REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Submission Deadline: April 21, 2025

Background. We believe that autistic individuals and the people who surround them (relatives, educators, health care providers) have the potential to innovate practical solutions that promote the quality of life of autistic individuals. The Organization for Autism Research (OAR)—in collaboration with the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) — seeks applications for the 2025 of autistic individuals. These resources may enhance autistic individuals’ health and quality of life directly or indirectly (i.e. by providing guidance to family members, educators, or other providers). Beginning this year, OAR/AIR-P will award grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 for up to seven (7) related projects. The projects may last up to one year. The following are examples of projects that will be funded through this Request for Application (RFA). All projects must be publicly accessible and intended for non-commercial informational and educational purposes. Projects may include, but are not limited to, the creation of:

• Guides and/or manuals;
• Educational curricula;
• Books (children’s, instructional);
• Practical toolkits; or
• Innovative multi-media tools.

Objective. Projects will promote the physical and mental health and overall quality of life of autistic individuals across the lifespan. Specifically, all funded projects will lead to the production and dissemination of a practical tool; all funded projects will have the potential to impact community practices or public policy and aim to enhance the quality of life for autistic individuals. Practical tools that are available in languages other than English are welcomed.

Priority Topics. Projects must address at least one of the following project priorities:

• Physical Health
  • Primary Care Services and Quality;
  • Community-Based Lifestyle Activities;
  • Mental Health Services or Supports;
  • Health Systems and Services; and
  • Gender, Sexuality, and Reproductive Health.
• Adult Services and Supports
  • Transition Planning;
  • Employment and Higher Education;
  • Housing and Residential Supports;
  • Financial and Estate Planning; and
  • Adult Sibling Support

Eligibility. Eligible applicants include community stakeholders, such as:  

Parents/family membersAutistic individualsCommunity organizations (e.g., K-12 public schools, parent groups, 501(c)(3) non-profits, etc.)

University/academic partners are encouraged but not required. By the time of award, the applicant must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Permanent Resident Card USCIS Form I-551, or other legal verification of such status).

Evaluation Criteria. Review criteria for the application include:

1. Significance – Does the project address an important, everyday challenge that autistic individuals and other principal stakeholders experience when supporting the physical and mental health of autistic individuals and their families? 
2. Stakeholder engagement – Does the project plan meaningfully engage relevant stakeholders in the project? 
3. Feasibility – Is the development plan for the resource clear and specific? Can the project be reasonably completed, given the proposed timeline and requested budget?

Review criteria for the resource include:

1. Practical relevance – Is the proposed resource relevant to the everyday health-related challenges experienced by autistic individuals, principal stakeholders, and their families? 
2. Accessibility – Will the proposed resource include plain language, visuals, captions/transcripts, or other aspects to ensure accessibility to non-academic individuals, including individuals with and without I/DD?
3. Relevance and Generalizability – Will the resource be relevant and usable to community members beyond the grantee’s local community?

Competition. Applications are due by April 21, 2025. Select researchers and community members from OAR and AIR-P’s advisory boards will immediately review the applications. All applicants will be notified by the beginning of August 2025, and funding will begin in September 2025.

Budget. Beginning this year, OAR/AIR-P will fund up to seven (7) awards between $1,000 to $15,000 each.

* Not applicable to University of California Institutions  

**Exceptions made on a case-by-case basis

Application Materials Checklist: 

• Basic Information (online form)
• Budget (file upload)
• Project Summary (file upload)
• Draft of Resource (file upload)

Questions: Contact OAR’s Grants and Programs Associate at programs@researchautism.org or (571)-977-5391.