Apply for a Profound Autism Pilot Grant or Pre-doctoral Fellowship

About this funding opportunity

This is the default image

Apply for a Profound Autism Pilot Grant or Pre-doctoral Fellowship Request for Applications: 2026 Profound Autism Pilot Grants and Pre-doctoral Fellowships

RFA to be released: November 10, 2025 Applications Due: March 2, 2026 Notification of Awards: June/July 2026

Click here to view RFA for 2026 Profound Autism Pilot Grants and Pre-doctoral Fellowships

Introduction

The _Lancet_ Commission on the Future of Care and Clinical Research in Autism introduced the term “profound autism” and encouraged its use to describe autistic people who are at least 8 years old, minimally verbal or nonverbal, have IQ below 50, are not able to advocate for themselves, and will likely require 24‐hour access to an adult who can care for them for the rest of their lives.

Past research has established that individuals with autism exhibit a wide range of abilities and disabilities and that those with challenging or problematic behavior, minimal verbal ability, and/or intellectual disability are demonstrably underrepresented in research. Their exclusion prevents the generalizability of research discoveries and impedes understanding of the supports and interventions they require to live fulfilling lives. There is an immediate need for research to identify the specific and unique needs of individuals with profound autism.

While the _Lancet_ definition does not specify the presence of severe, intense and dangerous behaviors, this RFA also includes research on severe and challenging behaviors including self-injury, aggression, pica, wandering and irritability, which are prevalent in those with profound autism.

Applicants should use the criteria listed in the full RFA to define profound autism and refer to ASF’s Strategic Plan for Profound Autism Research to help guide the prioritization of research questions to be addressed by profound autism study.

Purpose

The Autism Science Foundation invites applications for two related award mechanisms under this RFA:

1) Pilot Grants, To support one-year research projects focused on profound autism conducted by established investigators;

2) Pre-doctoral Fellowships, To support one-year, mentored training awards for graduate students focused on profound autism.

This RFA specifically calls for:

1) pilot studies to identify or characterize the underlying biological mechanisms of profound autism (including model systems);

2) Examination of the preliminary efficacy of behavioral and/or pharmacological treatment or genetic medicines for core or co-morbid symptoms of profound autism or severe, intense and dangerous behaviors;

3) projects which address challenges in recruitment, retention or data collection in individuals with profound autism.

4) Research examining co-morbid conditions documented to be common in those with profound autism.

Individuals with profound autism may or may not exhibit severe and dangerous behaviors. Research on severe and dangerous behaviors does not need to be exclusive to those with profound autism.

Preference will be given to those studies that include a control arm, or a group of those with non-profound autism.

Awards

The Autism Science Foundation will fund a number of awards determined by available financial resources. The term of the award will be one year.

Pilot Grant: The award is up to $35,000 and may be used to cover supplies or salary support and fringe for staff, including post-doctoral fellows, tenured or tenure-track faculty or other percent effort. It also may be used to cover small amounts of consulting costs.

Pre-doctoral Fellowship: The award is $35,000 to support salary and fringe benefits.

This award cannot be used to cover tuition payments. No portion of these funds shall be used to cover indirect university costs.

Eligibility and Requirements

Applicants for this award must be either enrolled in a pre-doctoral training program, or hold an M.D., Ph.D., EdD, or ScD and currently hold a position at a university or institution, or an…

Topic areas: Life Sciences and Health, Education and Training, Social Innovation and Community Development.

Funding amount

This grant provides Varies in funding.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; there is no single fixed deadline.

Who can apply

This opportunity is open to the following applicant types:

• Not specified by the program.

Eligibility

The program did not publish a separate eligibility statement. See the official opportunity page for the full eligibility criteria.

Agency

Apply for a Profound Autism Pilot Grant or Pre-doctoral Fellowship is administered by Autism Science Foundation (ASF), listed via Autism Science Foundation.