of the total approved expenditure incurred by the relevant export promotion activity, whichever is lower.   To obtain grant from the EMF, you have to obtain in-principle funding approval from TID prior to participating in the export promotion activity. The approved amount will be reimbursed to you after completing the approved export promotion activity.   You are required to submit an Application for Approval-in-Principle to TID, together with the supporting documents, at least 30 calendar days in advance of the commencement date of the export promotion activity declared in the application form.   Details: http://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/eng/emf.html ( 3 ) SME Training Fund   The SME Training Fund (STF) aims to provide training grant to encourage SMEs in Hong Kong to provide training relevant to their business operations to their employers and employees, and to assist them to enhance their human resources, with a view to improving their capabilities and competitiveness. The STF is divided into two categories: "Employers' Training" and "Employees' Training".   The training must be directly relevant to your business operation in order to be eligible for the STF. These include training courses provided by professional local or overseas training organisations and training courses commissioned by your business to suit your particular needs and conducted by experienced and professional local or overseas training organisations or instructors.   The maximum cumulative amount of grant that an SME may obtain from the STF for the category of "Employers' Training" and "Employees' Training" is HKD10,000 and HKD20,000 respectively. The maximum amount of grant for each successful application is equal to 70% of the training expenses.   You are required to submit an Application for Grant to TID together with the supporting documents not earlier than three months prior to the commencement date of the training course and not later than 30 calendar days after the completion date of the training course. The application form is available at TID or you may download it from the website http://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/eng/stf.html. ( 4 ) SME Development Fund   The SME Development Fund (SDF) aims at providing financial support for projects carried out by non-profit-distributing organisations operating as support organisations, trade and industrial organisations, professional bodies or research institutes to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong's SMEs in general or SMEs in specific sectors.   Applicants shall either be a statutory organisation, or a registered organisation under the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Projects in receipt of other public funding will not be funded.   Application will normally be invited twice a year. Each applicant will only be allowed to submit a maximum of four applications in each tranche. Applicants should submit the completed "Application Form for SME Development Fund" together with the supporting documents to TID.   For more details please visit website http://www.smefund.tid.gov.hk/eng/sdf.html. Sources: Trade and Industry Department

Mentorship Programme for SMEs

		The Mentorship Programme for SMEs aims to provide an opportunity for SME entrepreneurs who are at their early stage of business to learn from and be guided by accomplished entrepreneurs, senior executives, and professionals through one-to-one free counselling for specified period.
		The Programme is jointly organised by the Trade and Industry Department and major trade and industrial organisations.
		Proprietors of locally registered companies which employ fewer than 20 employees and are established for less than 5 years are eligible for the Programme.
		Mentors are experienced entrepreneurs, senior executives and professionals recommended by the co-organisers.
		Activities such as seminars, workshops and experience sharing sessions are also organised during the mentorship period for the mentees and mentors by the Department and the co-organisers.
		For more details please visit website http://www.sme.gcn.gov.hk/smeop/english/mentorship_main_e.cfm.
Sources: Trade and Industry Department

Hong Kong Awards for Industry

The Hong Kong Awards for Industry is an annual Awards Scheme set up in 1989 to recognise and encourage excellence as well as to promote successful practices and strategies in different aspects of industrial performance. Awards are granted annually in seven categories by the following organisers :   Consumer Product Design - Federation of Hong Kong Industries   Machinery And Equipment Design - The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong   Productivity - Hong Kong Productivity Council   Quality -Trade and Industry Department   Environmental Performance - Business Environment Council   Export Marketing -Hong Kong Trade Development Council   Technological Achievement - Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Hong Kong Awards for Services The Hong Kong Awards for Services was inaugurated in 1997. It aims to raise the standard of Hong Kong's service industry. The Awards, covering five categories, are organised by the following organisations:   Innovation - Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries   Productivity - The Hong Kong Productivity Council   Customer Service - The Hong Kong Retail Management Association   Tourism Services - The Hong Kong Tourism Board   Export Marketing - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council HKSME Award The HKSME Award, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, aims to recognise outstanding SMEs. The assessment criteria include: leadership, human resources development, resources management, financial and operational results, business development, organisational development and critical success factors. Sources: Hong Kong Productivity Council

Reference Materials

The Reference Library
		The Reference Library of Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs (SUCCESS) provides a wide ranges of business-related reference materials, including market data , business Information, business directories for the Mainland and other markets, publications from the government and other support organisations, as well as different kinds of periodicals. The Centre will update the library collection continuously to provide the most updated and comprehensive information to SMEs.
		The Reference Library of SUCCESS is located at M/F Trade and Industry Department Tower, 700 Nathan Road, Kowloon.
		For the publications available at the SUCCESS Library, please visit http://www.sme.gcn.gov.hk/smeop/english/material_lib.cfm.

Others