Do You Have to Pay Grants Back? Sometimes, YES!

[@rainbow_warrioress]

If someone who is on food stamps and ssi wins a grant for a startup business will they be disqualified for their benefits? The grant money would be needed to use for business purchases only so that doesn't seem fair but would they consider that a source of income? I've tried looking this up and can't find anything on it. I know someone who would like to start a business to get out of poverty and off food stamps but a business can take a long time to start making enough income. They would still need to rely on government assistance until the business generates income. Do you know how this could work?

[@grantchatter]

@rainbow1111warrior Excellent question. When I googled it, there were many others asking the same. Up front, let me say that I do not have SSI expertise, but I did find an article that describes SSI's PASS program (Plan to Achieve Self Support). Beyond that, I would recommend speaking to an SSI navigator. Here's the article, and all the best for your friend's success! www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-work-ussi.htm

[@rainbow_warrioress]

@@grantchatter thank you for the link and your reply. It's impossible to speak anyone from ssi without the teleprompt forcing you to give them you social security number so they can connect you to a human. Then if I ask questions they will link it to my account and it will raise red flags if I start asking questions. I don't want to have to go through the interview process again or them mess up my benefits. The process getting the benefits was pretty brutal. Social security has no heart.

[@rainbow_warrioress]

It's the same for food stamps. It's hard to get in touch with humans to ask questions without having to give them your information and then they start asking you questions risking them taking your benefits.

[@rainbow_warrioress]

@@grantchatter if they know you're trying to do anything to better yourself it raises red flags. I've seen this happen to other people. That's why people get stuck on food stamps and disability and people think you're lazy but you get trapped between a rock and a hard place unless you have family to support you during the transition

[@grantchatter]

@@rainbow_warrioress I wish I had a better answer. I have heard similar stories to yours. So sorry you’re having these problems.