The Steelman Family Foundation’s mission is to assist a family when trying to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Owning and maintaining a reliable vehicle that accommodates any family is a personal choice and varies depending on individual circumstances. Our purpose is to serve families who are unable to purchase a car due to more involved special needs. The following policies guide the grant process for Steelman Family Foundation:
A family’s eligibility to receive a grant is based on the honor system. We do not ask families for verification of medical status or availability of discretionary income. We do not grant funds based on income. However, the goal is to help families help themselves. The severity of each applicant’s needs, ability to maintain the vehicle, and willingness to promote our foundation and pay it forward are all taken into consideration. Each family must contribute a percentage of the cost of the vehicle individually. Each application is reviewed and considered by our committee. Financial status is taken into consideration for this purpose.
Due to limited funds and high demand, SFF is not able to serve everyone who applies. Our priority is to help families who are in the greatest need. To achieve our goal, the following priorities will apply:
1. Families with children ages 3-18. Children who have outgrown standard car seat requirements will take priority.
Though the vehicle is serving the wheelchair user, we do understand that the entire family benefits. We do require that the child be completely non-ambulatory and not able to transfer into the car seating. We require that the child has to be transported in a wheelchair thus the need for an accessible vehicle.
A portion of active Military families who apply and qualify will take precedence. The priority of acceptance, in general, will be based on the application date (i.e., a family not accepted two years in a row takes priority over a family who has just recently applied).
2. We do not often help finance new vehicles. We do not offer grants to families who have the funds themselves or with the help of friends and family can purchase a car on their own. We do not “top off” a fundraising effort to purchase vehicles costing $65,000 or more.
3. The application window will open and close on specific dates each year. Late applications will be reviewed for the following year. The process of granting and assigning families to vehicles
( based on priorities defined above) will not begin until after the application window has closed.
4. Applications must be submitted online, and you must include pictures. You must agree to the use of your photos and your names to help raise awareness of the campaign and to promote the foundation.
GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR 2018 ARE CLOSED. WE ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2019 BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Sincerely,
Rene’ Steelman
President
The Steelman Family Foundation
www.steelmanfamilyfoundation.org
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