Lowcountry Autism Foundation

Name

Lowcountry Autism Foundation

Legal name

Lowcountry Autism Foundation

Website

https://lafinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lowcountry Autism Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, in-person therapeutic, social, and family-support programs to over 3,500 individuals with autism and their families in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autism Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Early Intervention (Educational) (EDAKAKAB), Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG), Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention (EDAKAKAI)

Keywords

• Autism support services
• Therapy programs
• Special needs services
• Nonprofit family services
• Community autism programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bluffton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting autism services in the SC Lowcountry
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships at multiple tiers: Diamond ($25,000+), Platinum ($10,000-$24,999), Gold ($5,000-$9,999), Silver ($2,500-$4,999), Bronze ($1,000-$2,499), Family Sponsor ($500-$1,000). Includes logo placement, event tickets, and promotional materials.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including 9th Annual Ales for Autism, 7th Annual LAF Golf Classic, 2nd Annual Heavy Equipment Rodeo, and LIVE LAF LOVE annual soiree and golf tournament
4. Heritage Classic Foundation Matching: Donations through Heritage Classic Foundation receive 20% match. Heritage Champions Fore Charity matches contributions of $1,000+ up to $10,000. Birdies for Charity provides 100% of raised funds plus 20% bonus.
5. Planned Giving: Life insurance, retirement funds, annuities, trusts, and estate planning donations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lowcountry Autism Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free therapy and support programs to families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Core offerings include art therapy, music therapy, equine-assisted therapy, swim lessons, social skills groups, and parent respite, all provided at no cost to participating families.

Product overview

Lowcountry Autism Foundation is a non-profit organization that offers a comprehensive suite of free programs and services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families in the South Carolina Lowcountry. The organization operates as a service provider rather than a traditional product company, offering therapeutic services (Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Equine Therapy), social programs (Pizza & Peers, Parent's Afternoon Out), skill-building programs (Social Skills), aquatic programs (LAF Swim), and community safety initiatives (LAF AID). All programs are provided at no cost to families and are designed to fill service gaps from initial diagnosis suspicion through the individual's lifetime. The organization partners with local clinics, therapy providers, and law enforcement agencies to deliver these services across Bluffton and Charleston areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Art Therapy Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $500,000 in free autism services to over 3,500 Lowcountry families

Named customers1 record

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership with MUSC Developmental-Behavioral Pediatric Department. LAF provides information, service support, and direct assistance to families in coordination with MUSC's autism diagnostic and treatment services.
• Samuel Lee Toney Sr FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide 8-week equine therapy program for children with ASD. The SLT Foundation was founded in honor of Lt. Sam Toney and operates the SLT Barn in Moncks Corner, SC where weekly sessions are held.
• We Rock The Spectrum Gym SummervilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for Parent's Afternoon Out respite program, providing gym space for children's activities
• Local PieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRestaurant partner for Pizza & Peers social group program where adults and teens with ASD socialize and make pizza together
• SOBA (Society of Bluffton Artists)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt therapy venue partner providing space for sibling and ASD art therapy classes
• Coastal GymnasticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for Parent's Afternoon Out program providing gymnastics facilities
• Iggy's Pizza ShopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharleston area venue partner for Pizza & Peers program
• Disability Rights of South CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent partnership providing educational resources on knowing rights, IEP advocacy tips, and disability rights information
• South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing case management services, waivers, and early intervention through BabyNet for children with autism

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Autism Speaks: Large national autism advocacy and services organization funding research, advocacy, and family services. Comparable as a nonprofit family-support organization, though at far greater scale and with research-funding focus rather than direct local program delivery.
• Autism Society of America: National 501(c)(3) providing information, advocacy, and support services to individuals with autism and families. Directly comparable mission (community-based autism family support) but operates at a national scale rather than regionally.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing services for individuals with disabilities, including autism, including therapy, respite, and family support. Comparable service mix (therapies, social programs, family services) but broader disability focus and far larger scale.

Others

• Sesame Workshop: Nonprofit producing autism inclusion content (Sesame Street and Friends) and autism family resources. Thematically adjacent as a producer of autism family educational resources, though not a direct service provider and not regionally focused.

Emerging players

• National Autism Association: Nonprofit focused on safety (wandering/elopement), advocacy, and family support for the autism community. Comparable to LAF's LAF AID elopement-identification program and family advocacy work, though operating nationally without LAF's direct therapy program suite.
• Organization for Autism Research (OAR): Nonprofit applying research to autism family support, including IEP guides and resource toolkits. Comparable in producing family-facing autism educational resources (LAF has an ASD dictionary, roadmap checklists, IEP advocacy tips), though OAR is research- rather than program-led.

Direct peers

• Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism: Family-founded autism nonprofit funding direct services, education, and respite programs for autism families. Comparable as a regionally-rooted family services funder, with grantmaking model (vs. LAF's direct program delivery) and East Coast geographic overlap.
• South Carolina Autism Society: State-level autism nonprofit serving South Carolina families with advocacy, support groups, and resource navigation. Most directly comparable as a SC-based autism family-support nonprofit serving overlapping geography, though with an advocacy/resource focus rather than LAF's direct program delivery model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LAFinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/lowcountry_autism_foundation
• Xx.com/lafinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Lowcountry Autism Foundation