Important Dates
October 13, 2023
Application period for 2024 grants opens
April 22, 2024, 11:59 PM ET
Applications due
August 2, 2024
Funding notification
September 1, 2024
Funding period begins
August 31, 2025
Funding period ends
Community Grant Competition
We believe that autistic individuals and the people who surround them have the potential to innovate practical solutions that promote the quality of life of autistic individuals. Based on this commitment, OAR and the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) are pleased to present the Community Grant Competition.
The Community Grant Competition supports the design, packaging, and distribution of information resources that aim to enhance the physical health and quality of life of autistic individuals. This competition recognizes the expertise of community members and aims to empower community stakeholders, such as autistic individuals, family members, and community organizations, to share their knowledge in order to improve health outcomes for autistic people.
Up to seven grants will be awarded to support the development of a practical tool that can positively impact the health of autistic individuals, either directly or indirectly (e.g. by providing guidance to caregivers or providers). A full list of project priorities can be found in the Request for Applications. Grants will range from $1,000-$10,000.
The application period is now CLOSED.
Online Application
Application Materials
Request for Applications
Read about the competition process, timeline, budget guidelines, and requirements.
Community Grant FAQs
Eligible applicants include community stakeholders, such as:
- Parents/family members
- Autistic individuals
- Community organizations (e.g., K-12 public schools, parent groups, 501(c)(3) non-profits, etc.)
Additionally, by the time of the 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).
No. University/academic partners are encouraged but not required.
No. Projects must be led by community members. The grant supports resources developed by the community, not resources developed through research.
Projects may include, but are not limited to, the creation of:
- Guides and/or manuals
- Educational curricula
- Books (children’s, instructional)
- Practical toolkits
- Innovative multi-media tools
All projects must be publicly accessible (i.e. beyond the applicant’s local community or organization only) and intended for non-commercial informational and educational purposes.
Applicants may submit up to 2 applications per cycle.
The Community Grant Competition will provide funding between $1,000-$10,000 per awarded project. Applicants are encouraged to check the Request for Applications button above to learn more about what expenses are eligible to be supported by this grant. A sample budget and budget template may be found above.
During the open application period, you can find a link to the online application on this page. Applications are submitted through SurveyMonkey. When you apply, you will be required to sign up with your e-mail address and create a password for your account. Please be sure to remember this password, as it is the only way to go back and make edits and submit your application. Once you have signed up (or logged in if you are returning), the system will take you directly to the most updated version of your application.
OAR does not have access to user passwords. Please utilize the “Forgot Password” feature on the application portal.
The application has several parts:
- Basic information about the project, the applicant, and any collaborators.
- Project summary: an uploaded document (maximum of 4 pages) in which you will provide a detailed overview of the project. You will be able to access a response template, including the questions and formatting instructions, once you begin your application.
- Budget: an uploaded document including project expenses and a justification. You can view a template and example above or download it once you begin your application.
- Resource draft: A draft of your proposed resource.
A draft of the resource is strongly preferred. At minimum, applicants must submit an outline.
By the end of the funding period, the funded resource must be finalized and ready for distribution. A plain language promotional summary is also required at the end of the funding period to be distributed throughout the OAR and AIR-P networks.
Final expense report and receipts (if requested) must be submitted within 30 days of the project closing date.
If you are unable to find what you are searching for or have additional questions, please contact programs@researchautism.org.
