Autism Speaks Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, District of Columbia, registered in 2011, with $28,799,237 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 69% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2024)
$28.8M
▼ 17.7% vs prior year
Diseases median: $206K
Expenses (FY2024)
$34.2M
Net assets
$26.9M
Employees
168
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Autism Speaks Inc: 69% to programs · $27 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Autism Speaks Inc: 9 mo reserves · -19% margin earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Autism Speaks Inc: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Autism Speaks Inc: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
See schedule o.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.
We increase knowledge through research to deepen our understanding of autism and lead to advancements in autism diagnosis, early intervention, and personalized healthcare. connected families in 50 states and 37 countries with resources and access to autism experts. we unveiled a new resource for the treatment of adhd, anxiety and irritability in autism, providing clinicians with a structured, evidence-informed approach that will ultimately improve care for people on the spectrum. we funded three new research projects to reveal how auditory processing differences affect autistic people, unlocking insights that could transform diagnosis, communication, and daily support. continued on schedule o.we also supported fellowships for two early career autistic scientists to advance our understanding of autism, amplify autistic voices and reflect the real experiences of autistic people. as result from the thought leadership summit of autism aging, we joined forces with the american heart association to fund pioneering research to learn more about cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health in autistic people. in addition, we co-organized a workshop with alzheimer's association to explore the emerging research on dementia and older autistic adults. autism speaks' mssng project, the world's largest autism genome database, expanded by adding 2,489 fully sequenced genomes, fueling global discoveries and accelerating progress toward more personalized care for autistic people. we released abn 2.0, an expansion of the original abn 1.0. the updated report includes more recent statistics, an increased focus on issues affecting adults, such as mental health and heart health, and new data on various topics.
We are steadfast in our commitment to improve lifelong outcomes and increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism. expanded e-caregivers skills training enabling underserved families to build their autistic child's communication and behavior skills. 47 businesses earned their autism friendly designation, our program co-developed by people with autism to help organizations welcome and build community with autistic people. successfully advocated for state licencing laws to provide people with autism greater access to medically necessary interventions. engaged 3.2 million people on social media platforms where we provided resources and a supportive environment for autistic people to share their stories. educated over 2,100 people on federal and state policy changes and accessing resources.
Revenue declined from $63.8M (FY2013) to $28.8M (FY2024) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
-18.7%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$29.7M
Total liabilities
$2.8M
Net assets
$26.9M
Salaries & benefits
$17.0M
50% of expenses
Board members
26
26 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $28,799,237▼17.7% | $34,172,414▼16.1% | $26,912,990▼16.6% | $29,672,783▼16.0% | 990 |
| 2023 | $34,985,535▼3.5% | $40,745,638▼5.0% | $32,258,360▼14.8% | $35,344,611▼14.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $36,262,685▼22.5% | $42,911,083▼2.7% | $37,842,071▼14.7% | $41,380,468▼13.5% | 990 |
| 2021 | $46,771,653▲11.1% | $44,122,642▲7.2% | $44,353,978▲6.4% | $47,834,408▼0.8% | 990 |
| 2020 | $42,083,296▼21.6% | $41,166,504▼14.5% | $41,704,967▲2.2% | $48,207,079▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $53,701,450▲6.5% | $48,144,682▲12.3% | $40,788,175▲179% | $46,226,879▲125% | 990 |
| 2017 | $50,437,078▲6.1% | $42,861,302▼8.3% | $14,599,281▲108% | $20,577,061▲33.7% | 990 |
| 2016 | $47,556,499▼18.2% | $46,739,673▼22.9% | $7,023,505▲13.2% | $15,392,508▼15.7% | 990 |
| 2015 | $58,138,267▲1.0% | $60,617,406▲3.5% | $6,206,679▼28.5% | $18,248,413▲13.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $57,567,046▼9.8% | $58,589,552▼6.1% | $8,685,818▼10.5% | $16,027,902▼18.5% | 990 |
