If you have suffered a serious injury or accident you may need information on spinal cord injury grants and loan programs. A spinal cord injury can happen to anyone, with road traffic accidents one of the main causes. A broken neck or back may damage the bones of the spine surrounding the spinal cord leading to paralysis.

When you or a relative have a spinal cord injury there are going to be major changes to your life. Transportation will be a major concern, and you will need a properly equipped vehicle. Wheelchair vans are one option worth considering. These are modified vans with special ramps fitted to allow easy access for a wheelchair with either side or rear entry. Unfortunately, they do not come cheap and any grants or loans you can get will help towards the cost.

Spinal Cord Opportunities for Rehabilitation Endowment – http://www.scorefund.org/

SCORE, or the Spinal Cord Opportunities for Rehabilitation Endowment, is an organization that helps rehabilitate individuals with a spinal cord injury and funds research into the condition. It is a non-profit organization and specifically helps young people who have suffered while participating in sports activities. They can assist with the expenses of medical bills and transportation.

Travis Roy Foundation – http://www.travisroyfoundation.org/

This foundation was founded in 1997 to help those with spinal cord injuries and to fund research into finding a cure. Some of the money raised goes towards individual grants for specialized equipment adapted for someone with paraplegia. The foundation has given over half a million dollar to scientists and researchers in their attempts to find a cure. Travis Roy, who set up the foundation, suffered a spinal cord injury that cut short a promising ice hockey career, but his struggle to overcome his handicap has inspired millions.

The Kevin Kitchnefsky Foundation for Spinal Cord Research – http://www.helpkevinwalk.org/FoundationGrants.html

This foundation also splits its income between grants for research and individuals who have suffered a spinal cord injury. Around 30% is set aside to help people with equipment and other costs due to their injuries. These individual grants are only for residents of Pennsylvania. The foundation is committed in its efforts to find a cure for paralysis through research into the condition.

Mobility Vehicle and Access Loans Menu – https://www.dcu.org/loans_visa/mobility_menu.html

Digital Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution. They provide mobility vehicle loans for their members, which costs only $15 per year. These loans can be from $5,000 to $100,000 payable over the course of 10 years. They can be put towards lift-equipped vans or other special modifications to a vehicle. Only people in Georgia, Massachusetts, Colorado and New Hampshire are eligible to join this union and therefore apply for a loan.

The NTAF Emergency Grant Program – http://www.ntafund.org/

The National Transplant Assistance Fund and Catastrophic Injury organization provides help to families who face an unexpected need for financial help. This could be due to issues relating to a transplant or for those who have suffered a severe injury, which covers spinal cord injuries. They offer grants to individuals towards adaptive equipment, such as modified vehicles, and help co-ordinate fundraising efforts in the local community to cover uninsured expenses caused by the injury.

These spinal cord injury grants and loans programs are all worth investigation to see if you can qualify for some help. All of them offer either individual loans or grants that can be put towards major expenses such as adapted vehicles. If you or your family needs help due to an injury then consider these programs carefully.