Government Schemes & Grants for NGOs
Evaluate Government schemes using the actual scheme rules, eligible-applicant criteria, current FY context and official application route.
Scheme verification
- Scheme rules first
- Eligibility is specific
- Budget is not an opening
- Official route and deadline
Start with the right preparation
Evaluate Government schemes using the actual scheme rules, eligible-applicant criteria, current FY context and official application route.
Funders on this page
- DEPwDDept. of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities – ADIP
- MoSJEMinistry of Social Justice & Empowerment – NAPDDR DDAC
- NECNorth Eastern Council (Ministry of DoNER) – NGO grants
Names belong to their owners and are shown only to identify the funder; NGOGrant.in is not affiliated with them.
Government grants for NGOs in India: check the correct official portal
There is no single portal or registration number that makes an NGO eligible for every government grant. Identify the scheme, applicant category, financial year and application window before creating a proposal.
| Official portal | What it establishes | Next step for an NGO |
|---|---|---|
| DEPwD e-Anudaan | The Department’s portal lists DDRS applications for FY 2026–27 as open. This is disability-rehabilitation grant-in-aid under specific project models; no separate current-year closing time was confirmed in the reviewed notice. The portal also says it is open for ADIP proposals for FY 2026–27 (checked 20 October 2026; ADIP entry below). | Read the DDRS eligibility and application guide, then verify the portal’s latest instruction and project conditions. |
| Ministry of Tribal Affairs NGO Grants | Not open – watch (checked 20 October 2026). The FY 2026–27 window for ongoing projects opened by letter dated 1 April 2026 (up to 30 April 2026) and was extended to 15 May 2026 by letter dated 7 May 2026. It has closed. No window for new projects was open on 20 October 2026. A working portal does not mean a fresh round is open. | Watch ngo.tribal.gov.in for the next notice, and get ready now: NGO Darpan registration and 12A registration are required, along with at least three years’ experience in similar work and income tax returns for the last three years. What the guidelines require. |
| NGO-DARPAN | Provides a central NGO information repository and Unique ID used by some government portals. It is not itself an approval or grant award. | Use the NGO-DARPAN preparation guide if the relevant scheme requires the ID. |
Ministry of Tribal Affairs grant-in-aid to voluntary organisations: what to prepare before the next window
The scheme (“Grant-in-Aid to Voluntary Organisations Working for the Welfare of Scheduled Tribes”) funds projects for STs in the core activities listed in its guidelines. The Ministry’s FAQ says it has discontinued sanctioning skill-related projects, so do not build a proposal around skilling.
Eligibility under the current guidelines (27 January 2023):
- Registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, a state society Act, as a public trust, or under any other Act.
- At least three years’ experience running activities similar in size and objectives to the proposed project.
- PAN and TAN in the organisation’s name, and ITRs filed for at least the last three years.
- Registered on NGO Darpan and under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act.
- Aadhaar-linked bank account in the organisation’s name with a scheduled bank.
- You must implement the project yourself – the grant cannot be passed to another entity – and be able to co-finance part of it.
How much is funded: 100% of the cost (as per notified norms) for projects in Scheduled Areas; 90% elsewhere, with the NGO bearing the remaining 10%. Project-wise norms are in the Ministry’s January 2020 “Revision of financial norms”.
Compliance undertaking: the Ministry’s document formats include an undertaking on registration under Section 12A/80G and under FCRA “in case of foreign funding”. Whether FCRA or 80G affects your application depends on your situation – check your 12A, 80G and FCRA position with your CA before applying.
Guideline validity: the 2023 guidelines say they apply from FY 2022-23 to 2025-26. We did not find an extension or new guideline for 2026-27 on tribal.nic.in on 20 October 2026, so rules may change with the next window.
Applications are online only at ngo.tribal.gov.in (Darpan first, then portal registration). Nagaland and other Northeast NGOs are not excluded.
Sources checked 20 October 2026: Revised Guidelines, 27 Jan 2023 (PDF), Revision of financial norms, Jan 2020 (PDF), Document formats, 06.02.2023 (PDF), portal-open letter 01.04.2026, extension letter 07.05.2026, MoTA NGO portal. A grant is never guaranteed; the Ministry decides.
Keep your 12A/80G documents and ITR evidence together with the NGO Tax Compliance Evidence Pack; our 12A/80G registration service can help if you are not yet registered. Preparation support only; it does not decide eligibility or funding.
