Submit Applications for PFH’s India Fund

The India Fund supports small, locally led Indian NGOs working with vulnerable and marginalized communities in some of India’s poorest regions. Grants of ₹10 lakh to ₹40 lakh are available for community-led development, organizational capacity building, empowerment, and systemic change initiatives, typically for one to two years.

What Is the India Fund?

The India Fund provides financial support to local Indian NGOs that work directly with communities experiencing severe poverty, social exclusion, limited access to essential services, and other forms of disadvantage.

The fund emphasizes community-led development, meaning that people affected by poverty or exclusion should play an active role in identifying problems, designing solutions, and leading development activities.

Its broader objectives are to:

Support community-centered development programmes.
Strengthen the leadership and decision-making capacity of marginalized communities.
Promote long-term systemic change.
Build the capacity of local NGOs and community facilitators.
Improve opportunities and services for vulnerable populations.

Key Details of the India Fund

Funding amount: ₹10,00,000 to ₹40,00,000
Typical project duration: 1–2 years
Applicant type: Local Indian NGOs
FCRA registration: Required
Application status: Rolling applications
Assessment schedule: Twice yearly, in March and October
Geographic focus: Selected priority regions of India
Application method: Direct applications from eligible NGOs

What Types of Communities Are Supported?

The India Fund prioritizes organizations working with communities facing significant social and economic disadvantage.

Priority groups include:

Communities with little or no access to education or healthcare.
Dalit communities involved in hazardous work.
People with disabilities, particularly children.
Families experiencing extreme poverty.
Tribal communities fighting for or dispossessed of land and natural resources.
Women facing poverty, exclusion, or limited opportunities.

The fund favors approaches that build on community strengths rather than treating vulnerable people only as beneficiaries.

What Does Community-Led Development Mean?

Community-led development places affected communities at the center of the development process.

Instead of an NGO independently deciding what a community needs, the approach encourages community members to:

Identify their own priorities and challenges.
Participate in designing solutions.
Take leadership roles in implementation.
Develop local institutions and leadership.
Monitor progress and outcomes.
Sustain successful interventions beyond the grant period.

Projects should therefore demonstrate meaningful participation and ownership by the communities they seek to support.

Who Is Eligible?

The India Fund is intended specifically for local Indian NGOs.

Eligible organizations must:

Be based in India.
Be locally established and locally led.
Hold valid Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration.
Work directly with vulnerable or marginalized communities.
Operate in one or more of the fund’s priority geographic areas.
Demonstrate a strong commitment to community-led development.
Show how their work contributes to empowerment and longer-term systemic change.

The fund does not accept applications submitted through consultants or professional fundraisers. Eligible NGOs must apply directly.

Where Can Projects Be Implemented?

The India Fund focuses on selected areas experiencing significant poverty and marginalization.

Priority states include:

Madhya Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Odisha
Jharkhand
Bihar
West Bengal
Assam

It may also support work in certain culturally identifiable and economically disadvantaged regions of:

Maharashtra
Gujarat
Andhra Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan

Organizations should demonstrate that their proposed project is located within an eligible priority area rather than assuming that work anywhere in the listed states will automatically qualify.

What Activities Could the Funding Support?

The fund is broadly oriented toward programmes that enable vulnerable communities to improve their own social and economic circumstances.

Potential areas of work may include:

Community leadership development.
Women’s empowerment.
Education access.
Healthcare access.
Disability inclusion.
Poverty reduction.
Tribal community empowerment.
Protection of land and natural resources.
Livelihood development.
Community institution building.
Capacity building.
Advocacy and systemic change.
Strengthening local organizations and community leaders.

Projects should be closely connected to the needs and priorities of the communities involved.

How Much Funding Is Available?

The India Fund provides grants ranging from:

₹10,00,000 to ₹40,00,000 per grant.

Projects generally run for one to two years, depending on the proposed intervention and funding arrangement.

Applicants should develop a realistic budget that clearly connects expenditure with proposed activities, community outcomes, and the project’s overall objectives.

Why It Matters

The India Fund is particularly relevant for grassroots organizations because it focuses on locally led solutions rather than externally imposed development models.

