Skip to main content

Our Impact

Raise Money. Fund Research. Change Lives.

Our intent with every dollar we raise and spend pursuing knowledge through research or creating resources is to offer support to autistic individuals, their parents, siblings, teachers, and more.

Ultimately, we do that one study, one resource, one child, one family, one school, one teacher at a time.

Since 2002, we have:

  • Funded more than $4.74 million in new autism research: supported over 130 pilot studies ($4,139,369) and made grants to 179 graduate students ($305,755)
  • Awarded $1,522,500 in total scholarships to 503 autistic students pursuing education at four-year and two-year colleges, trade schools, and life skills programs
  • Published ten Life Journey through Autism guides to include guides on research, assessment, transition to adulthood, special education, safety; for parents; and educator guides for teachers
  • Created Operation Autism, a website that provides 24/7 information to military families with autistic children.
  • Introduced the Kit for Kids peer education program that has reached more than 213,000 students in the US and has been translated into five languages to reach kids across the globe.
  • Started the Autism Sibling Support initiative to help children and teen siblings develop positive relationships with their autistic siblings
  • Mentored over 850 autistic job-seekers through our groundbreaking Hire Autism program, a national adult employment initiative.
  • Supported young, autistic adults with resources like Finding Your Way: A College Guide for Self-Advocates and an online sex education resource Sex Ed. for Self-Advocates for individuals with autism.
  • Launched the Peer Education Grant to expand peer awareness and acceptance of autism and the Community Grant Competition in partnership with the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health to empower autistic community members to create information resources to improve health outcomes and quality of life for autistic people

Accountability

An Organization You Can Trust

In 2022, 80% of every dollar OAR spent was directed toward research, programs, and resources that benefit autistic people, their families, and the people in the schools and communities who teach, support, and care for them.

Each day we promise to:

  • Serve the autism community with compassion and integrity
  • Spend each dollar carefully
  • Be open and transparent
  • Get the most bang for your donated buck