For private company funding, use the separate CSR eligibility guide rather than treating a company’s CSR spending as a government grant. State departments run their own calls too – for example, Madhya Pradesh’s Directorate of Culture grant for cultural NGOs closes on 30 October 2026 (details and checklist). Source pages checked 15 October 2026 (MP culture call and Ministry of Tribal Affairs entry rechecked 20 October 2026); recheck issuer notices and amendments before applying.
Schemes we are tracking (checked 20 October 2026)
Each entry below shows its status as of the check date: Open, Open – route unconfirmed, or Not open – watch. A watch entry means the scheme exists but no current call was found; do not submit anything until a new notice appears; you can prepare your documents now.
ADIP: grant-in-aid for NGOs that distribute aids and assistive devices
Status: Open for FY 2026-27 (no closing date published; checked 20 Oct 2026)
Under ADIP (Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances), the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities funds implementing agencies – including NGOs – to assess persons with disabilities and supply them aids and appliances. The money is for the beneficiaries’ devices and the camps that deliver them; it is not a general grant to run your organisation.
Can your NGO apply? The guideline lists, among others:
- “Societies and their branches, if any, registered separately under the Societies Registration Act, 1860”, and
- “Registered Charitable Trusts”.
Section 8 companies are not in the list. Most importantly, you need a registration certificate under Section 51/52 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 – without it you cannot apply. ADIP grants are not given for commercial production or supply of aids. For new agencies, preference goes to those with RCI-qualified staff and their own fabrication/fitment infrastructure.
What each beneficiary can get
| Item | Limit (per beneficiary) |
|---|---|
| Aids and assistive devices | Up to ₹15,000, once in 3 years |
| High-end prostheses | Up to ₹30,000 |
| Motorised tricycle / wheelchair | Subsidy up to ₹50,000, once in 5 years – only for 80%+ disability, age 16 and above |
| Income test | Full cost if monthly family income is up to ₹22,500; 50% if ₹22,501–₹30,000 |
Beneficiaries need a UDID card or enrolment number with at least 40% disability, and Aadhaar or Aadhaar enrolment number. The guideline sets no total grant per NGO. It is normally released in one instalment if under ₹10 lakh, and agencies use 5% of the grant for awareness, assessment, distribution and follow-up camps.
Documents (self-attested, guideline para 11)
- RPwD Act Section 51/52 registration certificate
- Societies Act 1860 (and branch) or Charitable Trust registration
- Management committee members’ names and details
- PAN and Aadhaar of trustees/members
- Rules, aims and objectives
- Certified audited accounts and annual report of the previous year – last three years if you are applying for the first time
- Existing agencies: beneficiary list uploaded on the MIS/ADIP portal
- Utilisation Certificate as per GFR 2017
- Undertaking of one year’s free maintenance of aids supplied
- SC/ST/OBC/PwD reservation, if you have more than 20 regular employees
First-time applicants: expect a Screening Committee recommendation and a physical inspection before your proposal is processed. The inspection may not be needed if you received a grant under any DEPwD scheme in the last three years.
How to apply. Online through the e-Anudaan portal. The DEPwD page and current notices point to grants.depwd.gov.in.
Two things we could not settle (20 October 2026):
- Which portal: the ADIP guideline (paras 11 and 12) says proposals go “on e-Anudaan Portal of the Ministry (www.grants-msje.gov.in) only”, while DEPwD’s page and notices use grants.depwd.gov.in. Use the portal named in the current DEPwD notice, and check before you upload.
- Which guideline version: the guideline PDF is dated 2 April 2024 and covers 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2026. The DEPwD page says the scheme was “last revised on 26.09.2024”, and we did not find a document for the period after 31 March 2026, even though the portal is accepting FY 2026-27 proposals. Check the DEPwD site for a later version before relying on any limit above.
The guideline does not mention NGO Darpan, 12A, 80G, CSR-1 or FCRA.
Sources checked 20 October 2026: DEPwD ADIP scheme page, ADIP guideline (PDF), DEPwD e-Anudaan NGO login. Applying does not guarantee a grant; the Department decides.
If your audited accounts and annual reports are not in order for three years, the NGO Finance Controls & Audit Readiness Pack helps you get them ready. Existing grantees can use the NGO Grant Reporting & Utilisation Pack to prepare utilisation records. These help with preparation only; DEPwD decides on grants.
District De-Addiction Centres (DDAC) under NAPDDR – for experienced de-addiction NGOs
Status: Open, rolling (e-Anudaan; checked 20 Oct 2026)
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (Drug Prevention Division) has invited proposals to set up District De-Addiction Centres in districts that currently lack one (“gap districts”), under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction. The portal stays open through the year, and state/UT recommendations are considered periodically.
