Grants and Financial Assistance

Government assistance

Directory of grants for single mothers

Disability Benefits 101 - Many people with disabilities fear that if they go to work, they'll lose needed health care and other disability benefits. DB101 helps people with disabilities and service providers understand the connections between work and benefits. DB101 will help you make informed choices and show you how you can make work part of your plan.

The FreedomTech Financial Loan Program provides low-interest financial loans for Californians with disabilities and their families to purchase needed assistive technology (AT) when other funding sources are not available. Applicants can request loans from $500 to $15,000. The program was established with funding from the Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration.

WID (World Institute on Disability) and CETF (California Emerging Technology Fund) help provide internet access to people with disabilites throughout California.

The Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool helps you find out if you could get benefits that Social Security administers. Based on your answers to questions, this tool will list benefits for which you might be eligible and tell you more information about how to qualify and apply.

The 250% Working Disabled Program (250% WDP) allows certain working disabled individuals to become eligible for Medi-Cal by paying low monthly premiums based on net countable income. Program enrollment is done at the local county welfare department.

Grant Opportunities

Useful Financial Assistance Websites

Grants.gov is a searchable tool for locating government-backed grants

Go Fund Me is an online for profit company providing online fund raising resources

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation provides updates on new financial assistance programs and also offers grants of its own.

Grants for General SCI Support

Walking With Anthony offers grants for therapies, equipment, caregiver services and various expenses related to recovery from a spinal cord injury. It was founded by Anthony Purcell, a C5-6 quadriplegic and his mother, Micki.

Spinal Cord Opportunities for Rehabilitation Endowment (SCORE) offers grants to alleviate spinal cord injury-related financial hurdles, with preference given to young people injured during athletic pursuits.

Perseverance Project A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, aims to offer financial aid to individuals dealing with spinal cord injuries, movement disorders, and neurological conditions.

Triumph Foundation:

The “Keep Moving Forward Grant”: The Keep Moving Forward (KMF) Grant by Triumph is designed to empower individuals with spinal cord injuries facing financial challenges, aiming to enhance their quality of life and overcome obstacles.
Employment Achievement Award: Grant program designed to offer financial support to individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) aiming to reenter the workforce, enhance success with their current employer, obtain licenses, acquire essential products or equipment for starting a business, and overall, elevate workplace achievements.

Grants for Sports Equipment

The Kelly Brush Foundation supports and encourages spinal cord injury survivors to lead full, physically active lives. The organization has provided grants to buy adaptive sports equipment, such as mono skis, handcycles and sports chairs for people with spinal cord injuries in 47 states.

Gridiron Heroes Spinal Cord Injury Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides short- and long-term assistance to individuals who sustained traumatic spinal cord injuries relating to high school football.

Swim With Mike provides financial resources for the advanced education of physically challenged athletes to overcome their tragedies and realize their full potential. What started in 1981 as a one-year fundraiser for Mike Nyeholt -- a three-time All-American swimmer, who was paralyzed from the chest down following a motorcycle accident -- has turned into an annual fundraiser supporting physically challenged athletes around the country. Now almost forty years later, Swim With Mike has raised over $20 million in scholarships to help recipients overcome their tragedies and realize their dreams.

The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) provides opportunities and support to people with physical challenges, so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. Their mission is to serve people with physical disabilities through sport and fitness with meaningful grants. The grants they award are for travel & competition expenses, coaching & training expenses, and adaptive sports equipment.

High Fives Foundation offers grants, resources, and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries. Raises injury prevention awareness to support outdoor sports athletes.

Go Hawk Eye Foundation The grant program extends its eligibility to adaptive individuals and organizations across the United States, offering grants for both adaptive sports equipment and adaptive sports experiences. The grant cycle follows a biannual schedule, concluding on May 1 and November 1.

Score Fund Non-profit organization dedicated to offering small financial grants to individuals who have become paralyzed during their engagement in sports or recreational pursuits.

