Support for a National Voluntary Health Agency for Autism Research and Public Advocacy

In the mid 1990s, the NLM Family Foundation recognized the need to create a national voluntary health agency dedicated to autism research. Unlike so many other conditions at that time, autism suffered from a lack of public awareness and a coherent national agenda for autism research. The NLM Family Foundation sought out organizations which it thought might evolve into this type of national organization. Following extensive due diligence, the Foundation provided critical early seed money to support this fledgling organization to enable it to grow into a large, powerful voluntary health agency that raises millions of dollars for autism research and public advocacy.