This is not for first-time organisations. You are eligible only if you already run a MoSJE-supported IRCA, a state-supported de-addiction centre, a government hospital or a private de-addiction centre – and you can apply only for the state/UT where you have been running it for at least 2 years. Start-ups of young professionals from top social institutes can apply only with 2 years’ experience in drug de-addiction treatment.
Which districts? 312 gap districts, as per the corrigendum dated 11 September 2026. In Nagaland, Meluri, Noklak and Phek are on the list. The corrigendum removed Noney (Manipur) and Darrang and Karbi Anglong (Assam), and added Udalguri, Tamulpur and Sribhumi (Assam). Districts in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura also remain on the list – check the corrigendum for yours.
Money (Annexure II, “Norms for DDAC”)
| Item | Official figure |
|---|---|
| Non-recurring (set-up; admissible again after 5 years) | ₹3,45,000 |
| Grand total | ₹70,64,000 (rural) / ₹70,04,000 (urban) |
| Release | Two instalments |
Conditions to check before you apply
- Rent-free building (from the district administration or the NGO), with at least 3,000/4,000 sq ft for 15 patients or 4,000/5,000 sq ft for 30 patients.
- A dedicated project account registered on PFMS (EAT module).
- NGO Darpan registration – e-Anudaan requires it before you can register on the portal.
How to apply. Online only, at grants-msje.gov.in/ngo-login. The notice says: “ANY PHYSICAL DDAC APPLICATION (HARD COPY) SHALL NOT BE CONSIDERED.” The notice itself does not list documents; follow the portal’s checklist. New to the portal? Read our step-by-step e-Anudaan guide first.
Sources checked 20 October 2026: DDAC notice No. DP-13011/61/2026-OP-I dated 04.08.2026, corrigendum dated 11-09-2026 (list of 312 gap districts), e-Anudaan home. Applying does not guarantee a grant; the Ministry decides on recommendations from states/UTs.
Preparing the proposal for your state’s recommendation? Our NGO Project Proposal & Budget Templates give you a structure, and the NGO Grant Reporting & Utilisation Pack helps you keep instalment and utilisation records in order. Preparation support only; funding decisions rest with the Ministry.
North Eastern Council: grants to NGOs for promoting the North East
Status: Open – route unconfirmed (rolling; checked 20 Oct 2026)
The North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong, under the Ministry of DoNER, considers proposals from NGOs for road shows, pilot projects, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, media campaigns and impact studies that serve the North Eastern Region. Proposals must “exclusively address the interests of NER”. There is no fixed deadline: a Screening Committee meets monthly “as far as possible”.
Who can apply. Eligible non-government bodies registered on NGO Darpan, traditional institutions and autonomous bodies – but only if the proposal is recommended by the Planning Department of the state concerned or by a Central Ministry. For a Nagaland NGO, that means the recommendation route runs through the state Planning Department or a Central Ministry; without it, the proposal is not considered under these guidelines.
Priority themes named by NEC: bamboo, regional tourism, livelihoods, organic NER, handloom, handicrafts and horticulture, clean and green NER, food processing and entrepreneurship.
What your proposal must contain: a concept paper, a detailed budget, your organisation’s history, experience in the field, past achievements and the anticipated outcomes of the event. NEC’s notice page links a sample grant application format.
Money. The guidelines state no maximum amount. NEC’s Ready Reckoner says agency charges and contingency are not admissible for trusts, non-profit societies and similar organisations, so do not budget for them. For release of funds NEC asks for a Utilisation Certificate (GFR 12A for NGOs), the latest quarterly progress report and geo-tagged photographs.
How to apply – two official instructions that do not match. We found two current official instructions and could not confirm which one applies to NGO promotional proposals:
| Official source | Date | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| NEC notice for NGOs seeking grants | With effect from 8 Feb 2021; page last updated 11 Jun 2026 | Register on NGO Darpan, then log in at nlcpr.mdoner.gov.in/ngo/ with your Darpan ID and PAN. “No offline proposals or applications will be entertained.” |
| NEC Ready Reckoner for NEC Support | Published 30 Jun 2026 | “All project proposals seeking funding from NEC shall be uploaded in Poorvottar Vikas Setu portal” (nesetu.mdoner.gov.in/vikassetu/) |
On 20 October 2026 the nlcpr NGO portal did not load, and Poorvottar Vikas Setu opened only to a login page. The NGO notice also cites the NEC General Guidelines 2020, which have since been replaced by the Guidelines of Schemes of NEC dated 15 October 2025. Until NEC clarifies, confirm the route with NEC or your state Planning Department before you prepare uploads. We will update this entry when an official page settles it.
