Press Release

ARLINGTON, VA, August 30, 2024– The Organization for Autism Research (OAR), in partnership with the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P), is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Community Grant Competition. These grants will be awarded to support the development of practical tools intended to positively impact the health of autistic individuals. Each of the Community Grant Recipients will receive a one-time grant ranging between $1,000-$10,000. This year, we are pleased to award $57,300.00 to support six winners identified out of 48 submissions.

Congratulations to this year’s Community Grant recipients!

nonPareil Institute: Connecting Autism with Healthcare Awareness via Virtual Reality
Liz Burke
nonPareil Institute, Plano, Texas

Pathway to Wellness: Combating Obesity in the ASD Community
Jacqueline Caruso
Eden II Programs, Staten Island, New York

COMPASS: Autism Training and Consultation Services
Justin Dougherty
Autism Action Partnership, Omaha, Nebraska

Autistic Health Digital Resource Library: Bridging the Gaps in Care
Melissa Houser
All Brains Belong VT, Montpelier, Vermont

Employment Initiative Curriculum
Brook Leighton
Autism Society of America, Rockville, Maryland

A Parent’s Guide to Profound Autism
Michael MacCormack
May Institute, Randolph, Massachusetts

OAR congratulates each of these recipients and extends its gratitude to AIR-P for co-sponsoring this program. Applications for next year’s competition will open on Friday, October 11, 2024. More information about the application process can be found on OAR’s Community Grant Page. The recently published community grant resources from past grantees can be found here.

For questions or comments, please contact Vivian Muhumuza, Grants and Programs Associate, at (571) 977-5391 or e-mail vmuhumuza@researchautism.org.

About OAR: The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is a national non-profit organization formed and led by relatives of children and adults with autism. OAR is dedicated to promoting research that can be applied to help families, educators, caregivers, and individuals with autism find much-needed answers to their immediate and urgent questions. Learn more at their website: www.researchautism.org.

About AIR-P: The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) establishes and maintains an interdisciplinary, multicenter research network for scientific collaboration and infrastructure to increase the life expectancy and quality of life for autistic individuals, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations. The purpose of the AIR-P is to support innovative life course intervention research that promotes optimal health and well-being of autistic individuals across the lifespan.