Disability Grants

Living with a disability can make common life tasks difficult.  Luckily, the government and other organizations recognize the unique challenges that face disabled Americans.  If you are disabled and are seeking funding for personal or business use, be sure to consider applying for a grant.  Grants are an excellent funding option because most grants never need to be repaid and do not carry any interest.

The best place to search for disability grants is online.  Your first point of research should be the government, which offers millions of dollars in disability grants each year.  Take a look at www.grants.gov for a listing of grants that are currently offered.  Search for disability grants, and be sure to do a specific search for your particular type of disability.  Also search for the particular type of funding that you are seeking, such as housing assistance, educational scholarships or business funding.

A second resource is nonprofits that pertain to your disability.  Look at the websites of organizations that serve your disability and see if they offer any sort of grant program.  For example, the American Foundation for the Blind and the Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship Foundation both offer many scholarship grants.

Be wary of any website or organization that asks you to pay money in order to receive a grant.  These companies are all scams.  You do not need to pay any money in order to access grant information or to receive a grant.  These websites will often ask you to pay a subscription fee in order to access a database of grant listings or in order to apply for a grant.  Sometimes they will try to sell a book or pamphlet which they claim will provide you the secrets of securing a disability grant.  Don’t fall for these scams; you do not need anything more than your computer in order to receive a disability grant.

Once you have identified grant opportunities, you will need to complete the necessary applications.  In addition to personal information, most disability grants will ask for proof of your disability.  This proof usually comes in the form of documentation from your doctor.  Be sure to have the necessary proof ready or easily attainable so that you do not slow down the application process.
Although it takes a bit of research to find grant programs, there are excellent grant opportunities for the disabled.  Be sure to take advantage of grants in order to meet your funding needs.