National Fund for Persons with Disabilities
National Fund for Persons with Disabilities is a Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities fund that pays up to Rs 20 lakh to organisations holding national exhibitions, travel and Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 a day to medal-winning or graded artists with 40% disability, and up to Rs 1 lakh for customised mobility equipment. Apply free at nationalfund.depwd.gov.in.
| Ministry | Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities |
|---|---|
| Benefit | Up to Rs 1 lakh for customised mobility equipment, Rs 2,500-4,000 per day travel support for national and international events, and up to Rs 20 lakh grants for exhibitions |
| Maximum benefit | Rs 20 lakh (national-level exhibition or workshop grant to an organisation) |
| Application mode | Online only, on the National Fund portal, as an individual or as an organisation |
| Helpline | No dedicated helpline; write to Joint Secretary & CEO, National Fund, Room 527, Pt. Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi |
| Official website | https://nationalfund.depwd.gov.in/ |
What is the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities?
National Fund for Persons with Disabilities is a corpus fund of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, constituted under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. According to the DEPwD portal, the fund exists to support "certain core areas relevant for empowerment of persons with disabilities" that are not covered by the department's regular budgetary schemes.
That framing matters when you decide whether to apply. National Fund is deliberately a residual instrument. If your need is a standard aid or appliance, the Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) scheme is the correct route; if it is a scholarship, DEPwD runs separate scholarship schemes; if it is barrier-free infrastructure in a public building, that sits under the Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA). National Fund picks up what those do not.
Main features
- Central Sector fund administered directly by DEPwD, with a governing body reconstituted in October 2022.
- Applications are taken only online, at nationalfund.depwd.gov.in, under two tracks: "Apply as an Individual" and "Apply as an Organization".
- Assistance to individuals is released by Direct Benefit Transfer.
- Applying is free of cost at every stage.
Who is eligible for the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities?
The fund runs distinct components with distinct eligibility.
Exhibitions and workshops (organisations)
- Government organisations, or bodies registered under the Societies Registration Act, the Indian Trusts Act or the Companies Act.
- Registered for three years or more.
- At least two years of experience in organising exhibitions or workshops for marketing products, paintings or handicrafts made by persons with disabilities.
Sports, fine arts and cultural participation (individuals)
- Benchmark disability of 40% or more, certified by the competent medical authority.
- A medal won in a recognised sports competition, or a grading as an artist issued by the Ministry of Culture, in the last three years.
- Annual family income up to Rs 3 lakh for national events and national IT challenges, and up to Rs 6 lakh for international events.
High support needs (individuals)
- Persons with benchmark disabilities having substantial support needs, recommended by the state government.
You cannot apply if:
- Your assessed disability is below 40%. The fund is limited to benchmark disability as defined in the RPwD Act, 2016.
- Your annual family income exceeds the ceiling for the component you are applying under (Rs 3 lakh national, Rs 6 lakh international).
- Your medal or artist grading is older than three years.
- Your organisation has been registered for less than three years, or has no documented track record of marketing work for persons with disabilities.
- You are seeking a benefit that another DEPwD scheme already provides. A standard aid or appliance, or a scholarship. Those applications belong to ADIP and the DEPwD scholarship schemes respectively, not to the National Fund.
How much does the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities pay?
| Component | Assistance |
|---|---|
| National-level exhibition or workshop | Up to Rs 20 lakh |
| Regional-level exhibition or workshop | Up to Rs 15 lakh |
| State-level exhibition or workshop | Up to Rs 10 lakh |
| National event participation | Train fare for the applicant and one escort, plus Rs 2,500 per person per day for boarding and lodging |
| International event participation | Economy airfare, plus Rs 4,000 per person per day for the duration of the event |
| Customised mobility equipment | Actual cost or Rs 1 lakh, whichever is lower |
Exhibition grants cover venue cost, travel of participating persons with disabilities and event arrangements. Disbursement is split; 50% in advance and 50% after the programme is completed, against accounts and a completion report.
DEPwD also notified a separate provision in July 2024 for reimbursement of tuition fees to 100% blind and 100% deaf students (without cochlear implant) pursuing STEM subjects from Class 9 to Class 12. Check the notification on the National Fund page for the current fee ceilings before applying, as this is a newer component and the norms are published notification-wise.
What documents are required for the National Fund?
| Document | Mandatory | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Disability certificate or UDID card | Yes | Must show 40% or more benchmark disability |
| Income certificate | Yes | Rs 3 lakh limit for national, Rs 6 lakh for international events |
| Medal certificate or Ministry of Culture artist grading | Yes | Obtained within the last three years |
| Event selection or invitation letter | Yes | From the organising body |
| Aadhaar-seeded bank account details | Yes | Assistance is paid by DBT |
| Organisation registration certificate | For organisations | Three years or more of registration |
| Equipment quotation and prescription | For mobility equipment | Specification and cost estimate |
How to apply for the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities
- Open the National Fund portal at nationalfund.depwd.gov.in.
