Disabled Veterans Grants and Loans

There are multiple disabled veterans grant and loan funding sources for veterans with a disability to help pay for a handicap accessible minivan. Public government programs as well as private companies offer disabled Veterans free money with grants or loans at great rates.

Please Note: For answers to specific grant and loan questions, contact the individual providers. AMS Vans provides the Wheelchair Van Grant Directory as a complimentary service to assist as many people as we can, but we do not have more specific grant information than what is described here. Please contact the individual handicap van grant providers for complete assistance. To learn more about how to apply for wheelchair van grant funding to buy a handicap van or convert a pre-owned minivan, view "How to Apply for a Grant for Wheelchair Vans, Mobility Equipment, or Minivan Conversions."

Disabled Veterans Grants:

Grants are provided to disabled American Veterans and do not need to be paid back. Most often government programs grant funding assistance through the Veterans Association directly.

Disabled Veterans Grants through the Veterans Association

http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/benefits/factsheets/#BM2

Get help with a disabled veterans grant toward the sale price or conversion of a handicap accessible minivan. This grant is available for disabled veterans with service-related disabilities including:

• loss, or permanent loss of use, of one or both feet
• loss, or permanent loss of use, of one or both hands
• permanent loss or impairment of vision in both eyes
• ankylosis (immobility) of one or both knees, or one or both hips

There is a one-time Disabled Veterans Grant payment by the Veterans Association, toward the purchase of a wheelchair accessible vehicle and/or adaptive equipment. The Veterans Association will pay for adaptive equipment, for repair, replacement, or reinstallation required because of disability, and for the safe operation of a vehicle purchased with the Veterans Association assistance.

Effective October 1, 2011, the amount of money granted to service connected veterans under the one-time VA Auto Grant Program increased from $11,000 to $18,900. The amount that the Veteran receives will depend on the date that the sale was executed and submitted for reimbursement. Not when the 4502 Application was approved.

This means that if a Veteran was approved for the Auto Grant Program Prior to October 1, 2011, but the sale/purchase of the vehicle is executed (date of sale) after October 1, the Veteran is eligible for the $18,900. If the sale was executed prior to October 1, 2011 the Veteran will only receive $11,000 regardless of when the paperwork is submitted. This means that a sale executed in September, and not submitted for reimbursement until after October 1, would only get the $11,000 grant.

To clarify this another way, if the Veteran was approved for an Auto Grant prior to October 1, 2011 and enters into negotiation with a mobility dealer, orders a vehicle, and/or places a deposit on a vehicle, the Veteran would be eligible for the $18,900 as long as the date of sale and submission to the VA for reimbursement is after October 1, 2011.

Disabled Veterans who wish to convert an existing vehicle may also qualify for an Adaptive Equipment Grant. Adaptive equipment includes, but is not limited to, power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, and special equipment necessary to assist the eligible person into and out of the vehicle. Contact should be made with your local VA medical center's Prosthetic Department prior to purchasing any equipment.

The adaptive equipment grant may be paid more than once, and it may be paid to either the seller or the veteran.

Disabled Veterans Loan Program:

Loans for disabled veterans are available by seeking funds through other outlets. It is advised that you search for veterans loan programs by seeking out loans available for your specific disability.

You can also find loans to help pay for adapted vehicles by searching for money based on your disability instead of purely focusing on veterans benefits. Search through our Wheelchair Van Loans for the Disabled section to find other loans that apply to you.

We are always seeking to expand funding opportunities for the disabled to help pay for a handicap accessible minivan. If you know of other disability grant and loan programs for disabled veterans, please let us know.