How to Find Disability Grants to Help Fund a Wheelchair Van

 

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Researching a vehicle purchase can take a lot of time and energy. There are endless makes and models to consider, trim package options to weigh and choices like interior and exterior colors, and often upholstery material to choose. For wheelchair users researching their first or next wheelchair van, there are a few additional items to consider. This includes things like whether they plan to drive or ride in the vehicle, whether they want a transfer seat or hand controls, the type of tie down and securement devices that will be installed and even where in the vehicle they want their wheelchair to be secured.

Beyond all of these options to consider, there is also the financial aspect.  When it comes to financing, the question we get asked most often is how to find disability grants to help fund a wheelchair van. Luckily, we know how to do just that and we will explore some of the available options in this post.

Non-profit Organization Grants

There are many organizations around the United States that raise funds to help with treatment research and also to help improve the lives of the people living with disabilities. One way these organizations help to better the lives of wheelchair users is through grant funding of mobility equipment, including wheelchair vans. Many of these organizations are disability specific, so the grants they offer will be disability specific, as well. Some of these organizations include:

  • Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
  • Muscular Dystrophy Association
  • The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
  • United Cerebral Palsy
  • And, more…

To get information about the grants these organizations have available, you can check their website, send them an email or call their informational phone line. They will be able to get you information like the qualifications you would need to meet in order to apply, the window for application submissions and any paperwork you may need to gather for the application.

Veterans Grants

Veterans that use a wheelchair may qualify for funding towards the conversion of a vehicle through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Generally this is available for service-injured Veterans in the form of a one time grant of up to 20 thousand dollars. However, there are other grants that may be available to help offset the cost of the conversion of the vehicle and wheelchair users may be available for these grants every two years. To get more information, you can contact your local VA offices and they will be able to provide details on the available grants and also check to see what you may qualify for.

State and Local Government Grants

Did you know that there may be disability grants through your state and local government agencies that can help fund a wheelchair van conversion? Each of these programs have different eligibility requirements and restrictions on what the grant may be used for. There is a handy list of state and local agency grants on our website. You can reach out to each of these agencies directly to see what they have available and what qualifications they have for each grant. They may even be able to tell you if you qualify before you start filling out the application.

Other Funding Options

While the list above is not all inclusive, those categories cover the majority of the disability grants that are available to wheelchair users and may be used to help cover the conversion costs on a wheelchair van. And while these grants are incredibly helpful, not all wheelchair users qualify for them or for the ones that do, it may not cover all of their wheelchair van costs. Here are some other options to help with the cost of a wheelchair van:

  • Rebate Programs
    You probably see rebates advertised on TV all the time and may not realize exactly what they are. These are when specific vehicle manufacturers are offering cash back on purchases of a specific vehicle model or a specific line of vehicles. What many also do not realize is that these rebates extend to the customers of wheelchair van manufacturers and dealers, as well. This is a great way to save on the cost of the vehicle and it can also be combined with grants and other fundraising options to reduce the amount that is needed to purchase the vehicle.
  • Good Old Fashioned Fundraising
    If you have exhausted your grant funding search and are still coming up short for what you need, we always recommend a good old fashioned fundraiser. You may be surprised how willing other people are to help kick in a few extra dollars to help make your goal a reality. If you aren’t able to host a fundraiser in person, there are a lot of websites out there to run an online fundraiser through. Facebook has a fundraising platform and there are also sites like GoFundMe that you can set one up through.

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