1. Transparency. SHDF operating methods, including selection of students for award of scholarships, are well publicized and fully and consistently adhered to.
2. Accountability. SHDF accounts are annually audited and the audit report is available to donors. The SHDF accounts with its major cooperating institution in India (Nishkam) are also annually audited.
3. Low administrative costs. The members of the SHDF provide their services free. Its cooperating institutions in India (Nishkam and university administrations) do the same.

SHDF Operations in India and USA.

In India, SHDF operates largely through the Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council (Nishkam); it also collaborates with three universities, viz. The Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana and the Punjabi University, Patiala.

Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council Regd., New Delhi Nishkam is a Government of India recognized and registered non-governmental organization (NGO). It has over two decades of unblemished record of social service. For professional college/university education, it collaborates exclusively with SHDF, and has signed a memorandum of understanding. Nishkam invites applications through newspaper advertisement as well as by writing to principals of over 200 colleges, it holds written moral science test at selected locations, conducts interviews, sends its recommendations with relevant documents to SHDF and upon approval by SHDF, disburses the scholarships. It also follows up on the recipient students' performance. Nishkam maintains separate accounts for SHDF, which are regularly audited.

Universities
The SHDF's direct links with the Vice Chancellors of universities in Punjab help it to stay current with the state of professional education as well as to provide financial assistance to some really needy students who could not be captured through the Nishkam net. These universities have set up high-powered selection committees who scrutinize applications and conduct interviews before finalizing their recommendations to SHDF. SHDF Executive Council members periodically visit India to oversee the program as well as to meet with scholarship recipients at selected locations, and also to stay in touch with Nishkam and the university administrations.

In the USA, SHDF determines the rules of the game, application formats, the selection criteria, quality assurance procedures, and takes final decision on the award of scholarship as well as the amount of scholarship, which is calibrated to the specific needs of each student. I also stays in touch with the actual and potential donors, who contribute funds to the program. It organizes fund raising events in institutions (gurdwaras) and through fund-raising dinners.