Sources checked 20 October 2026: NEC notice for NGOs seeking grants, Promotion of NER guidelines (PDF), NEC Ready Reckoner (PDF), NEC guidelines, rules and forms. A recommendation or submission does not guarantee a grant.
Building the concept paper and budget? Our NGO Project Proposal & Budget Templates give you a starting structure, and the NGO Profile & Annual Report Templates help you present your history and past achievements. These help with preparation only; NEC decides on grants.
Senior citizens’ homes under AVYAY (IPSrC)
Status: Not open – watch. No FY 2026-27 call found on e-Anudaan as of 20 October 2026.
The Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC), part of the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), funds NGOs, trusts and charitable institutions to run senior citizens’ homes, continuous care homes (for example, for people with dementia) and regional resource and training centres. It is run by the Senior Citizen Division of the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Why it is on our watch list. The most recent calls were: 1 July 2024 (open till 15 August 2024), 13 December 2024 (new projects, FY 2024-25) and 16 April 2025 (ongoing and new cases, FY 2025-26). Nothing for FY 2026-27 had appeared by 20 October 2026. When a call opens, it will be on e-Anudaan.
Get these sorted while you wait
- Two years: the organisation must have been registered for at least two years and have at least two years’ experience in the social sector when it applies.
- Gap district: new projects are sanctioned only in listed gap districts. The 2024 list included Nagaland districts such as Chumoukedima, Kiphire, Mokokchung and Wokha, but that list must be rechecked when a new call opens. The 2024 notice asks organisations to confirm with the district administration whether their district is a gap district.
Annual cost norms (AVYAY guideline, pp. 45-48)
| Project | X category | Y category | Z category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior citizens’ home, 25 residents | ₹28,13,460 | ₹27,73,860 | ₹27,47,460 |
| Senior citizens’ home, 50 residents | ₹46,23,368 | ₹45,63,968 | ₹45,24,368 |
| Continuous care home | ₹33,86,415 | ₹33,46,815 | ₹33,20,415 |
| Regional resource & training centre | ₹19,58,915 | ₹19,19,315 | ₹18,86,315 |
These are the norms the 2024 notice points to; the next call may revise them.
Sources checked 20 October 2026: e-Anudaan, IPSrC notice, 1 July 2024, AVYAY guideline (PDF). This is not an open call; nothing here guarantees a grant.
Use the waiting time to get your profile and records ready: the NGO Profile & Annual Report Templates help you present two years of work clearly. Preparation support only.
Ministry of Culture: Cultural Function and Production Grant (CFPG)
Status: Not open – watch. The 48th Meeting call closed on 7 July 2026; no 49th Meeting call found on 20 October 2026.
CFPG, a component of the Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana, supports not-for-profit organisations, NGOs, societies, trusts and universities for seminars, conferences, research, workshops, festivals, exhibitions, symposia, small research projects and productions of dance, drama-theatre and music. The scheme page says it is “open throughout the year”, but in practice proposals are taken meeting by meeting, each with its own cut-off.
What the last call looked like (48th Meeting). Proposals received from 1 November 2025 to 30 June 2026 were considered, for events on or after 1 July 2026. The last date was extended to 7 July 2026 by a notice dated 25 June 2026. No 49th Meeting call had been announced by 20 October 2026; if one comes, its own notice will set the dates, address and conditions.
Money. Up to 75% of expenditure, maximum ₹5 lakh per project (up to ₹20 lakh only in exceptional cases with the Culture Minister’s approval). You must raise at least 25% yourself. Release is in two instalments: 75% and 25%.
Who can apply – and who cannot
- Registered for at least three years under the Societies Registration Act 1860, a Trusts Act, the Companies Act or any Central/State Act, with a written constitution and a properly constituted managing body.
- Registered on NGO Darpan.
- The proposal must be recommended by a National Akademi, another culture-related organisation under the Government of India, or the State Government/UT Administration or a State Akademi. In Nagaland, plan this recommendation early.
- Not for religious institutions, schools/colleges, or college/university festivals.
Get ready for the next call
- Canara Bank ZBSA: the 48th call made a Zero Balance Subsidiary Account in any Canara Bank branch mandatory for every applicant, selected or not, with a Bank Authorisation Letter in the prescribed proforma. If you already have a ZBSA for another Ministry scheme, you need a separate one only for CFPG. (For the 48th Meeting a later notice allowed ZBSA details after the minutes, but said ZBSA remains mandatory.)
