Does your family need help paying for autism therapy or equipment? Autism Care Today might be able to help. This nonprofit gives out grants four times a year.
Since 2005, they’ve helped over 1,500 families with more than $1.85 million in funding.
What Is Autism Care Today?
Autism Care Today pays for treatment, equipment, and support related to autism spectrum disorder. They don’t send money to you directly. Instead, they pay your child’s treatment provider, assessor, or equipment vendor on your behalf.
They run three funds:
- Autism Care Today: The main grant program, open to any family in the United States
- Autism Care Today for Military Families (ATMF): A dedicated fund for military families
- Autism Care Today SOS: An emergency fund for situations where a child’s physical safety is at risk and there’s no time to wait for the regular grant cycle
How Much Can I Get, and What Does It Cover?
Grants typically range from $100 to $5,000. The exact amount depends on how much funding the organization has raised that quarter and how many families apply.
Money can go toward things like:
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, which can cost up to $65,000 a year
- Safety equipment, like helmets, GPS trackers, and protective fencing for children prone to wandering
- Assistive technology and communication tools
- Sensory equipment
- Social skills programs and Special Needs Summer School
They will not fund transportation costs (cars, car repairs, transit passes, air travel), Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, or personal needs like rent, utilities, or family vacations.
Once approved, your provider has 12 months to use the funds. If your treatment later gets covered by another source, like insurance or your school district, you’re expected to reimburse Autism Care Today for that amount.
Who Is Eligible?
There’s no strict income cutoff, but families making under $100,000 a year are reviewed first. If your income is higher, you can still apply, though it may take longer to hear back.
The board also considers:
- Whether your application is fully filled out
- The type of treatment or item you’re requesting
- Whether you have more than one child with an autism diagnosis (families with multiple diagnosed children are reviewed first)
If you have two children with autism, submit a separate application for each one, since their needs may differ. You only need to submit your tax return once. You can only request one item or service per application.
Autism Care Today SOS has its own, stricter rules. To qualify, your household income must be below $45,000 a year, you can’t have received Autism Care Today support in the past 12 months, and your child’s physical safety must be at risk without immediate help. SOS funds can only go toward treatment and services, not living expenses, travel, utilities, or clothing.
How Do I Apply?
For the regular quarterly grant, applications open during these windows each year:
| Quarter | Application Window | Families Notified By |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | January 1–31 | March 20 |
| 2nd Quarter | April 1–30 | June 20 |
| 3rd Quarter | July 1–31 | September 20 |
| 4th Quarter | October 1–31 | December 20 |
Apply online during one of these windows. Applications aren’t accepted by fax or email. If you don’t have computer access, call the grants department and ask them to mail you a paper copy.
Before applying, gather:
- Your most recent tax return (you can black out your Social Security number if you’re worried about privacy)
- Documentation showing the cost of what you’re requesting, like an invoice or a printout from the provider’s website
- A written description of your family’s situation, especially if your income has changed since your last tax return
For Autism Care Today SOS, email SOSProgram@act-today.org with your name, the applicant’s name, and a short description (200 words or less) explaining why your situation is urgent. You’ll typically hear back within 2 weeks, and get a final decision within another 2 weeks after that.
Applications are only kept on file for up to 6 months.
The Autism Care Today website says, “Each application is kept in our system for two consecutive grant cycles after which the applicant must re-apply.” If you haven’t heard from them after six months, consider reapplying.
Relief Recap
Autism treatment costs can pile up fast, and Autism Care Today is one of the few nonprofits stepping in to help cover that gap directly. If this program doesn’t quite fit your family’s needs, check out our roundup of autism resources and our guide to financial help for special needs children for more places to look.
