Autism Speaks Inc
Autism Speaks Inc. is the largest autism research organization in the United States and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to autism awareness, research, and advocacy. Based in Washington, DC, the organization operates with 166 employees and 35,000 volunteers. Founded in February 2005 by Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne, Autism Speaks was created following their grandson Christian's autism diagnosis. The organization has grown through strategic mergers with the Autism Coalition for Research and Education (2005), the National Alliance for Autism Research (2006), and Cure Autism Now (2007).
Key facts about Autism Speaks Inc
- EIN
- 20-2329938
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $961,459
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- Average grant
- $45,784
- Median grant
- $30,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (2 of 21, 2025)
- Total assets
- $29,672,783
- Primary geography
- California (31% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Autism Speaks Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Autism Speaks Inc's 21 itemized 2025 grants were California (31%), Ohio (16%) and New Jersey (10%). None of its 21 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Science Grant" (20 grants).
Is Autism Speaks Inc open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 21 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $31K; repeat grants $47K. How we count
Medians: $31K first-time, $30K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Autism Speaks Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$29.7M
-16.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$961K
-71.0% YoY
Grant Count
21
-32.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$46K
-57.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan. The organization pursues this mission through five primary strategic pillars:
Ensure Access to Reliable Information and Services Across the Lifespan
- Expanding resources and empowering people with best practice services
- Bringing autism education and inclusion to the forefront
- Fostering and amplifying innovative autism work
- Ensuring culturally competent and accessible resources
Support Research and Innovation to Improve Quality of Life
- Bridging basic, clinical, and social sciences to drive personalized healthcare
- Increasing federal funding in research and supports
- Escalating research in challenging behavior, special care needs, and the aging process
- Expanding global open science infrastructure
Convene Service Providers Through Advocacy, Partnering, and Collaboration
- Leveraging assets to expand access to information and supports
- Partnering with external experts to expand quality of care
- Addressing gaps and opportunities in service delivery
- Enhancing support for those with challenging behaviors
Speed Delivery of Solutions for Adult Quality of Life Needs
- Driving support for transition, housing, and aging programs
- Growing employer engagement through Workplace Inclusion Now™
- Promoting inclusive, welcoming communities
- Expanding resources for autistic adults and their caregivers
Promote Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion
- Engaging the voice of autistic adults
- Enhancing internal organizational culture
- Strengthening multicultural relationships
Grantmaking
Autism Speaks maintains an active grantmaking program focused on research and early-career scientist support.
Ready to take the next step with Autism Speaks Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Autism Speaks' grantmaking priorities focus primarily on Texas, Ohio, and New York. The organization also connects families in 50 states and 37 countries with resources and access to autism experts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 21 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023-2024):
- Total Assets: $35,344,611 (2024)
- Total Revenue: $34,985,535 (2023)
- Total Expenses: $40,745,638 (2023)
- Total Giving: $4,690,931 (2024)
Historical Financial Trends:
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $34,985,535 | $40,745,638 | $35,344,611 | 166 |
| 2022 | $36,262,685 | $42,911,083 | $41,380,468 | 194 |
| 2021 | $46,771,653 | $44,122,642 | $47,834,408 | 181 |
| 2020 | $42,083,296 | $41,166,504 | $48,207,079 | 206 |
| 2019 | $53,701,450 | $48,144,682 | $46,226,879 | 216 |
Organizational Rating: Autism Speaks holds a Four-Star rating with a 100% score, indicating strong accountability and financial management.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,672,783 | $35,344,611 | $41,380,468 |
| Revenue | $28,799,237 | $34,985,535 | $36,262,685 |
| Expenses | $34,172,414 | $40,745,638 | $42,911,083 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $900,106 | $1,304,005 | $636,469 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 5, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
155 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Autism Speaks Inc
Autism Speaks: Predoctoral Fellowship Grant
Autism Speaks Inc
Amount
US $80,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Autistic Scientist Predoctoral Fellowship Grant
Autism Speaks Inc
Amount
US $74,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Service Provider Grants: Local Impact Grants
Autism Speaks Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University ($238,365), Rutgers the State University of NJ ($99,999), The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital ($91,716).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY Redfwood City, CA | SCIENCE GRANT | $238,365 |
| RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NJ Piscataway, NJ | SCIENCE GRANT | $99,999 |
| THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Columbus, OH | SCIENCE GRANT | $91,716 |
| SOUTHWEST AUTISM RESEARCH & RESOURCE CENTER Phoenix, AZ | SCIENCE GRANT | $62,846 |
| THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, PA | SCIENCE GRANT | $57,517 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA BOARD OF REGENTS Omaha, NE | SCIENCE GRANT | $47,673 |
| THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH La Jolla, CA | SCIENCE GRANT | $37,000 |
| CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER Cincinnati, OH | SCIENCE GRANT | $35,708 |
| SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Seattle, WA | SCIENCE GRANT | $34,700 |
| PRISMA HEALTH-UPSTATE Greenville, SC | SCIENCE GRANT | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President and CEO: Keith Wargo
- Chief Operating Officer: Joe Vanyo
Autism Speaks Inc is led by Keith Wargo, President & CEO on every filing since 2022; 11 of 39 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Keith Wargo
President & CEO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$109K (2022) → $415K (2025)
Brian L. Harper
Chair
Director → Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Sitcovsky
Senior Director Policy & Govt Affairs
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$187K (2025)
Dean Hartley
Senior Director Genetic Disc. & Trans. Sci.
