Our mission

Together we stand for a world of difference.

Autism Speaks Mission

Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan. We do this through advocacy, services, supports, research and innovation, and advances in care for autistic individuals and their families.

Explore the links below to learn more about our work toward each of our mission objectives:

An African American woman in front of a computer with a call center headset

Ensuring access to reliable Information and services across the lifespan

Blonde haired woman smiling while wearing a purple cardigan and name tag

Supporting research and innovation that drives towards improved quality of life and well-being

A father and son reading a pamphlet together

Leverage assets through advocacy, partnerships and collaboration to foster change

Female doctor with blonde hair holding a stethoscope on a young boys chest

Increasing early childhood screening and timely interventions

A man with glasses putting his arm around a woman with glasses as they both smile

Accelerate delivery of solutions for adult quality of life needs

A group of people smiling for a photo outside

Live and promote principles of diversity, equity, access and inclusion

Our history

Autism Speaks was founded in 2005. Merging with three leading autism organizations and building upon their legacy, Autism Speaks collaborative efforts have resulted in:

  • Over $5 billion increase in authorized federal research funding for autism
  • Over $220 million investment in scientific grants and projects
  • Creation of one of the world’s largest open access autism genomic database
  • Over $16.3 million in community autism-related grants and scholarships
  • Autism Care Network of 20 top medical centers and facilities providing cutting-edge clinical care
  • More than 28.5 million people have received free autism information and resources
  • 90 cents of every dollar funds research, advocacy, programs and services