What NEXT for AUTISM does

NEXT for AUTISM (formerly New York Collaborates for Autism) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2003 by Laura Slatkin and Ilene Lainer to address what they identified as the most underserved segment of the autism population: adults. The organization operates a portfolio of programs across four pillars — work, home, social, and health — rather than a technology platform. Core offerings include the NEXT Grants Program, which disburses approximately $856,572 annually to roughly 52 autistic-led and community-based organizations across 39 U.S. states and territories; NEXT CONNECTS, a bi-directional mentorship program delivered through the Chronus platform that pairs autistic college students and job seekers with established professionals; the FELLOWS scholarship, which provides $5,000 annual tuition plus paid Direct Support Professional work at $16/hour to students at partner universities including Hunter College, Temple, Villanova, and UIC; NEXT for DSP, a professional development curriculum for direct support professionals; and DEI at Work, a workplace-inclusion resource library. Governance is led by Co-Founder and Board Chair Laura Slatkin, CEO Gillian Leek, and a 12-person leadership team that includes dedicated roles for Strategic Operations, Marketing, Development, and Strategic Adult Initiatives.

The organization's revenue model is exclusively philanthropic: individual donations (one-time and monthly "autismally" subscribers), signature events (primarily Night of Too Many Stars, a biennial celebrity comedy benefit that partnered with Netflix's Is a Joke festival in 2026 and the official Charity Partnership for the 2026 TCS NYC Marathon), corporate partnerships (including NEST New York, Ty Inc., The Fragrance Foundation, and the Bhatia Family Foundation), and alternative giving vehicles (crypto, stock, IRA, donor-advised funds, bequests). Cumulative grantmaking and program investment since 2005 exceeds $30 million across 437 projects at 175 organizations, with an 81.5% program-expense ratio reported via Charity Navigator's four-star rating. The organization's go-to-market relies on event-driven awareness, content marketing, corporate cause-marketing, and earned media coverage of its research (e.g., the 'Inside the Autistic Workplace' survey of 417 autistic adults).

NEXT does not operate a software-as-a-service technology product or monetize data; the technology footprint consists of a marketing/donation website, the Chronus mentorship platform, and standard nonprofit back-office tools. Strategic intent is positioned around systemic change for autistic adults rather than scaling a product surface, with geographic expansion achieved through its grantee network rather than direct program delivery.

Name

NEXT for AUTISM

Legal name

NEXT for AUTISM, Inc.

Website

https://nextforautism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NEXT for AUTISM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and operates programs serving autistic adults across work, home, social, and health pillars in the United States, primarily through grants to 175+ community organizations, college scholarships, and a mentorship network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or monthly donations through the website. The monthly donor program is marketed as becoming an '#autismally'.
2. Signature Events: Night of Too Many Stars is a televised comedy benefit that generates a large portion of funds for educational, vocational, social and community-based programs nationwide. Additional events include Cocktails for a Cause and corporate partnerships.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors support programs through financial contributions, cause marketing (e.g., NEST New York donates 5% of product sales), and employee matching gift programs.
4. Alternative Giving Vehicles: The organization accepts cryptocurrency donations, stock donations, IRA donations up to $100,000 tax-free, donor-advised funds, and bequests through estate planning.
5. Grants Program: NEXT distributes grant funding to autistic-led and community-based organizations in four key areas: work, home, social, and health. Funded by Night of Too Many Stars proceeds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NEXT for AUTISM builds and funds programs that support autistic adults across four pillars: work, home, social, and health. Core offerings include NEXT CONNECTS (bi-directional mentorship pairing autistic adults with professionals), the FELLOWS work-based scholarship for Direct Support Professional students, an annual grants program funding autistic-led and community-based organizations, and DEI at Work workplace inclusion resources for employers and job seekers.