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$198K (2025)
Adam Frazier
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aidan Kehoe
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barry R. Feirstein
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Vitali
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Herbert Pardes
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Caserta
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin J. Murray
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Higgins
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott R. Carpenter
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Shore
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven P. Stanbrook
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stuart Savitz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Jones
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Bernard
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darren Goode
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Seidel
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Subriana Pierce
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William O'Connor
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Frazier
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judy Benardete
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Chern
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Schwenkel
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Giles
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andy Shih
Chief Science Officer
Senior Vice President Public Health & Inclusion → Chief Science Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$246K (2020) → $309K (2025)
Jennifer S. Podoll
Senior Vice President & Const. Engagement
Senior Vice President & Constituent Engagement → Senior Vice President & Const. Engagement, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$204K (2020) → $163K (2025)
Lynn S. Happel
Senior Vice President, It & Data Support
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$211K (2020) → $227K (2025)
Joseph Vanyo
Chief Operating Officer
COO → Chief Operating Officer, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$255K (2021) → $347K (2025)
Kelli Seely
Chief Marketing Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$208K (2023) → $320K (2025)
Jacqlyn Nedvin
Vice President, People & Culture
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$225K (2024) → $219K (2025)
Ryan Silver
Vice President, Finance & Facilities
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$200K (2024) → $200K (2025)
Bryan Klopack
Chief Growth Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$265K (2025)
Adrian M. Jones
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Curtis Arledge
Secretary & Treasurer
Director → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacquelyn Nance
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jamie T. Richardson
Vice Chairman
Director → Vice Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Stuart Spielman (2020–2024) — Senior Vice President & Advocacy
- Former: Claudine Larocque (2023–2024) — Vice President, Individual & Foundation Relations
- Former: Angela Geiger (2020–2023) — Former CEO & President
- Former: Donna S. Murray (2020–2023) — Vice President & Head Cl. Prgm
- Former: Melanie Akins (2020–2023) — Vice President & Corp. Initiatives
- Former: Bob Schwenkel (2023) — Director
- Former: Billy Mann (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Chuck Saftler (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Dan Schulman (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Joseph T. Coyle MD (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Lisa Gerbasi (2020–2022) — Strategic Initiatives & Innova
- Former: Lisa Yang (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Dan Tarman (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Anne Marie Forbes (2020) — Chief Field Ofr
- Former: Brian Kelly (2020) — Chair
- Former: Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger (2020) — Director
- Former: Henson Orser (2020) — Director
- Former: Jane Hadley (2020) — Vice President & Controller
- Former: Karen Robinson (2020) — CFO
- Former: Thomas Frazier (2020) — Chief Science Officer
- Former: Tommy Hilfiger (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Autism Speaks has announced new grant funding initiatives for early-career scientists and continues to expand its research portfolio. The organization launched two research studies to improve precision autism care and early identification, and hosted a thought leadership summit on autism and aging to develop programs and policies for better systems of care for older autistic people and their caregivers. The organization also released its first "Autism by the Numbers" report to support individual, family, and community decision-making.
NEXT for AUTISM ANNOUNCES ITS 2025-26 AUTISTIC-LED AND COMMUNITY-BASED GRANTThe organization operates the Empower Walk & 5K Run, combining signature walking events with a 5K run component to engage the community and raise awareness and support for autism initiatives.
NEXT for AUTISM ANNOUNCES ITS 2025-26 AUTISTIC-LED AND COMMUNITY-BASED GRANTSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Autism Speaks Inc fund?
Autism Speaks is dedicated to creating an inclusive world for all individuals with autism throughout their lifespan. The organization pursues this mission through five primary strategic pillars: **Ensure Access to Reliable Information and Services Across the Lifespan** • Expanding resources and empowering people with best practice services • Bringing autism education and inclusion to the forefront • Fostering and amplifying innovative autism work • Ensuring culturally competent and accessible r…
How do I apply for a grant from Autism Speaks Inc?
Autism Speaks maintains an active grantmaking program focused on research and early-career scientist support. **Grant Opportunities:** • Autistic Scientist Predoctoral Fellowship • Autism Speaks Predoctoral Fellowship **Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $5,767 to $375,000. **Recent Activity:** The organization announced new grant funding for early-career scientists and has awarded research grants funding nearly $1.8 million over three-year periods. The organization currently has 2 live…
Where does Autism Speaks Inc make grants?
Autism Speaks' grantmaking priorities focus primarily on Texas, Ohio, and New York. The organization also connects families in 50 states and 37 countries with resources and access to autism experts.
What size grants does Autism Speaks Inc award?
In 2025, Autism Speaks Inc awarded 21 grants totaling $961K — an average of about $46K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Autism Speaks Inc's EIN?
Autism Speaks Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2329938. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Autism Speaks Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.