Getting grants for wheelchair vans is awesome for disabled people because It can be quite challenging to get through the day-to-day grind in a wheelchair. It is especially true for wheelchair users who must travel to rehab centers or buy groceries. To ensure that disabled people have a better quality of life, they need a van that is accessible to them.
Unfortunately, vans for people with wheelchairs can be quite expensive. The majority of low-income families need help to afford one. Therefore, it is important to have financial assistance in the form of van grants for disabled persons in wheelchairs, as this will reduce the cost of the van.
The United States and Canada have many charities and organizations that assist individuals needing mobility equipment like $3000 Senior Assistance Program. Despite the differences in the amount, each of these organizations recognizes the importance of every little bit.
You’ll find a variety of nonprofits, some of which are only open to specific groups of people based on their level of income or disability. If you do not see a program that meets your needs, don’t hesitate to contact your local BraunAbility dealer.
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What Are Federal Mobility Grants?
It is possible for a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) to improve your mobility. A wheelchair-accessible vehicle facilitates the access and use of wheelchairs by wheelchair users while traveling. A WAV conversion can be expensive since it is a specialist conversion. The WAV Grant Programme, created by Motability, helps overcome the costs of being a wheelchair user.
What Do Federal Mobility Grants offer?
The WAVs Grant Program currently assists in the following:
- Providing financial assistance for adaptions and dealer options associated with a WAV lease through the Motability Scheme.
- Whether you need mid-lease modifications if your mobility has decreased and you need additional assistance getting in and out of your Scheme WAV depends on your situation.
Ensure the WAV and any adaptations we fund are right for you by sharing information about your mobility needs with our Case Managers and Driving Advisors. Your Case Manager will carefully consider the information you provide. If you apply for financial assistance with an Advance Payment, your grant award letter will include a list of suitable vehicles or vehicle categories the charity is willing to fund.
The Driving Lessons Programme also offers familiarisation lessons, for example, when using driving adaptations for the first time.
Who can Apply for Grants for Wheelchair Vans?
A wheelchair-users WAV Grant Programme is currently focusing on funding for those who:
- They wish to join the Motability Scheme, but their vehicle and adaptations are beyond their means;
- The lease agreement on their current Motability Scheme vehicle is ending, and they need help to afford their next Scheme vehicle or adaptations.
We means-test all grant applications to support those in most need of financial assistance and to help as many beneficiaries as possible with the available charitable funds. A condition of your grant may be that you must contribute towards the vehicle based on your financial situation, including household income and savings.
If you have already ordered your vehicle, a grant cannot be awarded. The charity considers your situation when making a grant decision to ensure that the vehicle you need can be funded, not the one you want.
It is not possible to receive a grant if you have already ordered your vehicle. In order to fund a vehicle that you need rather than one you wish to own, a grant decision will be made based on your financial situation.
How to Apply for Grants for Wheelchair Vans?
- If you wish to apply for a grant through the WAV Grant Programme, please call Motability on 0800 500 3186 and keep your National Insurance number handy.
- A letter awarding Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance to children aged 3-15 contains their National Insurance number or reference number.
- After we discuss what you need, you will receive an application form (paper and digital versions are available). If you want to explore alternative options, please speak with one of our business partners first.
- Applications are being processed at an unprecedented rate due to unprecedented demand.
- The dedicated case manager will contact you after your application has been received to discuss your case. To help us, please provide all the information requested in the application, and only contact us if we have contacted you. Once you have received your grant decision, you cannot order a vehicle.
Government Grants for Wheelchair Vans
Here are some possible grant sources that you can use to fund your van:
Medicare
The majority of people believe Medicare is only for the elderly. Medicare also supports disabled people. Each state administers this great federal health program. We highly recommend becoming a Medicare member if you haven’t already done so. The Medicare grant money can be used to purchase a wheelchair-accessible ramp for the van. However, we haven’t heard reliable information saying Medicare can cover buying a van.
Grants for Disabled Veterans
The Veteran Administration can assist veterans who are disabled due to service-related causes and require wheelchairs. The VA offers grants of up to $8,000 for wheelchair-accessible vans. Adaptive equipment or repairing or modifying a current van are also examples of how this assistance can help the disabled veteran to be mobile.
Grants from the government
The states usually have an additional program besides Medicare that can assist disabled individuals with purchasing vans or doing wheelchair modifications. Some states delegate the administration of this grant to nonprofit organizations and foundations. The names of these programs may differ from state to state.
How to Raise Money for Wheelchair Vans?
The cost of a wheelchair-accessible van can also be reduced by auctioning off a portion of the van at a charity auction. To raise money for a wheelchair-accessible van, people can do the following:
- Campaigns on GoFundMe or Kickstarter: Digital fundraising campaigns on social media have proven to be an effective way for many people to raise money for a wheelchair-accessible van. Crowd-sourcing wheelchair van costs can be done through Go-Fund-Me and Kickstarter.
- Church Donations: Those who are part of a church community can use churches as a source of charity to reduce the cost of their wheelchair-accessible van. Most churches have procedures to assist the needy following a disaster or accident, so they usually provide a van if needed.
- A Disability Advocacy Group: If an individual lives in an area with disability advocacy groups, they might be able to obtain financial assistance for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. A disabled community often shares or passes these vehicles between owners to reduce costs.
You can easily make wheelchair-accessible vans more affordable by asking for help from others. People with disabilities and their families don’t have to shoulder these costs alone since resources are available in many areas to help.
FAQs
How Do You Get a Free Vehicle From the Government?
Government-free vehicles can be obtained by contacting a grants office in your area or applying online through the government’s official website, grants.gov.
Wheelchair Van Grants Offered Federally or Nationally for Handicap-Accessible Vehicles?
You can receive funding assistance for your mobility equipment needs from national organizations in the United States. Unlike state or local funding agencies, these agencies serve a diverse population. Some programs may even cover the cost of mobility equipment. Other national funding agencies offer smaller, income-based grants if your budget is just below the cost of acquiring your adaptive vehicle.
How to Get Free Vehicles for Disabled Veterans
You can get free vehicles for disabled veterans directly from your local grants office or by approaching Veterans Affairs, which helps disabled veterans with free vehicles.
Conclusion
It is necessary for many people with disabilities to have a wheelchair-accessible van to move around comfortably and even seek employment outside the home. Traveling or getting to local resources, such as groceries, is impossible for people with physical handicaps without one.
