Apply for funding to establish the National Autism Network

On this page

• Context
• About the National Autism Network
• Eligible applicants
• Application and assessment process
• Contact us

Context

The Public Health Agency of Canada is inviting eligible organizations to apply for funding to establish and lead the National Autism Network.

As an applicant, it's your responsibility to read through this information and request additional guidance so that you understand the eligibility criteria and other important information before submitting your application.

The National Autism Network will unite the expertise and resources of autism organizations and stakeholders, including people with lived and living experience, to address key autism priorities. The network will be established as a stand-alone, not-for-profit organization grounded in inclusivity. This ensures that people with lived and living experience are meaningfully involved in implementing the Framework for Autism in Canada and Canada's Autism Strategy.

A network that involves Autistic people in the development and implementation of policies and programs that affect them is essential. It ensures that initiatives are relevant, practical and effective by incorporating their lived and living experiences and perspectives. Collaborating with Autistic people, their families and caregivers helps make initiatives more focused and effective. Ongoing collaboration with Autistic people will help reach our shared goal of improving the health and well-being of Autistic people in Canada.

The agency has identified $6.5 million over 5 years for the network as part of its efforts to implement the framework and the strategy. The network will work with the agency to develop an implementation plan for both the framework and the strategy, which will include benchmarks and indicators to measure progress in key areas. The network and agency will collaborate to ensure that implementation of the strategy and framework is practical and tailored to address the needs of Autistic people, their families and caregivers.

Learn more:

• Framework for Autism in Canada
• Canada's Autism Strategy
• Factsheet: Framework for Autism in Canada
• Factsheet: Canada's Autism Strategy

About the National Autism Network

Objectives

The network aims to represent the diverse voices of the Autism community, including those with lived and living experience.

It will collaborate with governments and other sectors to design, develop and implement initiatives that support the 5 priority areas of the framework and the strategy:

• Screening, diagnosis and services
• Economic inclusion
• Data collection, public health surveillance and research
• Public awareness, understanding, and acceptance
• Tools and resources

The network will provide a forum for the ongoing engagement of the Autism community on policies and programs that affect them, including through the creation of advisory bodies. It will bring together the skills and resources of autism organizations, stakeholders and other experts to share knowledge, expertise and best practices on autism priorities.

Network overview

The network will be a not-for-profit organization led by a board of directors, elected by and accountable to the network's members. The board's role is to set the overall strategic direction of the network based on the Framework for Autism in Canada and Canada's Autism Strategy.

The network will include advisory committees, with mandates established by the board for specific initiatives or priorities. The framework and the strategy include commitments for the network to establish advisory committees in areas including:

• screening, diagnosis and services
• financial tools and supports
• resources and tools to provide better support for Autistic people in Canada, their families and caregivers

The network will have a mandate to create additional advisory committees as needed to inform its work. These committees will be composed of Autistic people, advocates and family members to provide expertise and experience on other policy and program areas.

Membership in the network must have a national scope and represent the diverse identities within the Autism community throughout all stages of life. The Autism community will represent itself in the network's membership, and therefore include:

• Autistic people and their advocates (for those who can't speak for themselves)
• family members and caregivers of Autistic people

Network membership may also include diverse stakeholders in the Autism community, such as:

• research bodies
• expert organizations
• social service providers
• professional organizations
• philanthropic organizations
• medical and health care bodies
• advocacy and awareness groups
• school boards and education experts

Membership diversity is essential to provide the most comprehensive expertise and experience.

The role of network members will be to provide insight and expertise on lived or living experiences to support implementation of the network's activities. Members elect the board of directors and may participate on advisory committees.

The network will collaborate with expert external organizations to advance key autism priorities outlined in the framework and strategy. By fostering partnerships, the network will gain access to a diverse range of skills, expertise and resources from both within and beyond the autism sector.

Eligible applicants

Applicants who fall under the following category may be considered for funding:

• Canadian not-for-profit voluntary organizations and corporations.

To be eligible for funding, you must demonstrate that you bring the following organizational capacities and expertise to the network:

• Knowledge of and experience working with Canada's Autism community.
• Capacity to both:
  • reach stakeholders working with Autistic people, their families and caregivers across Canada
  • expand the National Autism Network's reach beyond existing networks
• Experience in:
  • allocating funds for programs or initiatives based on needs
  • distributing these funds to appropriate targeted community groups through an open and transparent solicitation process
• Experience and capacity to perform and report on outcome evaluations in order to demonstrate measurable results and evidence-based approaches.

Application and assessment process

How to apply

To apply, you must complete an Invitation to Submit a Funding Request. To obtain a copy of the invitation, email us and reference "National Autism Network" in the subject line. We'll provide you with a program guide containing additional information on the network.

The invitation includes a range of detailed questions on the various components of the establishment of the network, including membership, operations and governance, which require thorough responses. You will need to outline a detailed workplan describing the activities involved to establish the network. You will also be asked to provide letters of support from other persons or organizations.

All applications must be submitted by email.

Email: cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca

The deadline for submitting a completed application is Monday, November 25, 2024 at 11:59 PM EST. No extensions will be granted.

Assessment process

Applications will be assessed through an independent, multidisciplinary external review committee composed of Autistic people and other stakeholders in the Autism community that may include:

• advocates
• researchers
• clinicians

The review committee will conduct an assessment of applications based on pre-established evaluation criteria, and provide recommendations to the Public Health Agency of Canada on the creation of the network. It's the agency's responsibility to recommend an application for funding or reject it, based on the recommendations of the external review committee.

The composition of the review committee will ensure representation of various demographics, including Autistic people, their caregivers and family members. There will be a balance of different:

• ages
• genders
• official languages
• 2SLGBTQI+ community members
• people living in various regions of Canada
• members of various racial and cultural groups

Contact us

For more information about this funding opportunity, email us with "National Autism Network" in the subject line.

Email: cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca