NVA - Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme

What NVA - Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme does

NVA - Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme is the Dutch national membership association for people with autism, their families, and professionals, established in 1978 and headquartered in De Bilt, Netherlands. The organisation operates as a non-profit patient advocacy body with 82 staff and 11 regional branches covering all Dutch provinces plus an online branch, delivering an information and advice line, peer-support groups, the Auti-Doe-dagen autism-friendly events programme, the annual AutismeCongres, the Autisme Magazine publication, and the AutismeTV YouTube channel. Its core member-facing tools are the Autipas and Autismepaspoort communication cards, and it runs employment resources via Werkweb-Autisme alongside the PAWS workshop delivered in partnership with KNGF Geleidehonden.

The organisation's business model combines individual membership fees (€5 per month or €60 per year) with donations, multi-funder subsidies, and grants. Income is materially dependent on the Dutch Ministry of VWS (patient-organisation subsidy), AutismeFonds, and the Nationale Postcode Loterij (which underwrites PAWS), supplemented by a broad set of health, disability, and lottery funds (CZ Fonds, FNO, Kansfonds, NSGK, MIND Fonds, VSBfonds, Start Foundation, Stichting Diorapthe, TMC, and others). NVA holds ANBI public-benefit status and CBf "Erkend Goed Doel" certification, providing fundraising credibility and tax deductibility for donors.

Strategically, NVA combines service delivery, community mobilisation, and policy advocacy. Its recent track record includes securing the abolition of mandatory fitness-to-drive assessments for people with autism (effective April 1, 2026), expanding PAWS workshops to four new municipalities in August 2026, joining the six-year CO-INTEND research consortium on technology for autistic children's social contact, and refreshing its board in June 2026 with new chairman Harry Vossebeld and director-level health-fundraising expertise via Jan-Willem Förch. The organisation's primary technology footprint is informational (autisme.nl, AutismeTV, Werkweb-Autisme) rather than product-software based, with no disclosed AI/ML capability.

Name

NVA - Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme

Legal name

Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme

Website

https://autisme.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NVA is the Dutch national non-profit membership association for people with autism, founded in 1978 and serving individuals, families, and professionals across all life stages through 11 regional branches, an advice line, advocacy, publications, and programs such as PAWS and Auti-Doe-dagen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability advocacy and patient association services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Business Associations (813910), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Assistive Technology & Learning Tools (Educational) (EDAKAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language) (EDAKAKAG), Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC), Autism Support Instructional Materials (Structured Teaching, Visual Supports) (EDAGAMAK)

Keywords

• Autism advocacy services
• Membership association
• Disability support
• Information helpline
• Peer support groups

Headquarters

HQ city

De Bilt

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Membership starts at €5 per month (€60 per year).
2. Donations and sponsorships: The organization accepts donations and receives support from sponsors and partners. The website displays logos of sponsors including CBf (Centraal Bureau Fondsenwerving), ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling), Vrienden Loterij, and Nationale Postcode Loterij.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NVA is a Dutch membership-based non-profit association that provides information, advice, advocacy, and peer support for people with autism and their families across all life stages (from young children aged 0-3 through seniors 67+). Its offerings include the Autipas communication card, Autismepaspoort, Autisme Magazine, AutismeTV YouTube content, the PAWS dog-support workshop, autism-friendly Auti-Doe-dagen events, the annual NVA-AutismeCongres, and a telephone Information and Advice Line.

