Background
In February 2004, the Board of Directors of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) approved the establishment of the Graduate Research Grant Program intended to encourage and support students conducting research pursuant to graduate and post-graduate studies in disciplines related to assessment, intervention and support of autistic learners and their families.
OAR invites research proposals for its annual Graduate Research Grant Program. Note that these grants are for independent research studies only. Through this competition, OAR intends to promote research in the following areas:
- The analysis, evaluation, or comparison of assessment models, treatment models, or service systems
- Applied aspects of early intervention and/or school-based education, behavioral, or communication intervention
- Adult issues such as continuing education, employment, housing models and “later intervention”
- Issues related to family support, social and community integration, and assessment and intervention with challenging behavior
- The efficacy of alternative or augmentative communication systems for autistic individuals across the lifespan
- Applied research that occurs in the in vivo context in which the outcome of intervention is expected to be used
OAR seeks to fund studies that will likely produce practical and clearly objective results that may aid parents, families, professionals, and autistic people to make more fully informed choices that will lead to healthier and happier lives.
Please note that the grant period is July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026. OAR will only make grant awards for research that will be conducted during the grant period, and will not award grants for research studies that have commenced before the grant period begins.
OAR’s Scientific Council will evaluate the proposals it receives for scientific and technical merit.
Evaluation Criteria
Review criteria for the evaluation include:
- Significance. Does the study address an important problem? How will it advance scientific knowledge in the field?
- Approach. Are the concepts, design, methods, and analyses adequate and appropriate? Are alternate approaches accounted for?
- Innovation. Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are its aims original? Does it challenge existing paradigms?
- Meaningful Outcomes. OAR places special emphasis on the research’s importance to the autism community and its application to the practical challenges of autism. Thus, while a proposal’s scientific merit in terms of design, methodology, and analysis are vital, the meaningfulness of its outcomes will carry great weight in the final review.
OAR’s Board of Directors will make grant awards based on these evaluations and the recommendations of the Scientific Council.
Competition
The maximum grant awards are $2,000.00 for Doctoral or Post-doctoral candidates and $1,000.00 for Master’s candidates. OAR will consider making up to 12 awards, for a total of $20,000 in grants.
OAR will accept applications until Monday, February 3, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.
Graduate Research Grant Competition
Background
In February 2004, the Board of Directors of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) approved the establishment of the Graduate Research Grant Program intended to encourage and support students conducting research pursuant to graduate and post-graduate studies in disciplines related to assessment, intervention and support of autistic learners and their families.
OAR invites research proposals for its annual Graduate Research Grant Program. Note that these grants are for independent research studies only. Through this competition, OAR intends to promote research in the following areas:
- The analysis, evaluation, or comparison of assessment models, treatment models, or service systems
- Applied aspects of early intervention and/or school-based education, behavioral, or communication intervention
- Adult issues such as continuing education, employment, housing models and “later intervention”
- Issues related to family support, social and community integration, and assessment and intervention with challenging behavior
- The efficacy of alternative or augmentative communication systems for autistic individuals across the lifespan
- Applied research that occurs in the in vivo context in which the outcome of intervention is expected to be used
OAR seeks to fund studies that will likely produce practical and clearly objective results that may aid parents, families, professionals, and autistic people to make more fully informed choices that will lead to healthier and happier lives.
Please note that the grant period is July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026. OAR will only make grant awards for research that will be conducted during the grant period, and will not award grants for research studies that have commenced before the grant period begins.
OAR’s Scientific Council will evaluate the proposals it receives for scientific and technical merit.
Evaluation Criteria
Review criteria for the evaluation include:
- Significance. Does the study address an important problem? How will it advance scientific knowledge in the field?
- Approach. Are the concepts, design, methods, and analyses adequate and appropriate? Are alternate approaches accounted for?
- Innovation. Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods? Are its aims original? Does it challenge existing paradigms?
- Meaningful Outcomes. OAR places special emphasis on the research’s importance to the autism community and its application to the practical challenges of autism. Thus, while a proposal’s scientific merit in terms of design, methodology, and analysis are vital, the meaningfulness of its outcomes will carry great weight in the final review.
OAR’s Board of Directors will make grant awards based on these evaluations and the recommendations of the Scientific Council.
Competition
The maximum grant awards are $2,000.00 for Doctoral or Post-doctoral candidates and $1,000.00 for Master’s candidates. OAR will consider making up to 12 awards, for a total of $20,000 in grants.
OAR will accept applications until Monday, February 3, 2025 at 11:59pm EST.