Responding to the community's need for science-based answers and increasing interest in autism research within the national health agencies, the Autism Society established the Foundation as its research arm in 1996. The mission of the Autism Society Foundation is to support quality research to address the many unanswered questions about autism. The Autism Society Foundation's goals in fulfillment of that mission are to:

• Support autism research across the full spectrum and lifespan of the disorder
• Enlist and engage the autism community in autism research
• Stimulate interest in autism research among scientists and researchers
• Initiate and support programs that enhance the potential for successful research
• Attract and provide resources in support of bona fide research projects
• Communicate the state-of-the-science to the autism community
• Support Autism Society's advocacy efforts for autism research funding

Developing and implementing programs to meet these goals presents exciting challenges. In its first five years, the Autism Society Foundation had already established an ever-expanding track record that has set the stage for continued and greater program growth.

It is the Autism Society Foundation's firm belief that science will one day unravel the mysteries of autism and ultimately find a cure. In the interim, in addition to securing funding for government-sponsored research, the Autism Society Foundation is committed to supporting research in both the biological basis of autism, as well as strategies and treatments that will improve life's opportunities for individuals with autism and families affected by autism.

This quest for knowledge extends beyond the domain of biomedical science and includes the field of applied research as well. The Autism Society Foundation is the only autism research funding organization that actively supports both types of research. The applied research program follows the biomedical science approach, demanding scientific rigor and validation, while investigating the human side of the disorder through studies of lifespan, treatment, social, vocational, and even legal concerns. Interest in these studies is growing as it becomes clear that, despite advances in biomedical sciences, applied research holds the key to many of the daily challenges faced by those living with autism and other developmental disabilities.

The Autism Society Foundation participates in the Combined Federal Campaign. Please consider making a pledge. Our CFC number is 11836.