Grants for Wheelchair Vans – Overview
Financial assistance is crucial for underprivileged ones. Thankfully, the federal government offers different types of grants through various departments and government agencies to the needy ones. If you are searching for grants for wheelchair vans, this guide will give you in-depth information about the available resources and the grants offered by NGOs and Governments.
Wheelchair Vans are customized vehicles specially designed for the handicapped. A typical mini car gets converted into a wheelchair van which makes it easier for a handicapped person to drive it. It requires special equipment and accessories require additional funds.
Unfortunately, there are limited resources that offer financial assistance for the handicapped, as there are many other grants and programs available for the handicapped, which they can utilize to own a wheelchair van.
If we talk about federal programs, the government offers financial assistance or grants to military veterans through organizations that are actively working for the betterment of the veteran community.
Interestingly, some programs are available for handicapped to purchase and install assistive equipment. Some other programs allow them to buy wheelchair vans for hassle-free transportation.
We will go through all the available resources, grants, and programs that are open for handicapped people to provide funds for wheelchair vans. The below-given resources might not be available in your state. You have to confirm with the respective agency before applying for it.
5 Types of Grants for Wheelchair Vans
Various resources are available for handicapped people to get financial assistance for their new customized vehicle i.e., a wheelchair van. Each state runs various programs through NGOs, Government Agencies, and other private entities. Let’s discuss various categories from which a handicapped person can get financial help.
Types of Grants for Wheelchair Vans
1. Federal Funding Programs
Federal programs are available for all types of communities. A handicapped person should start with federal funding programs to get financial assistance for a wheelchair van. The best part about these types of grants and programs is they don’t require payback of the borrowed money. Once your application gets accepted, you will get the money.
If the agency puts in a condition, then you will have to return half the money, etc., as per their terms and conditions. However, it is still better than private entities.
How to get federal funding for a wheelchair van?
The government runs a special website with all types of grants and programs available to the citizens. Make sure to register on the website first.
Go to: grants.gov
Visit the website and click the register option to proceed further. You will be asked to fill in the registration form, which consists of five fields. One can easily fill out the form and register himself on the portal.
Once you are done, go to the upper right section and click the Search box. Enter the query, such as “wheelchair van,” “assistive equipment,” etc., in the search field.
You will be presented with a list of grants available for your needs from the government. Go through each listed government grant program and apply for the right one. You can apply to multiple grant programs if the criteria are matched!
2. State Funding Programs
State funding programs are financial assistance programs designed by the state governments for the disabled. The state governments run various programs that provide financial help to handicapped people. The state funding programs are different for each state. You must verify and confirm the program with the state government before you apply for it.
Some programs provide full funding for mobility vehicles to easily transport between places. However, some other programs offer funding to buy the required equipment only.
You can get the list of resources by visiting the grants.gov website. The website will show you the list of grants from which you need to select the state where you live. You can even search for such programs on the web.
One such website that might help you get grants for wheelchair vans is themobilityresource.com. One can select the state to get the list of available federal programs, NGOs that offer financial help, and many other resources. Don’t forget to visit it.
3. Grants for Organizations
The U.S. Department of Transportation sponsor special transportation for elderly person with disabilities and offer funds to help such people buy assistive equipment and wheelchair van.
The program distributes funds to state governments. State governments distribute the allotted funds to nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
Those who match the criteria and receive grants can spend the allotted money to buy assistive equipment, a wheelchair van, or just for transportation purposes. The grants are distributed to those who do not have sufficient transportation services and other equipment to help them live life like a normal person.
4. Grants for Veterans
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers special financial assistance through grants to veterans who become disabled on service due to injuries or diseases.
The department offers financial assistance of up to $$22,355.72 to purchase an automobile or other adaptive equipment. The Veterans Affairs Department offers funds to vehicle manufacturers once the grant of a disabled veteran gets approved.
The allotted funds can also be utilized for buying assistive equipment or for special modifications of their existing vehicles to make them easily accessible.
Interestingly, veterans can receive more than one grant for the modification of their vehicles under this program. Since vehicle modification is quite expensive, one can receive multiple grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
5. Other Options
Besides federal programs, many nonprofit organizations and private entities are working together to provide financial assistance to the disabled. Automotive manufacturers also provide special discounts to people who cannot perform their basic tasks or need a vehicle.
Here, we have prepared a list of such programs from which handicapped persons can get special assistance to buy a new wheelchair van.
5 Grants Provided for Wheelchair Vans
1. Help Hope Live
Help Hope Live is a trusted fundraising website that aims to generate funds for medical expenses and related costs. Thankfully, handicapped persons are allowed to register on the network to create fundraising proposals for the purchase of a new wheelchair van.
This platform is so popular because of its easy access and intuitive user interface. The website lets you utilize its features to create a fundraising page quickly and launch it. The community-based fundraising website helps them achieve their financial goal in less time than usual.
