The number of applications and the number of scholarship recipients is expected to expand considerably in coming years, as the awareness about the SHDF programs and procedures is now rapidly spreading. SHDF is making plans to tap an ever-increasing number of potential donors in Washington metropolitan area as well as in the rest of USA, to meet the rising need for funds.

SHDF, in consultation with Nishkam, has also prepared a scheme to identify poor but very deserving and bright school students (XI and XII grade students), who ordinarily will not plan to compete for entrance into professional institutions because of their families' poor financial situation. These students will be informed upfront (after a due process of selection) that in case they decided to compete for and got admitted to a professional degree course ina recognized institution, SHDF will provide them with a pre-defined amount of financial assistance (currently estimated at an average amount of RS. 20,000) during each year of the degree course, provided they maintained minimum scores. This will be a great step forward to reach out to the neediest of the needy students. SHDF plans to commit and eventually finance 100 such (school) students each year for selected four-year professional degree courses. This means that it will eventually be financing about 400 students every year from project year 4 onwards. In addition, it plans to continue financing every year about one hundred poor students already admitted to professional degree and post graduate courses, i.e. those who have obtained admission in professional courses, but are looking for financial help to close the funding gap. Thus, SHDF anticipates financing of some 500 students from project year 4. It is estimated that the annual budget of SHDF will gradually increase from the current level of some $40,000 to over $200,000 by the year 2010. SHDF is in need of donor support not only from individuals, but also from the corporate sector and other charities in the USA in order to (i) sustain the proposed annually-expanding-program; and (ii) simultaneously build up an endowment fund to generate regular (interest) income in order to ensure that SHDF is able to meet its commitment over the longer term to poor students who join professional courses and expect to be financed for the entire duration of their courses.