Product overview

NEXT for AUTISM is a nonprofit organization that builds and operates a portfolio of programs and services for autistic adults rather than a technology product platform. The organization's core offerings include NEXT CONNECTS (a bi-directional mentorship program), NEXT for AUTISM FELLOWS (a work-based scholarship program for Direct Support Professionals), the NEXT Grants Program (funding for autistic-led and community-based organizations), and DEI at Work / Workplace Resources (practical tools for neurodiverse workplace inclusion). Supporting programs include NEXT for DSP (professional development curriculum for DSPs), the NEXT Gen Board (young professionals leadership board), Night of Too Many Stars (signature comedy fundraiser), and a Resource Library of tools for individuals and employers. The organization focuses on four key pillars: work, home, social, and health, with an emphasis on centering autistic voices in program design and delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NEXT CONNECTS A bi-directional mentorship program that pairs autistic college students and job seekers with established professionals for co-mentorship, training, and practical resources to support workforce entry and workplace inclusion.
• NEXT for AUTISM FELLOWS A work-based scholarship program for health and human services students that combines a $5,000 annual tuition scholarship with paid work experience at $16/hour as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) assisting neurodivergent adults, requiring 800 hours annually.
• NEXT Grants Program Annual grant funding program supporting autistic-led and community-based organizations that provide services for autistic adults in the areas of home, work, social, and health. In 2025-26, $856,572 was awarded to 52 organizations, with 18 being autistic-led.
• Night of Too Many Stars A biennial star-studded comedy event hosted by Jon Stewart that raises funds for autism programs nationwide, featuring performances from major comedians and entertainers as part of the Netflix Is a Joke festival.
• DEI at Work / Workplace Resources Practical workplace resources and tools for businesses and job seekers supporting neurodiversity and inclusion, including guides for requesting accommodations, accessible interview templates, neuroinclusive job listing best practices, and annual neurodiverse hiring panels.
• NEXT for DSP A professional development curriculum specifically designed for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), grounded in best practices and developed for the most crucial members of the autism services delivery system.
• NEXT for AUTISM Resource Library A library of tools, guides, and resources for individuals, families, employees, employers, and the community supporting autistic adults, covering workplace accommodations, hiring, autism services, and other topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72-73% of autistic employees report positive workplace outcomes including fair compensation and feeling supported
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New York-Presbyterian HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in establishing the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain (CADB), providing clinical services for individuals with autism across the lifespan.
• Columbia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in CADB and Hunter Autism Research, Practice & Policy Center (HARPP). Contributes research expertise and academic credibility.
• Weill Cornell MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical partner in CADB providing clinical and research capabilities for autism services.
• Hunter College (CUNY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in establishing professional training center for autism services. Partner school for NEXT for AUTISM FELLOWS scholarship program.
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Project SEARCH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Project SEARCH Autism Enhancement program providing employment training for autistic adults.
• TEACCH Autism Program (University of North Carolina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing expertise in evidence-based autism interventions and training.
• JCC ManhattanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing programming and services for autistic individuals and families.
• The Fragrance FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting NEXT events and programs through fundraising and awareness.
• NEST New YorkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCause marketing partner donating 5% of Midnight Moss & Vetiver collection sales to NEXT for AUTISM.
• Ty, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduct donation partner; 100% of profits from Max the dog plush toy donated to NEXT.
• Sunshine FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving children and adults with special needs.
• The ArcminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• SagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal research firm partnered with NEXT for AUTISM to conduct the Inside the Autistic Workplace national survey of 417 autistic adults.
• New York Road RunnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed NEXT for AUTISM as Official Charity Partner of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. NEXT part of 670+ charities with goal of raising $100 million.
• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHost of Night of Too Many Stars as part of Netflix Is a Joke festival. Raised $36,000 at 2026 event.
• The Valuable 500minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal disability inclusion initiative that NEXT for AUTISM participates in as a partner.
• Advancing Futures for Adults with AutismminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium of 16+ autism organizations including Easter Seals, SARRC, OAR, Autism Speaks founded by NEXT in 2008 to set national public policy agenda.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: National organization advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Direct peer via documented partnership with NEXT, with overlapping audiences in disability employment and community-based services.
• Easter Seals: Large national disability services nonprofit providing employment, housing, and adult services. Comparable mission overlap on disability employment and adult services, but with broader disability scope rather than autism-specific focus.

Direct peers

• Autism Speaks: Largest U.S. autism nonprofit, funding advocacy, research, and services. Both organizations compete for donor dollars and visibility in the autism space, though Autism Speaks is more research/advocacy-oriented and broader in scope.
• Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC): Arizona-based nonprofit providing lifespan autism services, research, and training. Directly comparable as an autism services nonprofit with adult-focused programs, research partnerships, and community-based service delivery.
• Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): Autism-led nonprofit focused on disability rights and autistic community advocacy. Comparable as a peer autism nonprofit, with an autistic-led governance model similar to NEXT's commitment to autistic voices.
• Autism Society of America: National grassroots autism organization providing information, referral, advocacy, and community support. Directly comparable as a national autism nonprofit serving individuals and families across the lifespan.
• TEACCH Autism Program: University-based autism program at UNC providing evidence-based services, training, and research. Listed as a NEXT academic partner, with overlapping focus on autism services and professional training.
• AANE (Asperger/Autism Network): Regional autism nonprofit serving individuals, families, and professionals. Listed as a NEXT grantee and directly comparable as an autism services organization serving adults and families.
• Organization for Autism Research (OAR): Autism-focused nonprofit funding applied research and resources for individuals and families. Direct peer in the autism nonprofit space, with overlapping audiences and program models.
• Project SEARCH: International employment transition program for young adults with disabilities, including autism enhancement track. Direct peer via documented partnership with NEXT for employment programs targeting autistic adults.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NEXTforAUTISM
• Facebookfacebook.com/NEXT4AUTISM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/next-for-autism
• Instagraminstagram.com/nextforautism

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments52 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NEXT for AUTISM