If you cannot get the federal or state grant, visit the Help Hope Live website for more information about how you can raise funds from the community to buy a new wheelchair van.
2. Special Kids Funds
Special Kids Funds comes with a unique approach to providing wheelchair vans to disabled kids. The website asks donors to donate wheelchair vans or their old wheelchairs for disabled children. This way, people can give ultimate joyride to those who can’t afford an expensive wheelchair van.
Donors are granted a dedication of tax on the purchase of a new wheelchair van since it is for donation and not for self-use. One must check their eligibility before registering or requesting a wheelchair van. The eligibility criteria are listed below:
- One has to be an insured person
- Verification of you or your loved one will not violate the traffic rules
- Appropriate reason to get a wheelchair van
After you confirm your eligibility, you can apply for the wheelchair van through their official website. The website demonstrates how handicapped people receive help through the platform, along with other useful information.
3. Lori’s Voice
Lori’s Voice is a non-profit organization that aims to provide wheelchair vans and other assistive equipment to the younger ones with disabilities. Lori Hastings established the organization to show off love her love towards the younger ones, especially the kids with disabilities.
Since wheelchair vans are quite expensive, not everyone can afford them. It’s hard for young people to deal with a busy life without a special vehicle. For the same purpose, this non-profit organization works.
The organization calls for donors who can donate wheelchair cars for specially disabled young people. The existing medical health insurance does not cover some medical needs.
Being a disabled lady, Lori Hastings understood the need for such special equipment for people living with disabilities. For the very same reason, she established and ran this organization successfully. For more information, visit the official website of Lori’s Voice.
4. Mobility Access Program by Volkswagen of America
Volkswagen of America runs a special program called the Mobility Access Program for people living with disabilities. The company offers $1,000 for the purchase of assistive equipment or a wheelchair van.
Suppose a disabled person owns a Volkswagen vehicle and wants to add assistive controls and accessories to overcome their disabilities. In that case, the company provides special financial assistance under the Mobility Access Program.
Besides this, numerous other non-profit organizations are actively working in each state. All you have to do is search on the web and explore the given details. You will get plenty of options to get financial help from such organizations and buy a new wheelchair van to live a life happily.
Conclusion:
These are the best and most available resources for people with disabilities to buy a new wheelchair van for transportation purposes. The list includes sources from a variety of categories, such as federal grants, non-profit organizations programs, programs offered by automotive companies, and more.
Go through the given details, find out more about the resources from their official websites, and apply for a suitable grant program to get quick funds for a new wheelchair van.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can we buy wheelchair vans through Medicare?
Unfortunately, no! Medicare and Medicaid don’t provide financial assistance or any discounts on the purchase of a new wheelchair van for the disabled. However, the same rules are not common for all states.
Some states may allow insurer people to get special discounts on purchasing a new wheelchair van. You must check out the rules for buying a new wheelchair van under the Medicare program through your state’s website.
Can I buy a wheelchair van through health insurance?
Of course, you can! Many third-party insurance companies provide financial assistance to handicapped people for the purchase of a new wheelchair van.
What’s the best way to get a wheelchair van for free?
If you are looking for a free wheelchair van without any hassle, you must hunt for non-profit organizations within your community. You can check for the same on the web, and you will get many active NGOs that provide free wheelchair vans to the needy ones.
Of course, you must pass the eligibility criteria the NGO sets and register your name to get help quickly. The NGO will contact you as soon as they get a donor for the wheelchair van. It is the best and most convenient way to get a free wheelchair van.
What funding programs are available for American Veterans?
American Veterans can get financial assistance through Veterans Affairs Department to get funds for buying assistive equipment and controls. However, the same group of people can have many other options to get funds for buying a new wheelchair van. Here’s the list of available funding programs for American Veterans.
- Disabled American Veterans
- S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- S. Department of Veterans Benefits Administration
- Navy-marine Corps Relief Society
- Operation Family Fund
- Coalition to Support America’s Heroes
- Help Our Military Heroes
Can handicap people get special discounts on the purchase of a new wheelchair van?
Yes! Manufacturers offer special discounts on the purchase of their new vehicles that are customized for people living with disabilities. Many automotive manufacturers offer such people special discounts, incentives, rebates, and other benefits.
The rebates offered by the manufacturer can be utilized for the installation of transfer seats, hand controls, and other technologies that might be needed in the new wheelchair van.
See Also
Signs That You Will Be Approved for Disability
Short Term vs Long Term Disability
I am a dedicated healthcare researcher and an enthusiast specializing in medical grants, medical education and research. Through my articles, I aim to empower healthcare professionals and researchers with valuable insights and resources to navigate these critical aspects effectively.
Having sharpened her skills as a validation manager in the fast-paced world of Cybersecurity over a decade, Andrea now applies her expertise to raise the standards of the fact-checking space. As a meticulous fact-checker, she diligently validates the claims presented in our articles, leaving no room for misinformation or ambiguity.
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