KATS Network

Private Sources of Funding

Overview:

You have exhausted public sources of funding and your appeals have been rejected. You do not have private insurance or the insurance that you do have will not cover the assistive technology you need. Your next step should be to make a search of private charitable organizations and foundations that may be able to assist you. There are a variety of such sources in the state, but they have restrictions on what they will provide, have widely varying eligibility requirements, and the resources available to them are limited. It is impossible to generalize concerning them. Each must be approached individually and you may have to contact many to decide which, if any, will best be able to help you. Many such organizations, like the Lions Club, have no central state offices, but must be contacted at the local chapter. These local chapters differ greatly in the resources available to them and thus in the amount of gifts they can provide. Assistive technology for people with disabilities may be only one of many things that an organization will fund. As a result, depending upon the organization, you may be competing for limited dollars with people asking for scholarships, for emergency financial help, for special trips for chronic or terminally ill children.

Eligibility Requirements:

The eligibility requirements will differ from organization to organization. Some groups limit their giving to specific disabling conditions such as the Lions Club (blindness), the Muscular Dystrophy Association (muscular dystrophy and other degenerative muscular disorders), and the Dream Factory (children with critical illnesses). Some groups will concentrate their resources on a particular age group (such as the Dream Factory with children). Some may accept applications concerning assistive technology for persons with disabilities, but give priority to other areas such as education. Many groups will have financial need requirements and many may limit their giving to specific geographical areas. Even if a person meets all eligibility requirements, there is certainly no guarantee of having a request accepted for funding. Resources are always limited and because there are many people competing for the same dollars, requests are decided on an individual basis. What is funded for one person may not be funded for the next. You will have to check with each source on their particular eligibility requirements.

AT Services Provided/Covered:

Varies from program to program

AT Devices Provided/Covered:

Varies from program to program

Application Process:

Again, this will vary greatly from organization to organization. You will have to check with each one individually on how to apply. Many will require documentation in support of your request and you will almost certainly be interviewed eventually, either by an individual or a committee of some kind. The next several pages contain contact information on some charitable organizations and foundations that may provide funding for assistive technology. This list is not intended to be exclusive. There may be other sources available in your community that is not included.

Additional Information:

The next several pages will provide a general overview of the various private sources of funding for assistive technology.

Bridges & Potholes:

Bridges

If a charitable organization provides you with a device, it will be your property.
Because they are private organizations that make their own rules of giving and because each case is handled individually, there can be a great deal of flexibility on what can be funded. A device may be considered that could not be considered by a state agency.

Potholes

Private groups have limited resources and a valid request may be denied.
No private group restricts its giving to assistive technology. They all have other priorities for funding that may take precedence over assistive technology. Your request may be put at the end of the line.
Because there are so many private givers and because there eligibility requirements and availability of resources very greatly, pursuing this source of funding can entail a great deal of work. There is a definite possibility that a large investment of time and effort may not be rewarded with funding for a device.
Some groups, such as the Lions Club, give at the local level but resources differ greatly from one local chapter to another.

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“Disability Solutions through Technology”

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