Grants to help pay for car and automobile repairs.
Low-income households and people not able to get to work until their car is fixed can often get help from a grant to pay for any repairs. There are government benefit programs as well as non-profits that provide funds. Grants can help pay for a wide range of auto repairs . Find details on where to get a grant to help fix your car or truck below, with links to phone numbers and contact information. Any funds can often pay for a wide range of auto repairs - including new tires, tune ups, transmissions, brakes, oil changes and other needed work. In some cases, emergency car repair programs are available as well from DHS or social services or a non-profit so that someone can keep their job.
Government grant programs that help repair a car
The federal government provides grants to local as well as state charities or DHS offices. All of the financial assistance is limited in scope and funding. When there is funding, a focus will be on assisting people who need transportation for work, school, or job training reasons. Some of the grant money is also focused on the most vulnerable, such as single moms, veterans, and people that need their car / truck fixed for medical reasons. TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families , combines state and federal grant funds. The money from the benefit (which can be called different names depending on your state), will help families in poverty or those with little or no money can get their car, truck, or SUV fixed for work reasons as part of a general transportation assistance program for struggling people. DHS or Human / Social Services in your area will process applications. Alabama . The Short-Term Employment Services program can provide limited emergency aid such as help with car repairs and transportation when needed for work. Alaska . ATAP supportive services specifically include help with transportation, including car repairs and driver’s license costs, to get or keep a job. Arizona . The TANF Jobs Program offers supportive and specialized services to remove employment barriers; details are in DES Jobs Program policy. Local implementation determines whether repairs are covered. Arkansas . Work Pays policy explicitly allows vehicle repair assistance as a supportive service for work activities. California . CalWORKs Diversion may pay for the specific need, including car repair with estimates, and counties run repair programs for participants (for example, Santa Clara’s Jump Start Auto Repair). Colorado . Colorado Works diversion payments can pay for car repairs or insurance when this helps the family stay employed; see state and county guidance. Connecticut . Jobs First Diversion and related policies allow car repairs as an employment expense; the state UPM and OLR explain the caps and rules. Delaware . TANF supportive-services rules include transportation assistance and automobile repairs to remove employment barriers. District of Columbia . DC TANF provides cash plus bundled supportive services; caseworkers can authorize employment-related help as needed. Florida . Up-Front Diversion is designed to meet an immediate employment need; statute and policy allow the one-time payment with follow-on transitional supports such as transportation. Georgia . TANF policy permits assistance with auto repair and maintenance when necessary for job search or accepting work; the state plan also lists diversion and supportive payments. Hawaii . TANF/TAONF provides cash assistance; the agency describes employment supports generally, but repair coverage is not explicitly listed in public guidance. Clients work with BESSD caseworkers on barriers to work. Idaho . TAFI is cash-only assistance; the department’s description does not list separate state repair benefits. Families would use the monthly grant or local resources. Illinois . TANF policy expressly covers auto repairs with dollar caps and lists allowable components to type of auto repairs paid by the grant; supportive-services guidance also names common repair items. Indiana . IMPACT policy treats vehicle repair as a supportive service category, with separate caps from other supports. Iowa . PROMISE JOBS is the TANF work program and funds support services tied to the Family Investment Agreement; specifics (including vehicle help) are handled through HHS and IWD guidance. Kansas . KEESM policy includes detailed “Guidelines for Vehicle Repair” under TANF work supportive services. Kentucky . Kentucky Works Program supportive services may cover car repairs; state guidance and training materials spell out the process and limits. Louisiana . FITAP provides cash assistance while promoting job preparation; the agency does not publicly list a statewide repair benefit, so families typically use FITAP or local EA to address work barriers. Maine . TANF’s ASPIRE supports and Alternative Aid Assistance can pay for car repairs when needed to get or keep a job. Maryland . TCA includes supportive services; Maryland also partners on a Transportation Assistance Program that provides vehicles for TCA families to maintain employment. Massachusetts . TAFDC Pathways to Work offers transportation support, including a monthly stipend; repairs are not publicly listed statewide, so caseworkers address barriers using available supports. Michigan . Direct Support Services policy explicitly includes vehicle repair with annual caps, coordinated with PATH. Minnesota . MFIP employment-services support funds are administered locally and commonly include auto repair assistance when needed for work; county policies document caps and procedures. Mississippi . TANF policy provides supportive-service payments for participants and transitional cases; the public manual doesn’t enumerate repairs, but counties may pay vendors for needed services. Missouri . Temporary Assistance and the MWA program provide employment and training supports; vehicle assistance is handled locally under TA assistance and MWA services. Montana . TANF Emergency Assistance can pay the cost of necessary vehicle repairs essential to retain employment; supportive services exist under Pathways and tribal programs. Nebraska . Employment First supportive services include transportation help such as auto repairs; transitional supportive services may continue after case closure. Nevada . TANF-NEON provides supportive services such as transportation; the TANF state plan governs details and counties administer assistance.