- Documents asked for: constitution; board/governing body particulars; latest annual report; a detailed project report (description, staff, item-wise budget, sources of funds); income and expenditure for the previous three years and the previous year’s balance sheet certified by a CA/government auditor; indemnity bond on stamp paper; bank details in the prescribed proforma.
- Where it went last time: applications were forwarded to The Director, North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC), 14-CSP Singh Marg (Adjacent to Circuit House), Allahabad-211001, UP. Check the next notice for the address and mode.
Sources checked 20 October 2026: CFPG scheme page, 48th Meeting notice, 26 May 2026 (PDF), extension notice, 25 Jun 2026 (PDF), ZBSA relaxation notice, 25 Jun 2026 (PDF). Not an open call; no grant is guaranteed.
The detailed project report and item-wise budget take the longest – our NGO Project Proposal & Budget Templates let you prepare them before the next call. Preparation support only; the Ministry decides on grants.
Working in Madhya Pradesh? The state Directorate of Culture has its own NGO grant – see the 2026-27 call (closes 30 October 2026).
Two standing government schemes with full guides: the NCPUL seminar grant for Urdu events (applications 1–31 May each year) and the Mizoram grant-in-aid for voluntary organisations (ordinarily by 30 June each year).
Also verified on 22 October 2026: the MIB community radio grant 2026-31, a rolling, reimbursement-based scheme for licensed community radio stations across India.
What to prepare
Is there a real route?
Open call, published proposal route, enquiry or invitation model?
Is the NGO a fit?
Sector, geography, organisational age, staffing and other conditions.
Is the file ready?
Governance, audits, registrations, programme evidence and proposal inputs.
Can you prove delivery?
Past work, beneficiary records, financial controls and reporting capability.
How to approach it
Verify the current source
Check deadline, route, geography and eligibility.
Run organisational due diligence
Identify gaps before proposal writing.
Prepare proposal and budget
Tie activities, outputs, budget and evidence together.
Track submission and follow-up
Record status, next action and donor communication.
Documents and evidence
| Record area | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Organisation identity | Keeps legal name, structure, address and governance details consistent. |
| Governing / approval records | Shows who decided, approved or authorised the action. |
| Supporting evidence | Connects the application, filing or format to genuine organisational records. |
| Acknowledgement / version | Provides an audit trail and helps the team know which record is current. |
Important limits and checks
Schemes & Grants guides
Use the hub for orientation, then open the guide that matches the task you are actually working on.
5 guides
Government Grants vs CSR Funding for NGOs
Understand how the two funding routes differ.
Open guide →
GuideNGO Funding Sources in India
Compare CSR, Government, foundations and other support routes.
Open guide →
GuideDocuments Required for NGO Funding Applications
Organise the common evidence used in funding applications.
Open guide →
GuideNGO Grant Application Checklist
Check readiness before submitting a grant application.
Open guide →
GuideNGO Due Diligence Checklist for CSR & Grants
Prepare organisational evidence funders may review.
Open guide →
Continue with the full guide
The designed overview above gives the working structure. The existing detailed NGOGrant content continues below.
Schemes & Grants
Understand what is actually available, who can apply and what the official source requires before you spend time preparing an application.
Not every scheme page is an application window
Government schemes may have budget announcements, standing guidelines, State implementation arrangements, empanelment routes or time-bound calls. A scheme’s existence does not automatically mean applications are open to every NGO.
NGOGrant will distinguish scheme information from a verified current opening wherever the evidence allows.
Read the controlling document
The current guideline, notice, RFP, portal instruction, sanction framework or departmental order controls eligibility and procedure. Secondary articles and old PDFs can help with context but should not override the latest official source.
Always verify the financial year, geography, implementing authority, eligible applicant type, deadline and document list.
Build a scheme-fit checklist
Before preparing a proposal, compare your organisation’s legal status, registration age, audited history, programme experience, geographic presence, staffing, bank and tax records, governing documents and required registrations against the published conditions.
Where eligibility is unclear, record the uncertainty rather than assuming that a general NGO category includes every entity.
Use alerts as a starting point
Funding alerts can save time, but the final decision to apply should come only after reviewing the official notice and checking that the opportunity is still open.
NGOGrant’s planned funding workflow connects opportunity pages, saved funding, alerts and preparation documents so organisations can move from discovery to action without losing source context.
For broader CSR and philanthropic routes, use the Funding hub as well.