Loss of income, medical bills, rehabilitation, and the costs of daily care leave many spinal cord injury survivors in dire financial straits. Many families resort to loans to cover gaps in their medical insurance or daily expenses, but loans can end up destroying a family's credit and costing thousands of dollars.
A grant, by contrast, doesn't need to be repaid. Available from private, government, and nonprofit organizations, grants offer support and funding for specific ends. For instance, some spinal cord injury grants cover the costs of returning to school, while others cover general living expenses or medical bills.
Thousands of spinal cord injury grants are available, and regularly scouring the Internet for new grants may help you find a program for which you are eligible.
Where to Find Grants
The following resources are excellent starting points for locating spinal cord injury grants:
- The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation provides updates on new financial assistance programs and also offers grants of its own.
- Grants.gov is a searchable tool for locating government-backed grants.
- The American Medical Association sponsors healthy living grant programs. These grants won't cover medical expenses but if you're interested in educating others about spinal cord injuries, services, or general health and wellness, such a grant could be ideal.
- Paralyzed Veterans of America provides a listing of scholarships and grants, as well as information about resources and tips on advocating for your needs.
- Help Hope Live compiles an annual Resource Directory to share information about organizations, programs, and foundations, including those who offer grants for spinal cord injury-related expenses.
Spinal Cord Injury Grants
Thousands of organizations offer grants, and the specific value and requirements associated with these grants is constantly changing, so check with the sponsoring organization before completing an application packet. Some of the most respected spinal cord injury grant programs include:
- Project Thirty Four: Offers grants to help pay for medical equipment and other expenses not covered by insurance.
- 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.
- Rise Again: Supports individuals with spinal cord injury or illness to believe and reach beyond expectations. Rise Again will also provide grants to professionals and organizations who focus on improving the quality of life of those affected by spinal cord injury or illness.
- Travis Roy Foundation: Offers grants for specific quality-of-life endeavors, such as installing an elevator or upgrading a wheelchair.
- 180 Medical Scholarship: Offers grants and scholarships to spinal cord injury survivors who wish to pursue higher education.
- Gridiron Heroes: Offers grants to athletes injured in football games.
- The Joseph Groh Foundation: Offers grants and other assistance to former participants in the HVAC industry.
- The Cindy Donald Dreams of Recovery Foundation: Offers grants to spinal cord and brain injury survivors to cover therapeutic services and medical equipment.
- Mike Utley Foundation: Offers a month of rehabilitation services at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, including personal training, nutritional consultations, biofeedback, physical therapy, and a one-month membership at the Brasza Fitness Center.
- Challenged Athletes Fund: Provides grants to support people with physical challenges these funds may be used for equipment such as prosthetics or adaptive sports equipment, travel or competition expenses, or coaching and training.
- Maloney Vision Institute: Provides grants to spinal cord injury victims whose injuries interfere with their ability to put on glasses or contacts.
- High Fives Foundation: Offers grants, resources, and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries. Raises injury prevention awareness to support outdoor sports athletes.
- AvaCare Medical: Offers a scholarship for those pursuing a college degree in the medical field such as therapy, nursing, medicine, nutrition, laboratory science, dentistry, health law, etc. All students eligible can apply but preference is given to students with a physical disability.
- Be Perfect Foundation: Provides financial and emotional aid for individuals living with paralysis. The Be Perfect Foundation offers resources, medical expenditure coverage, and hope all while encouraging personal independence.
- Victoria's Victory Foundation: Provides resources and supports individuals living with disabilities through inspiration, guidance, connections, and scholarships. Victoria's Victory Foundation allows those living with a disability to have access to what is needed to live a more independent life.
- The Chanda Plan: Providing integrative therapies through community providers, independent of participants' capacity to pay.
- Getting Back Up: Provides funds to qualified persons to participate in exercise-based recovery programs and purchase adaptable products. These programs and products have been shown to significantly enhance an injured person's physical and mental well-being.
- MW Fund: "Focus on the positive." 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.
Medical centers often maintain up-to-date lists of current grants, scholarships, and research programs.
For a more complete list of relevant spinal cord injury grants in your area, talk to your medical provider or click the button below to be connected with a lawyer who can help walk you through other legal opportunities.
