Foundation for Autism Research and Remediation

Grants & Research

Request for Proposals

The Foundation for Autism Research & Remediation (FARR) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency dedicated to bridging the gap between research and clinical practice. Throughout the year, FARR solicits proposals that advance scientific clinical research in critical areas of remediation of the core deficits of autism. Proposals are considered that contribute to the field by developing pilot and treatment related studies that focus on developmental cognitive changes in the following critical areas:

Cognitive social functioning
Experience sharing in communication
Cognitive and emotional co-regulation
Initiation of joint attention
Development of theory of mind
Cognitive flexibility
Emotional coordination with others
Strategic cognitive problem solving
Social referencing
Reciprocal conversation in communication
Nonverbal communication

The development of systematic ways to treat and measure the response to treatment in these core deficit areas will serve as a catalyst for future research efforts directed at refining effective tools for remediating the core deficits of ASD.

Outstanding proposals will demonstrate direct and immediate relevance to ASD. Applications are invited from those clinical researchers who are new to the field of autism and to those who are established in the field.

Procedures for Submitting Letters of Intent and Proposals

The Foundation for Autism Research and Remediation has an open submission policy and evaluates grants as they are received. Letters of Intent are reviewed by the FARR Scientific Advisory Committee and invitations for full applications are offered within two months (60 days) of the letter’s receipt. Those researchers invited to submit full proposals will have an additional two months (60 days) following their notification to submit the full proposal. Notification of awards will be sent directly to that researcher.

Letter of Intent Guidelines

Prior to invitation to submit a full proposal, the applicant is required to submit a Letter of Intent (2 page maximum) describing the research project. Please briefly describe the following:

1. Specific aims of the proposed research
2. Methodology
3. Experimental design
4. Relevance to advancing the state of clinical research in remediation of core deficits
5. Institution where the research is to be conducted
6. Brief qualifications of any collaborators
7. A copy of the applicant’s current biosketch
8. Amount being requested (grants are awarded up to $20,000 per year; for continued funding a full proposal must be resubmitted)

Proposal Guidelines

After submitting a Letter of Intent, a proposal may be invited. Proposals have a 20 page maximum, not including attachments. Proposals should address the following:

Narrative
1. Background – Describe the work of your organization, addressing each of the following:
  1. Current projects and funding
  2. Overview of the organization’s structure including the number of full and part-time staff, interns, and volunteers
  3. Demographic information of your organization’s constituents, including race, ethnicity, gender, SES
  4. Brief description of any pilot studies you have conducted preceding the project being considered for funding
2. Study Design and Methodology
  1. Title of the study
  2. Objectives and hypotheses
  3. Number of subjects you will recruit
  4. How you plan to recruit subjects
  5. How subjects will be compensated and protected
  6. What measures you will utilize to test your hypotheses
  7. Specific timetable for meeting your study’s objectives
  8. How you will carry out the study (scientific methodology)
  9. How you will analyze the results of your study
  10. What you will do with the results of your study
Investigators, Collaborators, Consultants
1. Include a biosketch for each investigator and collaborator and a brief description of each consultant’s affiliations and expertise.
Letters of support
1. Include three (3) letters of support from previous collaborators, consultants, researchers, or practitioners with whom you are currently working or have worked with in the past. Recommendation letters should not be older than six (6) months.

Letters of intent and proposals can be either mailed by post or emailed (preferred method) to:
Steven E. Gutstein Ph.D.
Director
Foundation for Autism Research & Remediation (FARR)
P.O. Box 271646
Houston, TX 77277-1646
Or by email (preferred method): gutstein@rdiconnect.com

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