Programs and Services

Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund

Karen Diedrich of Monroe, MI received a loan for a Merlin with a 20-inch monitor. She has a visual impairment. The Merlin machine magnifies both color and black and white images from 4x to 72x their original size. Without the Merlin, Karen couldn’t do small things to occupy her time, and because she can’t watch TV, her life was very limited. Now, she uses the Merlin to read recipe cards, look at photos – and to read the baseball radio schedule in the paper each day. She finds out when her favorite teams are playing and listens to the games for entertainment. Ms. Diedrich is also an avid coin collector. Before, she couldn’t see coins she collected closely enough to evaluate them; now she uses the monitor and can tell quickly whether a coin is valuable. She loves her new device and finds it to be more helpful than she ever imagined.

View AT Loan Fund Success Stories!

Many people with disabilities and seniors cannot afford to purchase assistive technology and traditional bank loans have generally not been available for such purposes. The Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund (MATLF) supports the purchase of needed technology through low interest rates and loan guarantees. The program does not provide grants. It provides loans, which must be paid back. The program is a unique partnership of United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan and Option 1 Credit Union in Lansing.

Who is eligible to apply?
Michigan residents with disabilities, seniors, and their family members or guardians.

What can I purchase with a loan through this program?
Allowable equipment includes but is not limited to, hearing aids, wheelchairs, motorized scooters, voice simulation systems, Braille equipment, telecommunications equipment, augmentative communication systems, environmental control units, computers, adapted recreational equipment, accessible home modifications, and modified vehicles. Training to use the equipment can also be included with the loan.

Where can I find the equipment I need?
You may buy equipment from a dealer or from a private seller; it is your choice. View a list of assistive technology vendors that loan fund borrowers have used.

How much can I borrow?
There is no minimum amount. At this time the maximum is $30,000. Your ability to repay the amount requested will determine the approval of you loan.

What makes this Loan Fund special? Why not go to my regular bank?
The amount of money people need to borrow for AT is often less than the minimum amount a bank will loan, and often AT is not a "collateral" item that has an established resale value. This is a lower-interest option than the unsecured loans or credit card purchases that people frequently resort to. A grant held by UCP Michigan underwrites these loans.

What is the interest rate on these loans?
Interests rates are determined by Option 1 Credit Union and are subject to change. Please contact UCP Michigan for current rates. Once your loan is granted, the interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan.

How much time will I have to pay off the loan?
Repayment terms are based on the expected useful life of the assistive technology device. The maximum loan term is seven years.

View the MATLF Fact Sheet - Adapting Motor Vehicles for People with Disabilities.

For more information about Michigan Assistive Technology Loan Fund, please contact UCP at (800) 828-2714 or send an e-mail.

http://www.michiganloanfunds.org
Updated: 09/17/2009