Product overview

NVA - Nederlandse Vereniging voor Autisme operates primarily as an informational and advocacy organization rather than a technology company. Their core offerings consist of publications and documents (Autipas, Autismepaspoort), media content (Autisme TV on YouTube), printed materials, and programs like the PAWS dog support workshops. They provide event programs including Auti-Doe-dagen (autism-friendly museum/attraction visits), an annual congress, peer support groups, and a telephone information service. Their online presence includes Werkweb-Autisme for employment resources. The organization functions as a membership association offering these services to people with autism, their families, and professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Autipas A document/card system issued to individuals with autism to help them communicate their needs and characteristics to others in various social, educational, and public settings.
• Autismepaspoort A passport-style document that helps individuals with autism communicate their needs and characteristics, particularly useful in educational settings.
• AutismeTV A video platform (YouTube channel) featuring educational content about autism, including AutiTV and other videos covering various autism-related topics for people with autism, families, and professionals.
• Folders, Brochures and Posters Print and digital informational materials about autism including guides, brochures, and posters for individuals, families, and professionals.
• PAWS Workshop (Parents Autism Workshop & Support) A three-day workshop teaching parents and caregivers how a dog can support their child with autism, delivered as a collaboration with KNGF Geleidehonden and funded by the Nationale Postcode Loterij.
• Auti-Doe-dagen Autism-friendly activity days at museums, zoos, and attractions across the Netherlands where sensory stimuli are reduced to accommodate individuals with autism.
• Werkweb-Autisme An online resource platform providing tools, information, and experiences for people with autism regarding work and employment.
• Autisme Magazine A quarterly magazine published by NVA containing articles about autism research, experiences, and practical information for members, distributed in both digital and print formats.
• NVA-AutismeCongres An annual professional conference bringing together researchers, professionals, and people with autism to share knowledge and developments in the autism field.
• Informatie- en Advieslijn (Information and Advice Line) A telephone information and advice line staffed by volunteers, available weekdays 10:00-14:00, answering questions about autism, Autipas, membership, and other NVA topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• The organization successfully advocated for the abolition of mandatory fitness-to-drive assessments for people with autism (effective April 1, 2026).

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KNGF GeleidehondencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026NVA and KNGF Geleidehonden collaborate to expand and deliver the PAWS (Parents Autism Workshop & Support) workshop nationwide in the Netherlands. The workshop teaches parents how a dog can provide support for challenges in daily life of children with autism. NVA contributes autism expertise while KNGF contributes specialist knowledge about training and deploying dogs. Funding from the Nationale Postcode Loterij makes this partnership possible.
• Per SaldominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNVA co-signed Per Saldo's letter to the Dutch Parliament about concerns regarding personal budgets (pgb). The partnership focuses on advocacy for people with autism regarding funding for care and support, particularly for parent and housing initiatives and 'meerzorg' (additional care) provisions.
• CO-INTEND Consortium (Universiteit Twente, TU Delft, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Hogeschool Utrecht, Radboudumc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNVA is involved in the CO-INTEND research project, a 6-year initiative starting in 2026 studying how technology can help autistic children in social contact. NVA contributes by advising, supporting participant recruitment, and sharing results in accessible ways.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AutismeFonds: Dutch autism-focused funding organization that explicitly provides financial support to NVA and other autism initiatives in the Netherlands — comparable Dutch autism mission and overlapping fundee base.
• Balans: Dutch association for parents of children with developmental and behavioral disorders (including ADHD, autism, dyslexia) — directly comparable as a Dutch parent-led advocacy and information organization serving overlapping family audiences.
• Autism Society of America: One of the oldest US autism advocacy organizations (founded 1965), providing information, support networks, and policy advocacy for autistic individuals — directly comparable mission to NVA on a larger geographic scale.
• National Autistic Society: The UK's national autism membership association providing information, advice, advocacy, and community support for autistic people and families — the closest geographic and functional analogue to NVA outside the Netherlands.
• Autisme Europe: European umbrella autism association coordinating policy, advocacy, and information sharing across member national associations including NVA itself — directly comparable mission at a continental level.

Others

• ReumaNederland: Dutch patient association for rheumatism providing information, advocacy, and research funding — structurally and operationally comparable to NVA as a Dutch health-focused membership/fundraising organization, and the source of NVA's incoming board member Jan-Willem Förch.
• Nederlandse Patiënten Federatie: Dutch national umbrella for patient organizations representing collective patient interests to government and insurers — NVA is a member organization within this ecosystem and is structurally comparable as a patient-advocacy body.
• Per Saldo: Dutch association for personal budget (pgb) holders, co-signing parliamentary advocacy with NVA on care funding — directly comparable as a Dutch patient-advocacy organization with overlapping policy engagement and member-base concerns.
• MIND Platform: Dutch umbrella for mental health organizations, providing advocacy and information that overlaps with NVA's autism mission under the broader Dutch psychische gezondheid funding channel (MIND Fonds Psychische Gezondheid funds NVA).

Broad incumbents

• Autism Speaks: Large US-based autism advocacy and research funder with broad awareness campaigns, policy influence, and grant-making — overlapping with NVA in mission but operating at significantly greater scale and global visibility.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AutismeTV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nva-nederlandse-vereniging-voor-autisme

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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