WorkABILITY LOAN PROGRAM

*Interest Rates Now As Low As 3.0%*

Home-based and business loans for people with disabilities. 

The WorkABILITY Loan Program, operated by the Assistive Technology Loan Program ATLP of the Maryland Department of Disabilities, helps Maryland residents with disabilities qualify for low-interest loans to buy equipment to support employment from home or other designated sites away from the office, such as work on the road. The WorkABILITY Loan Program can be utilized by entrepreneurs with new or established businesses.  

Who Can Apply?

Anyone who intends to use the loan to buy equipment for a Maryland resident with a disability to enable him or her to establish home-based work or start a small business. By increasing opportunities to home-based work and self-employment, current barriers to employment such as inadequate transportation, fatigue, inaccessible work environments, and the need for personal assistance are reduced and eliminated. 
 

Will Everyone Be Able To Get A Loan?

No. You must have a good likelihood of repaying a loan. The program will look at your income, debt, credit history, etc. Some applicants will be denied.  But the program's criteria -much less stringent than banks use- will enable many people to get loans whom banks would turn down.
 

How Much Can I Borrow?

From $500 to $50,000.
* Unsecured loans available up to $7,500. Other restrictions may also apply. 

What Is The Interest Rate?

All loans have below-market interest rates. Most loans have rates below prime.

What Types Of Equipment Can Loans Be Used To Buy?

• Computers, printers, and related peripherals
• Software
• Fax machines, scanners
• Office machines (e.g. fax machines, scanners, calculators)
• Telecommunications devices
• Telecommunication system installation charges (i.e. DSL)
• Office furniture
• Home and/or home office modifications for accessibility
• Assistive technology (a device or item that enables an individual with a disability to live and work more independently or productively with an improved quality of life)

What Are The Application Criteria?

An individual must have either a promise of employment or must be participating in any training program whose goal upon successful completion leads to employment.  An applicant starting a small business must have a business plan reviewed by a business development organization or have an already established business.  All employment-related equipment purchased through the WorkABILITY Loan Program must belong to the individual with the disability. 

Contact The Program To Get An Application:
WorkABILITY
Maryland Technology Assistance Program
2301 Argonne Drive, Rm T-17
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
410-554-9233 (Voice)
1-800-832-4827 (Voice-toll free)
1-866-881-7488 (TTY-toll-free)
410-554-9237 (Fax)
MDTAP Website

Additional Resources:

RISE Program - The RISE Program (Reach Independence Through Self-Employment) is an initiative of the Maryland State Department of Education's Division of Rehabilitation Services.  The program's mission is to present self-employment as a vocational option to individuals with significant disabilities who are eligible to receive DORS services. RISE Program staff works with individuals and their families, DORS and community rehabilitation professionals, and the business community to facilitate and encourage the successful launch and operation of consumer-owned enterprises.  Click here for more information on the RISE Program.

Start-Up USA - Start-up USA (http://www.start-up-usa.biz/training/index.cfm) provides technical assistance, online courses, webinars, and training sessions on entrepreneurship for people with disabilities.

Employment Agencies/Telework Companies - A list of employment agencies and telework companies.

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