News and Knowledge

OAR is accepting applications for its Graduate Research Grant Program through Monday, February 12 and its Applied Research Competition through Monday, March 26. Since 2002, OAR has funded over 220 research studies, bringing its funding total to more than $3.6 million. OAR hopes to build on this success in 2018, continuing its support of research studies that offer meaningful outcomes to individuals with autism and their families.

Graduate Research Program

OAR invites graduate students to submit research proposals for its 15th annual Graduate Research Grant Program. OAR accepts proposals from students pursuing graduate studies in the United States and abroad. The maximum award for master’s candidates is $1,000, while doctoral and post-doctoral candidates are eligible for a maximum award of $2,000.

Interested students should first review the 2018 request for proposals, as well as OAR’s funding guidelines. Grant recipients will be announced in May and awards will be made in July.

The intention of the program is to support independent research in:

• The analysis, evaluation, or comparison of assessment models, treatment models, or service systems
• Applied aspects of early intervention and school-based education, including behavior and communication
• Adult issues such as continuing education, employment, housing, and “later intervention”
• Issues related to family support, social and community integration, and assessment and intervention with challenging behaviors

OAR funds studies that will likely produce practical and clearly objective results that can help parents, families, professionals, and people with autism make more fully informed choices, leading to healthier and happier lives. OAR will only make grant awards for studies to be conducted during the grant period, which lasts from July 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.

For more information, please contact OAR via email or 703-243-3466.

Applied Research Competition

Pre-proposal applications for OAR’s 2018 Applied Research Competition will be accepted through Monday, March 26 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The purpose of this competition is to fund pilot studies that expand the body of autism research in a way that produces practical results that offer to enhance the quality of life for persons with autism and their families.

OAR invites researchers pursuing applied research grants to apply through OAR’s online application. The competitive application process occurs in three phases: pre-proposals, full proposals, and final review. Grant recipients will be announced in December. They will receive a maximum of $30,000 for studies that range from one to two years beginning in 2019.

While applicants are always free to submit proposals on any relevant area of research or intervention, this year, OAR is placing an emphasis on research that addresses the following targeted areas:

• Health care transition
• Generalization of technology-based intervention
• Community-based intervention
• Residential services and supports
• Literacy
• Sexuality education

OAR will also promote evidence-based practices delivered from research in the following areas:

• The analysis, evaluation, or comparison of current models of assessment, intervention, or systems of service delivery, including policy analysis
• Applied aspects of educational, behavioral, or social/communicative intervention
• Effective intervention across the lifespan for individuals considered to be severely impacted by autism
• Adult issues such as continuing education, employment, residential supports, sexuality instruction, quality-of-life determinants, and “later intervention”
• Issues related to family support, social and community integration, assessment and intervention with challenging behavior, and the use of technology in support of learners with autism spectrum disorders

Interested researchers should review the 2018 request for proposals as well as OAR’s funding guidelines. For more information on OAR’s Applied Research Competition, contact Kimberly Ha via email or 703-243-9762.