- Choose the correct track — Apply as an Individual for event participation, high support needs or tuition-fee reimbursement, or Apply as an Organization for an exhibition or workshop grant.
- Read the "Guidelines for Providing Financial Assistance under the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities" linked on the portal, and confirm which component your request falls under before filling anything in.
- Register on the portal and create your login.
- Fill the application form for the chosen component, entering your disability percentage, UDID number, family income and bank account details.
- Upload scanned copies of the disability certificate, income certificate, proof of achievement, event letter and, for organisations, the registration certificate and past-work details.
- Submit the application and save the acknowledgement or reference number generated on screen.
- Track the application status by logging back into the portal with the same credentials.
There is no offline route. The department has stated that applications under this fund are received through the portal, and no fee is charged at any stage.
How are National Fund applications decided?
Applications are examined by DEPwD against the published guidelines, the component ceilings and the income limits, and the fund's governing body oversees sanctions. Because the National Fund is a corpus rather than an annual entitlement scheme, sanctions depend on the amount available in the corpus in a given year: DEPwD publishes annual figures for amounts allocated, sanctioned, disbursed and utilised. An eligible application is therefore not an automatic sanction, and there is no fixed timeline published for a decision.
Common reasons National Fund applications are rejected
- Disability below 40%, the single most frequent disqualification.
- Income above the ceiling for the component applied under.
- Achievement older than three years. A medal or grading from four years ago does not qualify.
- Organisation registered for under three years, or unable to show two years of relevant exhibition experience.
- Request already covered by another scheme, a standard tricycle or hearing aid belongs to ADIP, not to the National Fund.
- Incomplete uploads, particularly a missing income certificate or a bank account that is not Aadhaar-seeded.
Where to get help with the National Fund
Correspondence on the fund goes to the Joint Secretary and CEO, National Fund for Persons with Disabilities, Room 527, 5th Floor, Pt. Deendayal Antyodaya Bhawan, CGO Complex, New Delhi. The department has not published a dedicated toll-free helpline for this fund; treat any number claiming to be one with caution. Guidelines, notifications and the annual expenditure statement are all published on the DEPwD page for the National Fund.
For related support, see the guides to the ADIP aids and appliances scheme, the UDID / Swavlamban card, and SIPDA on this site.
Documents required
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum assistance under the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities?
Rs 20 lakh is the maximum, and it goes to an organisation holding a national-level exhibition or workshop of products made by persons with disabilities. Regional events attract up to Rs 15 lakh and state-level events up to Rs 10 lakh. For an individual, the largest single item is up to Rs 1 lakh for customised mobility equipment.
Who is eligible for travel support under the National Fund?
Persons with a benchmark disability of 40% or more who have won a medal in sport or hold a Ministry of Culture artist grading obtained in the last three years are eligible for travel support. Family income must be within Rs 3 lakh a year for national events and Rs 6 lakh a year for international events.
How much daily allowance does the National Fund pay?
The National Fund pays Rs 2,500 per person per day for boarding and lodging at national events and Rs 4,000 per person per day at international events. Train fare is covered for domestic travel and economy airfare for international travel, including one escort where the disability requires it.
Is there any fee to apply to the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities?
No, the application is entirely free. The National Fund accepts applications only online at nationalfund.depwd.gov.in and no agent is authorised to charge for lodging or "processing" an application.
Who cannot apply to the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities?
Persons with less than 40% disability are not eligible, because the fund is restricted to benchmark disability as defined in the RPwD Act, 2016. Applicants above the income ceilings, those without a medal or artist grading from the last three years, and organisations registered for less than three years also cannot apply.
How is National Fund assistance paid out?
Individual assistance is paid by Direct Benefit Transfer into the applicant's Aadhaar-seeded bank account. For exhibition grants to organisations, 50% is released in advance and the remaining 50% after the programme is completed and accounts are submitted.
Is the National Fund the same as the ADIP scheme?
No, they are separate schemes of the same department. ADIP supplies standard aids and appliances through implementing agencies and camps, while the National Fund covers gaps outside the regular budgetary programmes — customised mobility equipment, event participation and exhibitions.
Related guides
- National Fund for Persons with Disabilities: Why Applications Get Rejected and How to Fix It
- National Fund for Persons with Disabilities: How to Check Application and Payment Status
Related schemes in Social Welfare & Empowerment
- Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)
- Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP)
- AICTE-LILAVATI AWARD
- National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students (NFSC)
- Central Sector Scheme for Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourer, 2016
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Implementation of the PCR Act, 1955 and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
More from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities
- Unique Disability ID (UDID) / Swavlamban Card
- Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA)
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