Its approach can help:

Strengthen community ownership.
Develop local leadership.
Improve access to essential services.
Address structural inequality.
Increase participation of marginalized groups.
Strengthen the organizational capacity of local NGOs.
Create longer-term community resilience.

For small Indian NGOs, the fund can therefore provide both programme financing and an opportunity to strengthen community-driven approaches to development.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are assessed twice each year, generally in March and October.

Eligible organizations should follow these steps:

1. Confirm organizational eligibility

Check that the NGO:

Is a local Indian organization.
Has valid FCRA registration.
Works directly with vulnerable communities.
Operates in an eligible geographic area.

2. Define the community problem

Clearly explain:

Who the project will serve.
What problem the community faces.
Why the problem requires intervention.
How community members have identified or experienced the issue.

3. Develop a community-led solution

Describe how community members will participate in:

Planning.
Decision-making.
Implementation.
Monitoring.
Leadership.
Long-term sustainability.

4. Demonstrate systemic impact

Explain how the proposed work can contribute to broader change rather than only providing short-term assistance.

For example, an effective proposal could connect service access with community leadership, institutional strengthening, advocacy, or changes in local systems.

5. Prepare the budget

Build a detailed project budget within the ₹10 lakh–₹40 lakh funding range.

Every major expense should be connected to a clearly defined activity and expected outcome.

6. Submit directly

Applications must be submitted by the eligible NGO itself.

Applications submitted through consultants or fundraisers are not accepted.

7. Plan around the assessment cycle

Although applications are accepted on a rolling basis, applications are assessed twice annually in March and October.

Organizations should therefore allow sufficient time to prepare a strong proposal before the relevant assessment period.

How to Strengthen an Application

A competitive proposal should clearly demonstrate the relationship between the community problem, community leadership, proposed activities, and long-term change.

Important considerations include:

Demonstrate genuine community participation.
Provide evidence of the organization’s grassroots experience.
Clearly identify the vulnerable population being served.
Explain why the selected location is a priority area.
Show how the project addresses inequality or exclusion.
Include measurable and realistic outcomes.
Demonstrate local leadership and ownership.
Explain how benefits can continue after grant funding ends.
Keep the budget realistic and directly linked to activities.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Applying without valid FCRA registration.
Proposing activities outside the eligible geographic focus.
Designing projects without meaningful community participation.
Focusing only on short-term service delivery without explaining longer-term change.
Submitting through consultants or fundraising intermediaries.
Providing vague descriptions of beneficiaries.
Including an unrealistic or poorly justified budget.
Failing to explain how marginalized communities will gain leadership or decision-making roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply for the India Fund?

The fund is intended for local Indian NGOs with valid FCRA registration that work with vulnerable and marginalized communities in the specified priority regions.

How much funding can an NGO receive?

Grants range from ₹10 lakh to ₹40 lakh per project. The typical project duration is one to two years.

Is FCRA registration mandatory?

Yes. Eligible applicant organizations must have valid Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration.

Which states are covered by the India Fund?

The principal priority states are Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam. Certain highly disadvantaged regions in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan may also qualify.

What communities does the fund prioritize?

Priority groups include people living in extreme poverty, Dalit communities in hazardous work, people with disabilities, tribal communities affected by land and resource issues, women, and communities with limited access to education and healthcare.

Are applications accepted throughout the year?

Yes. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are assessed twice a year, in March and October.

Can NGOs apply through consultants or fundraisers?

No. The fund considers direct applications from eligible NGOs and does not accept applications submitted through consultants or fundraisers.

Conclusion

The India Fund offers grants of ₹10 lakh to ₹40 lakh to locally registered Indian NGOs working with vulnerable communities in priority regions. Its central focus is community-led development, empowerment, organizational capacity, and systemic change, making it particularly relevant to grassroots organizations addressing poverty, exclusion, gender inequality, disability, tribal rights, and limited access to essential services.

Organizations considering this opportunity should first verify their FCRA registration, geographic eligibility, target community, and community-led approach, then prepare a clear proposal demonstrating measurable impact and sustainable local ownership.