Golisano Autism Center

What Golisano Autism Center does

Golisano Autism Center is a Rochester, NY-based nonprofit organization that operates a 33,000 sq ft co-located service hub at 50 Science Parkway, opened in September 2019. The center was conceived in 2017 through a partnership between the Al Sigl Community of Agencies, AutismUp, and CP Rochester, funded by a $5 million lead gift from B. Thomas Golisano and the Golisano Foundation. It does not directly employ the full clinical workforce; instead, it serves as a physical and organizational platform that hosts 12+ specialized autism service providers under one roof, enabling autistic individuals and families to access diagnostic, therapeutic, educational, employment, and family support services across the lifespan without navigating multiple separate agencies.

The center's core operational asset is its Multi-Sensory Learning Environment — a state-of-the-art sensory gym and therapeutic space with an outdoor learning area, designed for sensory regulation and immersive experiences for autistic individuals. Programming is organized into school-aged services, supported employment and adult transition services, clinical and therapy services, early intervention and preschool programs, and future care planning seminars. A Peer Mentor program staffed by autistic individuals provides lived-experience navigation support, and an Autism HelpLine (1-866-AUTISM-4) extends intake access to the Greater Rochester region. The Bridges of Belonging initiative extends education and inclusion training to community organizations and businesses.

The organization operates on a donations-based revenue model. Funding sources include individual and corporate charitable donations, corporate sponsorships (tiered packages for events such as the annual Stand Up for Autism comedy show), in-kind donations, planned giving, and endowment contributions. With only 10 direct employees on staff, the center functions primarily as a convener and facility operator rather than a direct service employer; service delivery is executed by the co-located partner organizations, each of which maintains its own funding and clinical operations. The center is governed by a Board of Directors and operates under EIN 82-4108453.

Name

Golisano Autism Center

Legal name

Golisano Autism Center

Website

https://golisanoautismcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Golisano Autism Center is a Rochester, NY nonprofit that operates a 33,000 sq ft co-located service hub hosting 12+ autism service providers. It serves autistic individuals and families across the lifespan through sensory, therapeutic, employment, and family support programs funded by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autism Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKAKAH

Autism Sensory & Occupational Support (School-Based)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Autism Support Services (Educational)

SECONDARYEDAKAAAA

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Special Education Schools & Programs

SECONDARYEDAKAKAA

Autism Diagnostic & Educational Assessment Services

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Autism Support Services (Educational)

SECONDARYEDAKAKAJ

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

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Autism Support Services (Educational)

Keywords

• Autism services
• Sensory integration therapy
• Behavioral health services
• Developmental disability support
• Special education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

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. Donations and Fundraising: The center relies primarily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Ways to Give page lists multiple donation options including one-time donations, monthly donations, pledges, planned giving, and endowment contributions.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support the center through customized sponsorship packages for events like the Stand Up for Autism comedy show. Sponsors receive recognition and benefits reflective of their budget and needs.
3. In-Kind Donations: The center accepts in-kind donations for raffles and silent auctions at fundraising events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Golisano Autism Center operates a 33,000 sq ft collaborative hub facility in Rochester, NY, where it coordinates autism services across the lifespan through more than 12 co-located partner organizations. The center delivers diagnostic, therapeutic (occupational, physical, speech, behavioral), educational, employment, social/recreational, and family support services within a state-of-the-art Multi-Sensory Learning Environment, complemented by the Bridges of Belonging inclusion initiative and a Peer Mentor Program staffed by autistic individuals.

Product overview

The Golisano Autism Center is a comprehensive service center that provides autism-related services across the lifespan through a collaborative, one-stop approach. The center operates as a multi-provider facility with multiple partner organizations co-located under one roof. Core offerings include a state-of-the-art Multi-Sensory Learning Environment, the Bridges of Belonging initiative for social inclusion, and a Peer Mentor Program. The center offers school-aged programs (Art, Behavior Therapeutic Support, Sensory Learning Gym, Sports & Fitness, Yoga, etc.), supported employment and transition services, clinical therapy services, individual and family support including childcare and respite, early intervention programs, and future care planning seminars. Provider tenants deliver specialized services including diagnostic assessments, mental health services, employment support, outpatient clinical services, and therapy services (occupational, physical, speech).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multi-Sensory Learning Environment

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LifespanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to offer Future Care Planning Services including comprehensive life care planning seminars for caregivers and their loved ones with disabilities.
• Al Sigl Community of AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Founding partner organization that helped establish the Golisano Autism Center. Al Sigl is a founding agency that collaborated with other disability organizations to create this comprehensive center.
• AutismUpcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Founding partner and current tenant providing social skills, readiness skills, sensory regulation, supported fitness, and recreation programs. One of the three founding agencies that created the center.
• CP RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Founding partner and current tenant providing Article 28 and Article 16 clinic services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and the SAIL independence program. One of the three founding agencies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AutismUp: AutismUp is a founding partner and current tenant of the Golisano Autism Center, providing social skills, sensory regulation, and recreation programs to autistic individuals and families in the Rochester area. Both organizations share the same end-user population and operate in the same regional autism support ecosystem.
• CP Rochester: CP Rochester is a founding partner and tenant of the Golisano Autism Center, providing clinical, therapeutic, and habilitative services (OT, PT, speech, psychiatry, primary care) for individuals with developmental disabilities. It is directly comparable as a co-located provider serving the same population.
• People Inc. People Inc. is a Golisano Center tenant providing the Fun with Friends Afternoon Respite Program for students with developmental disabilities. It is a Western New York human services agency that directly compares as a co-located disability and respite services provider.
• Al Sigl Community of Agencies: Al Sigl is a founding partner of the Golisano Autism Center and a Rochester-based umbrella organization that brings together disability service agencies. It is directly comparable as a co-located multi-agency service model and a strategic collaborator.
• Easterseals New York: Easterseals (including the Kessler Center referenced as a Golisano tenant) operates clinical, residential, educational, and employment programs for people with autism and disabilities. It is one of the largest US disability service networks and directly comparable to the Golisano Center's multi-service approach.

Broad incumbents

• Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks is one of the largest autism advocacy and research organizations in the US, operating at a national scale. It is comparable to the Golisano Center's mission but operates through advocacy, grants, and research rather than direct service delivery.
• May Institute: May Institute is a national nonprofit that provides educational, therapeutic, and residential services for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. It is comparable to the Golisano Center's lifespan hub model and clinical, educational, and employment services.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Devereux is a large national nonprofit provider of behavioral health, autism, and intellectual/developmental disability services across the lifespan. It is comparable to the Golisano Center's lifespan care model and multi-program structure, but at materially larger scale.

Emerging players

• Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers: Hopebridge is a multi-state operator of autism therapy centers offering ABA, occupational, speech, and diagnostic services. While for-profit and clinic-based rather than a nonprofit hub, it is comparable as a scaled autism services provider targeting the same population.
• Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD): CARD is one of the largest US providers of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and autism services, operating across multiple states. It is a broad comparison point for lifespan autism service delivery, though it is a clinic-based rather than hub-and-tenant model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/golisanoautism
• Facebookfacebook.com/golisanoautismcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/golisanoautismcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/golisanoautismcenterroc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Golisano Autism Center