Grants for Medical and Rehab Support

Help Hope Live is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, whose mission is to support community-based fundraising for people with unmet medical and related expenses due to cell and organ transplants or catastrophic injuries and illnesses

The Be Perfect Paralysis Awareness Foundation provides scholarships to individuals living with paralysis and varying neurological disorders for their medical base needs. These needs include medical supplies, wheelchairs, smaller-scale home/car adaptations, and participation in activity-based therapy program

Victoria’s Victory Foundation is a non-profit organization that offers assistance in the form of scholarships to provide wheelchairs, mobility equipment, home & vehicle adaptations, personal nursing care hours, medical supplies, and training & recovery sessions when able.

The Chanda Plan provides integrative therapies through community providers, independent of participants' capacity to pay.

MW Fund provides financial aid for specialized spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation that is not covered by insurance. They also help aid and promote SCI recovery research efforts.

Project 34: Offers grants to help pay for medical equipment and other expenses not covered by insurance.

Falling Forward Foundation Extends support to patients navigating catastrophic medical issues, providing funding for ongoing rehabilitation.

The Ian Burkhart Foundation supports individuals in finding accessible funding sources and offers grants for items typically not covered by insurance, yet crucial for enhancing independence and quality of life. Grant approvals are determined by the board, and eligible items range from wheelchairs and exercise equipment to vehicle modifications, home adjustments, and adaptive tools. Applicants are encouraged to articulate how the grant will positively impact their quality of life.

Grants for Further Education

180 Medical Scholarship offers grants and scholarships to spinal cord injury survivors who wish to pursue higher education.

Neilsen Scholarship Fund The Neilsen Scholarship Program (NSP) offers scholarships at designated colleges, universities, and community colleges. Its goal is to establish and sustain educational opportunities for students dealing with spinal cord injuries, enabling them to pursue higher education and live fulfilling lives both within and beyond academic settings. In order to diminish socioeconomic obstacles to achievement, these scholarships encompass tuition and fees for undergraduate or graduate studies, accompanied by additional financial assistance for eligible students.

Grants for Vehicles

National Organization for Vehicle Accessibility “Ralph Braun Grant Program”: Dedicated to offering financial aid to individuals with disabilities in the United States and Canada who require vehicle modifications. Committed to the belief that accessible transportation is a fundamental right, NOVA strives to fulfill its mission by providing assistance through education, information, and facilitating the acquisition of necessary products. Applications are open year-round, and grants are awarded quarterly, ensuring a consistent and accessible support system for those with mobility needs.

Grants for Children

Wheelchairs 4 Kids The flagship program, “Let's Roll”, is a dedicated initiative improving the lives of children with physical disabilities. It offers complimentary wheelchairs, home and vehicle modifications, and therapeutic equipment to kids facing limited mobility due to illness, accidents, or abuse. All services are provided at no cost to the wheel kid families, embodying the organization's commitment to enabling children to fully participate in life. Let's Roll equips them with essential tools for a more inclusive and empowered future.

Oracle Health Pediatric Grants: Grants provide coverage for healthcare expenses of children aged 18 and under. This includes clinical, equipment, travel, lodging, and vehicle modification costs related to children's healthcare needs. The grants cover travel and lodging within North America, clinical and equipment expenses like procedures, therapy, wheelchairs, and hearing aids. Vehicle modifications such as lifts and ramps are included, excluding funding for accessible vehicles.

United Health Children’s Foundation: 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides medical grants to help children gain access to health-related services not covered, or not fully covered, by their family’s commercial health insurance plan. Families can receive up to $5,000 annually per child ($10,000 lifetime maximum per child) and do not have insurance through United Health.

Grants for Caregivers

180 Medical Ron Howell Caregiver Scholarship: The scholarship is dedicated to caregivers supporting loved ones with disabilities like spinal cord injuries.

Specialized Grants

The Joseph Groh Foundation offers grants and other assistance to former participants in the HVAC industry.

Demonstrating Independence Program Aims to empower individuals by offering quarterly support through cutting-edge technologies. Recipients of this grant will have the opportunity to enhance their independence through innovations such as voice-controlled lighting, television, or solutions for individuals with limited arm mobility to operate their cell phones.