New Hampshire
. NHEP reimburses automobile repairs up to a stated annual cap for active participants.
New Jersey
. Work First New Jersey provides cash and supportive services; Emergency Assistance is used to meet emergent needs so recipients can comply with work requirements. Local CWAs may fund vehicle needs.
New Mexico
. Diversion payments can include transportation and car repairs when resolving a work barrier; the TANF state plan outlines supportive services.
New York
. State TANF guidance allows supportive-service payments, including vehicle repairs, to enable participation in assigned activities or employment.
North Carolina
. Work First policy authorizes payment for car repairs and related transportation essentials if required for work or job search.
North Dakota
. JOBS support-services policy permits essential vehicle repairs needed to keep a participant’s car operable; routine maintenance is excluded. Ohio . County-run PRC programs routinely cover employment-related vehicle repairs and similar costs; check your county PRC plan. Oklahoma . TANF policy lists vehicle repair as an allowable work supportive service up to a defined cap. Oregon . TANF JOBS Support Services guidance includes a vehicle-repair payment type, with a statewide issuance limit. Pennsylvania . DHS guidance and county PRC policies authorize help with vehicle repairs as an employment barrier removal.
Rhode Island
. State workforce and assistance materials indicate supportive government grant money and related financial resources will pay for car repairs when needed to obtain or keep employment; administered locally.
South Carolina
. TANF provides cash plus support services such as transportation while working or in training; repair eligibility is handled at case level.
South Dakota
. TANF policy allows assistance with minor auto repairs and related vehicle costs for participants. Tennessee . Families First diversion and supportive-service policies allow one-time payments for work barriers, including car repairs up to stated limits. Texas . Choices program policy directs local boards to set caps for support types including vehicle repair; Texas also runs a separate low-income vehicle repair/replacement program under state law. Utah . The Family Employment Program provides cash and case-managed employment supports; Utah also operates an emissions-related Vehicle Repair and Replacement Assistance Program for qualifying residents Vermont . Reach Up support-services procedures address transportation, including paying for car repairs connected to vehicles awarded through state-partner programs. Virginia . The VIEW program provides employment and training with supportive services including grants; practice materials indicate vehicle repairs may be approved when public transit is unavailable. Washington . Diversion Cash Assistance can be used to meet an immediate work need; the state explicitly positions it for short-term employment-related expenses.
West Virginia
. TANF guidance includes examples where Job Retention support pays for needed car repairs to keep employment. Wisconsin . W-2’s Job Access Loans can pay for employment-related needs including car repairs; check current funding status and local provider caps. Wyoming . POWER program materials list transportation and vehicle repair among allowable support services coordinated by the case manager. In general, TANF cash assistance programs from the government will pay for some form of auto repairs. However the grant money is only authorized as long as the repair is required for essential transportation (e.g., getting to work). However, while state rules vary,, you must provide proof, such as an invoice or estimate from a repair garage. Find more information and links to TANF benefits by state here , including contact information. Other government grant money (by state) may be offered. Social services, including DHS, may funds, vouchers or some form of emergency car repairs. Many government agencies provides this form of assistance so that families in poverty or those with little or no money can get their car, truck, or SUV fixed for work reasons. These would be above and beyond any TANF benefits and find a public aid office near you .
Non-profits that have grants to help fix a car
Community action agencies combine federal funds and their own money to help struggling people, including with repairs to an auto. The non-profits provide free money to help low-income families, veterans and people in poverty overcome their financial challenges - and a working car or truck is often course needed. In addition to grant money, referrals are offered too by a local CAA (community action agency). As a case manager from a community action agency may be able to tell you about other car repair or transportation assistance programs in your town or state. As there may also be grants provided from time to time by a local church, Catholic Charities, local Salvation Army center, or other not-for-profit organization. Or their own community action grant funding is offered. As community action money will help to pay for repairs, within a certain dollar amount. Or CAA may provide money for critical maintenance, such as new tires or a needed tune up. The grants are focused on to low income people that need transportation for work. Learn more on community action agency resources . Grants can fix a car or pay for other transportation costs . The bottom line is that anything have to do with transportation, such as repairs, maintenance, may be able to be addressed from vouchers or grants. As an example, many places, whether CAA or a charity, will even offer a free tank of gas and learn how to get a free gas voucher . There may also be low cost or interest free loans available to pay for car repairs. Some of these are offered in partnership with local or state government. Non-profits, such as a local credit union, may be able to offer funds to pay for emergency repair bills so that the individual can get to their job. Some local banks may also lend out money to low income households pay for a variety of transportation costs, such as critical maintenance work. Locate additional information on loans for low income families . This government program, whether TANF or something similar, have very limited funding. In addition, only a small number of non-profits may have grant money to provide to low income individuals to fix their work vehicle. Another place to call to see if it is offered in your local town or city is the United Way hotline at 211. Not only may they have information on government or non-profit grants in your area, but they also may have other suggestions to families that need their car fixed.