The Orange Effect Foundation

What The Orange Effect Foundation does

The Orange Effect Foundation (OEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that provides financial grants for speech therapy services and assistive communication technology to children and young adults (up to age 21) with speech disorders across the United States. Officially incorporated in 2014 after originating from the founders' 2001 experience with their eldest child's autism diagnosis, OEF operates as a "funder of last resort," stepping in when insurance is exhausted and families cannot afford care. Grants are disbursed quarterly — $25,000 per quarter — directly to therapy providers or AAC device manufacturers (including Tobii Dynavox), covering weekly speech therapy sessions, one week of speech camp per year, and speech-generating devices. The foundation does not build technology products; its core operational infrastructure is an online grant application portal (webportalapp.com) and a quarterly review process managed by a volunteer board.

Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels: individual donations, corporate sponsorships (Aon, Eaton, CNA, Petco, GIE Media, Schafer, CorriganKrause, among others), and recurring fundraising events including the annual Golf for Autism (20th year in 2026), the 100 Holes of Golf Marathon, and Night at the Races. The organization runs lean with 1–10 staff supplemented by a volunteer board of directors drawn from insurance, media, education, and speech-language pathology sectors. To date, OEF reports funding 516 children across 43 states, purchasing 146 speech devices, and underwriting more than 8,880 hours of speech therapy. On June 18, 2026, the foundation announced it would cease operations at the end of 2026, with August 1, 2026 as the final application deadline.

Name

The Orange Effect Foundation

Legal name

The Orange Effect Foundation

Website

https://theorangeeffect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Orange Effect Foundation is a Cleveland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides quarterly grants for speech therapy and AAC devices to U.S. children and young adults (up to age 21) with speech disorders, funded by corporate sponsors and annual golf events, and is ceasing operations at the end of 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Speech Therapy Grants

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism & Neurodevelopmental Early Intervention Programs (EDACAFAF), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)

Keywords

• Speech therapy grants
• Nonprofit foundation funding
• Assistive communication grants
• AAC device funding
• Philanthropic healthcare grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting the foundation's mission to fund speech therapy and technology for children with speech disorders.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors commit to supporting OEF through both monetary and fundraising support. Major sponsors include Aon, Eaton, CNA, Petco, and numerous other companies.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including Golf for Autism (20th annual in 2026), 100 Holes of Golf Marathon, and Night at the Races generate significant funding for grants.
4. Tax-Deductible Contributions: All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, as a 501(c)(3) organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Orange Effect Foundation provides quarterly financial grants to U.S. children and young adults (up to age 21) with speech disorders, funding weekly speech therapy sessions, one week of speech camp per year, and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices. Applications are reviewed by a volunteer board and grants are paid directly to therapy providers or device manufacturers, not to families. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and annual fundraising events.

Product overview

The Orange Effect Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides financial grants for speech therapy services and assistive technology equipment to children and young adults (up to age 21) with speech disorders. The foundation does not offer a unified technology product or software platform; rather, it operates a grant-making program that funds speech therapy sessions, speech camps, and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices for eligible families. The organization accepts applications via an online portal (webportalapp.com) and distributes grants on a quarterly basis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Speech Therapy Grants
• Speech Camp Grants
• AAC Device Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ children helped across the United States
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• AonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate sponsor of the Orange Effect Foundation. Aon's Middle Market Commercial Risk practice Managing Director Kristin Erbacher serves as Board Chair.
• EatonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor with content strategy and marketing manager Craig Coffey serving as Board Member Emeritus.
• CNAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting the foundation.
• PetcocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor that has supported the foundation for multiple years.
• SchafercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed among key supporters.
• CorriganKrausecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting the foundation.
• GIE MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHas been a sponsor every year since the foundation's beginning.
• OpenviewminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor listed among supporters.
• WTWH MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting the foundation.
• Tobii DynavoxcoreTechnology or IntegrationAAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) device manufacturer whose products are funded through OEF grants for children who need speech-generating devices.
• Stack Heating and CoolingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKey partner mentioned in content marketing context as a supporter.
• Easter Seals of Northern OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal partner organization. In 2007, Golf for Autism raised and donated over $100,000 directly to Easter Seals of Northern Ohio for autism and speech therapy services.
• SixmoArchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor.
• MAIIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor.
• Insurance Industry Charitable FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociate Board Chair Dana Gore serves this foundation while also serving on OEF board.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Small Steps in Speech: Nonprofit that funds speech therapy grants for children with speech and language disorders. Highly comparable to OEF in target beneficiary, grant structure, and therapy-funding focus.
• UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation: Provides medical grants to children, including coverage for speech therapy and AAC-related services. Direct peer as a child-focused medical grantmaking foundation with similar beneficiary profile.
• First Hand Foundation: Childrens medical grantmaking foundation that funds therapy, equipment, and clinical care not covered by insurance. Comparable funder-of-last-resort positioning for children.
• Help Hope Live: Nonprofit that helps families fund medical needs including therapy and assistive equipment. Comparable fundraising-and-disbursement model serving children and adults with therapy access barriers.
• Sunshine Foundation: Nonprofit that grants wishes and provides direct aid to children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Comparable direct-beneficiary grant model for children with medical needs.
• Variety - the Children's Charity: Children's charity providing direct aid, mobility equipment, and therapy grants to children with disabilities. Comparable mission and grantmaking structure for children needing assistive services.

Broad incumbents

• HealthWell Foundation: Large independent nonprofit that provides copay and premium assistance for medical treatments across conditions. Broader incumbent operating at much larger scale but in the same medical grantmaking category.
• Starlight Children's Foundation: Large childrens health nonprofit delivering programs, equipment, and hospital services. Broader incumbent serving overlapping beneficiary population (children with health needs) but with a wider scope.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: Large-scale nonprofit funding pediatric medical care across 170+ hospitals. Much larger incumbent operating in children's health grantmaking, broadly overlapping with OEF's beneficiary population.

Emerging players

• National Children's Cancer Foundation: Child-focused nonprofit providing financial assistance and resources to families facing pediatric cancer. Comparable grantmaking-and-family-support mission for children with serious health conditions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/orangeeffectfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/orangeeffectfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-orange-effect-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Orange Effect Foundation