Scholarship Application FAQs - KNOWAutism Foundation

What is the maximum income I can make and qualify for my child to receive a KNOWAutism scholarship?
A: There isn’t a specific cutoff amount for household income. We assess all applications, taking into account factors such as the number of dependents, medical complexities, disabilities of other children/legal dependents, parental involvement in caregiving and financial support, recent hardships, situational factors, and evidence of parents seeking additional financial resources and advocating for their child.

I do not know the other parent’s financial and personal information. Is my family member still eligible to receive a grant from the KNOWAutism Foundation?
A: If only one parent is solely financially responsible for the child, we require legal documentation outlining sole conservatorship. If unavailable, a family court decree/modification indicating court-ordered child support and proof of non-payment from the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s website is permitted. Alternative documentation may be considered. If the other parent/guardian will not share a tax return with the parent applying, they can email it to info@know-autism.org. Each case is individually assessed.

Does my family member have to have an autism spectrum disorders diagnosis to qualify for a grant from the KNOWAutism Foundation?
A: To qualify for either a tuition and therapy scholarship or a special interest fund scholarship, documentation of an autism diagnosis is required. Acceptable documents include a diagnostic assessment or report, copy of IEP, SSI or Medicaid determination letter, documentation from school district, or other similar documents.

May I apply for more than one scholarship type at a time?
A: You can submit applications for multiple scholarships simultaneously, but awards are limited to one grant per child within a rolling 12-month period.

Do your scholarship awards cover more than one service?
A: To maximize our support for families, we provide one scholarship that covers one service with one provider within a 12-month period per child or young adult.

How often can I apply for a scholarship from KNOWAutism?
A: If granted a scholarship, eligibility for another opens 12 months after the prior award’s effective date (e.g., if awarded on September 1, 2023, you can reapply on September 1, 2024). If you have not been awarded any financial assistance, you can apply to as many application cycles as you wish.

Do you award more than one grant to an individual in their lifetime?
A: We do provide assistance over multiple years, on a case by case basis. If selected as a scholarship recipient, completing the specified training outlined in the award letter is mandatory for eligibility for any future financial assistance from the KNOWAutism Foundation.

What is the maximum amount of money KNOWAutism awards per person?
A: The award amount varies based on several factors. For tuition and therapy applications, the maximum is $7500 per child per year. Special interest fund applications have a maximum of $2000 per child per year, and the autism diagnostic assistance program considers a maximum amount of $1500.

Is there an age limit for the applicant?
A: For the Autism Diagnostic Assistance program, applicants must be between 18 months and 18 years old. However, for tuition and therapy assistance, as well as the special interest fund, individuals may be of any age as long as they are at least 18 months old, provided they have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis.

What are the eligibility criteria?
For the Tuition and Therapy scholarship:
A:

1) The individual needs to have a clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2) Awards cover programs like behavioral intervention, ABA therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social skills groups, special needs schools, or special education programs.

3) Recipients must currently reside in the Greater Houston area within one of the following nine (9) counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller County and be a U.S. Citizen

4) The applicant must not have received a KNOWAutism award in the past 12 months.

For the Special Interest Fund scholarship:
A:

1) The individual must have a clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2) Awards can be used for specialized camps, music therapy, art therapy, yoga therapy, therapeutic horseback riding, adaptive swim lessons, and similar services, including fees for autism/disability advocates or special needs attorneys (up to $1,000).

4) The applicant must not have received a KNOWAutism award in the past 12 months.

For the Autism Diagnostic Testing Assistance scholarship:
A:

1) The application must demonstrate a need for an autism diagnosis such as showing signs of autism, written communication from a medical provider or professional, etc.

2) Applicants must prove a financial disadvantage.

3) The child’s age should be between 18 months and 18 years.

4) Recipients must currently reside in the Greater Houston area within one of the following nine (9) counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, or Waller County and be a U.S. Citizen.

5) The applicant shouldn’t have received an autism diagnostic testing award from KNOWAutism in the past.

Does it matter what city and state I live in to be eligible for a KNOWAutism Foundation scholarship?
A: Eligible applicants must currently reside in the Greater Houston Area within one of the following nine (9) counties: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, or Waller County and be a U.S. Citizen.

Does the family member I am applying on behalf of need to be a U.S. Citizen?
A: Yes, we are only funding U.S. Citizens at this time.

Do your scholarships cover private school tuition?
A: Yes, our scholarships cover tuition for specialized private schools offering programs specific to autism and special education. In order for the school to qualify, the school must have a dedicated special education program and specifically serve the autism community.