| 2013 | $63,786,909 | $62,401,349▲6.3% | $9,708,324▲67.0% | $19,677,425▲24.7% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $58,720,256▲3.5% | $5,815,107▼48.2% | $15,783,483▼30.5% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $56,711,411▲16.6% | $11,234,241▼9.9% | $22,705,993▲18.9% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $48,657,480 | $12,469,929 | $19,092,550 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Highest-paid: Keith Wargo — $415,337 (1.22% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keith Wargo | President/ceo | 40 | $415,337 |
| Joseph Vanyo | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $346,700 |
| Kelli Seely | Chief Marketing Officer | 40 | $320,048 |
| Andy Shih | Chief Science Officer | 40 | $309,227 |
| Bryan Klopack | Chief Growth Officer | 40 | $265,201 |
| Lynn S Happel | Svp, It & Data Support | 40 | $226,611 |
| Jacqlyn Nedvin | Vp, People and Culture | 40 | $219,290 |
| Ryan Silver | Vp, Finance and Facilities | 40 | $200,450 |
| Dean Hartley | Sr. Dir. Genetic Disc. & Trans. Sci. | 40 | $198,264 |
| David Sitcovsky | Sr. Dir. Policy & Govt Affairs | 40 | $187,406 |
| Jennifer S Podoll | Svp, Const. Engagement (thru 05/2024) | 40 | $162,729 |
| Adam Frazier | Director | 1 | — |
| Adrian M Jones | Vice Chairman | 1 | — |
| Aidan Kehoe | Director | 1 | — |
| Barry R Feirstein | Director | 1 | — |
| Brian L Harper | Chair | 1 | — |
| Cheryl Vitali | Director (thru 12/2025) | 1 | — |
| Curtis Arledge | Secretary/treasurer | 1 | — |
| Darren Goode | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Herbert Pardes | Director | 1 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Click On Media LLC | Advertising | $1,417,641 |
| Meta Platformsinc | Advertising | $638,904 |
| The Burson Group LLC | Consulting | $603,469 |
| Google LLC (google Cloud) | Web Expense | $351,093 |
| Nne Marketing LLC | Consulting | $336,000 |
374 grants to Autism Speaks Inc totaling $23.3M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paypal Charitable Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $1,887,533 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $410,762 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $206,493 |
| Thdf II Inc | To assist local charities | 2024 | $175,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Health, medicine & science | 2024 | $100,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Medical / public services | 2024 | $71,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Disease/disorder | 2024 | $67,099 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $60,000 |
| The Seattle Foundation | To provide general support | 2024 | $50,000 |
| St Louis Community Foundation Incorporated | General support, general support in honor of james esther, holiday giving from helmkamp construction co. | 2024 | $32,600 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Developmental disabilities | 2024 | $28,100 |
| Columbus Foundation | Social services | 2024 | $25,500 |
| Jewish Communal Fund | In furtherance of grantee's tax-exempt purpose | 2024 | $19,700 |
| The Blackbaud Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $17,368 |
| Cleveland Clinic Foundation | Community support | 2024 | $15,000 |
21 grants totaling $961K in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Autism Speaks Inc →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Science grant | $238,365 |
| Rutgers the State University | Science grant | $99,999 |
| Nationwide Childrens Hospital Inc | Science grant | $91,716 |
| Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center | Science grant | $62,846 |
| The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia | Science grant | $57,517 |
| Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska | Science grant | $47,673 |
| Scripps Research Institute | Science grant | $37,000 |
| Childrens Hospital Medical Center | Science grant | $35,708 |
| Seattle Childrens Hospital | Science grant | $34,700 |
| University of Rochester | Science grant | $30,000 |
| Prisma Health - Upstate | Science grant | $30,000 |
| Tarrant County College District | Services & support grants | $30,000 |
| The Metrohealth System | Science grant | $25,503 |
| Chinese American Association For Autistic Community | Science grant | $25,000 |
| Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta Inc | Science grant | $22,758 |
Explore more
Data for Autism Speaks Inc (EIN 20-2329938) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.