Before you donate to Autism Speaks, Consider the facts. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network has updated its classic infographic as of March 26, 2019; please share widely. –
“Very little money donated to Autism Speaks goes toward helping autistic people and families. Only 1.6% of Autism Speaks’ budget goes towards the “Family Service” grants that are the organization’s means of funding services. Autism Speaks spends more than 10x as much—16%—on fundraising.”
[Infographic with two columns and a white background.
Column I
Large blue text reads: “Before you donate to Autism Speaks”
Large Orange text reads: “Consider the facts”
A thin blue horizontal divider divides the above text from smaller title case blue text reading,
“Very little money donated to Autism Speaks goes toward helping autistic people and families.
Black text reads:
“Only 1.6% of Autism Speaks’ budget goes towards the “Family Service” grants that are the organization’s means of funding services. Autism Speaks spends more than 10x as much—16%—on fundraising. Although Autism Speaks has not prioritized services with a practical impact for families and individuals in its budget, its rates of executive pay are the highest in the autism world: some salaries exceed $500,000 a year.”
Title case blue text reads,
“Autism Speaks talks about us without us.”
Black text reads:
“Autism Speaks has only 2 autistic people out of a total of 26 individuals on its Board of Directors. By contrast, 19 out of 26 board members represent major corporations, including current and former CEOs and senior executives of PayPal, Samsung, CBS, Goldman Sachs, White Castle, Viacom, American Express, FX Networks, Virgin Mobile, SiriusXM, and Sprint”
Title case blue text reads,
“Autism Speaks’ fundraising strategies promote fear, stigma, and prejudice against autistic people.”
Black text reads:
“Autism Speaks uses its platform and advertising budget to portray autism and autistic people as mysterious and frightening. Their fundraising tactics increase stigma and create barriers the inclusion of autistic people in our communities.”
Column II
Graphic: Dark blue puzzle piece overlaid with a dark orange “No” symbol of a circle with a diagonal line as its diameter
Title case blue text reads,
“Autism Speaks’ Budget”
Subhead text in smaller gray text reads,
“source: Autism Speaks 990 Non-Profit Tax Exemption Form, 2017*”
Graphic: Blue pie chart with the following titles and numbers:
Research 32%
Fundraising 16%
“Awareness” & Lobbying 42%
Misc. 8%
Family Services <2%
Graphic: Dark blue rectangle with white text reading:
“Instead, donate to organizations that help autistic people:
“Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) provides support, community, and public policy advocacy, by and for people on the autism spectrum.
autisticadvocacy.org
“Autism Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN) seeks to share information which works to build acceptance and understanding of disability, while dispelling stereotypes and misinformation which perpetuate unnecessary fears surrounding an autism diagnosis.
autismwomensnetwork.org
“Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) works to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equals and are given the same decisions, choices, rights, responsibilities, and chance to speak up to empower themselves as everyone else.
sabeusa.org”
Footnote across the bottom of the page in small gray text:
“‘Awareness & Lobbying’ figure derived from reported program service expenses on “Awareness, Family Services, Advocacy” less the total amount awarded in family services grants (“Family Services”); “Family Services” figure derived from reported grant expenses less pre- and post-doctoral fellowship grants categorized as “family service” grants; “Research” figure derived from reported program services expenses on “Science Program”, plus pre- and post-doctoral fellowship grant amounts categorized as “family service” grants; “Fundraising” figure as reported.”]