What is the special interest fund and what does it include?
A: The Special Interest Fund was established to help individuals with autism access adaptive and inclusive programs and services that do not fall under the umbrella of traditional autism treatments or interventions. Awards range from $500 to $2,000 per individual. Eligible programs include special needs camps or summer programs, music therapy, art therapy, inclusive fine arts programming, adaptive sports or therapeutic movement programs such as yoga therapy, adaptive dance, and adaptive swim lessons, therapeutic horseback riding (equine therapy), or similar programs as well as services for a special needs advocate or attorney (up to $1,000).

Does KNOWAutism reimburse parents/guardians for prior out of pocket expenses related to autism?
A: No. KNOWAutism always pays the service provider directly on behalf of the scholarship recipient and does not reimburse parents or guardians for previous expenses.

Will KNOWAutism pay a service provider for therapy my family member has already received?
A: KNOWAutism may consider allocating funds within the scholarship for services received in the last 60 days if your child is still enrolled with the same provider and is expecting to continue to receive services.

If my family member is awarded a grant, who does KNOWAutism send the payment to?
A: All financial assistance scholarships from KNOWAutism are directly issued to the listed service provider on your application; payments are not made directly to parents or individual scholarship recipients.

If I have more than one child or family member, do I need to complete more than one application?
A: Yes. A separate application must be submitted for each individual.

Is my family member eligible to receive a grant if they are covered under a medical insurance policy or by Medicaid?
A: Yes. The applications include specific questions about your medical coverage which must be completed before the application is considered.

What if my financial situation has changed since I last filed my taxes?
A: Each application has a section where we ask families to share their financial situation with us and explain why they are requesting assistance. If your financial situation has changed since you last filed your taxes, please include those details so that we have a good understanding of your situation. When in doubt, provide more information than less.

May I redact social security numbers on my tax return?
A: Yes. All other information needs to be visible.

When will I be notified if my family member has been awarded a grant?
A: KNOWAutism strives to notify families within 4-6 weeks after the application cycle has closed. We will notify you if you have been selected to receive a scholarship, as well as if you have not been selected via the email listed on the application as parent #1.

When do you accept applications for scholarships?
A: The Program Committee reviews applications a few times a year and selects a limited number of applicants to receive financial support scholarships. Dates will be posted on our web site as well as on our social media channels via Instagram and Facebook

How many awards does KNOWAutism distribute per application cycle?
A: There is not a set limit of awards for each cycle. It varies depending on the needs of the applicants and funds available.

How many times a year does KNOWAutism award scholarships?
A: For tuition and therapy assistance and the special interest fund, the Program Committee reviews applications a few times a year and selects a limited number of applicants to receive financial support scholarships. Dates will be posted on our web site as well as on our social media channels via Instagram and Facebook. For the autism diagnostic assessment applications, we review submissions every month.

Is there anything that KNOWAutism scholarships will not cover?
A: KNOWAutism will not cover experimental procedures, childcare, after school care, HBOT, supplements, acupuncture, homeopathy, or other alternative treatments, tuition for private schools that are not a special education school which offers programming specifically for autism, medications, and insurance premiums. Services not listed on our web site or the applications as being covered or explicitly excluded, are subject to approval by the Program Committee and Board of Directors.

I think my child may have autism. How can I get my child diagnosed?
A: KNOWAutism is happy to help provide the name of providers who perform assessments and applicable services to families. Please contact info@know-autism.org or call us at 832-834-6437. Families are also encouraged to contact the school they are zoned to and request an assessment be completed of your child at no charge. If your family needs financial assistance in securing an autism diagnosis, please apply to our diagnostic assessment program application. This application is open year round.

What if I haven’t filed my taxes in more than a year? May I still apply?
A: KNOWAutism requires proof of income and last year’s tax return. If it is the beginning of a new year (January-April) and your family has not filed taxes yet with the IRS, you may submit your prior year’s return.

What are the acceptance requirements for the scholarship?
A: If you are selected to receive assistance, you will receive an award letter and an acceptance agreement, which must be read, signed, and returned via email. You will also need to provide a detailed invoice for services/program from the provider, a thank you note, a photo of the scholarship recipient, a :30 video of the scholarship recipient (this can be completed using your cell phone), and grant permission for the KNOWAutism Foundation to use the scholarship recipient’s first name, photographic likeness, and video likeness in its publications, social media, website, fundraising materials, and/or other media before any payments are distributed.

Who do I contact if I have further questions?
A: Please email us at info@know-autism.org or call us at 832-834-6437.