National Council on Severe Autism
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PURSUE RECOGNITION, POLICY AND SOLUTIONS FOR THE SURGING POPULATION OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS AFFECTED BY SEVERE FORMS OF AUTISM AND RELATED DISORDERS
- Income
- $160,443
- Spending
- $190,994
- Reserves
- 13.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (diseases, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $64,685 spent. Recognition & Awareness: In 2025, the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA) significantly expanded its national reach and engagement through strategic digital communications and infrastructure investment. NCSA delivered 187,914 newsletters to subscribers nationwide, amplifying information and advocacy on issues affecting individuals and families impacted by severe autism. On Facebook, NCSA achieved a net gain of 8,022 followers (+32.7%) with 72.9% of growth driven by Reels and 27.1% driven by Posts. Total followers at year-end reached 32,857. NCSA also invested in upgrading media relations and advocacy software, enhancing tools for the reach and influence of our National Grassroots Network. Through its Authentic Awareness Video Campaign, NCSA gave caregivers an accessible platform to publish first-person videos of their families stories, which were featured across NCSAs website, social media, and YouTube channel. In December, NCSA also ran an artwork campaign that named a person with severe autism as its Artist of the Year for 2026, highlighting the creativity, individualism, and beauty beyond the bounds of words for individuals with severe autism. In 2025, NCSA earned over 1,000 media mentions with an estimated reach exceeding 3.18 billion, and was featured in multiple national publications including but not limited to Disability Scoop, Politico, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Times, NPR, News Nation, and BBC.
- $88,185 spent. Policy & Advocacy: In 2025, NCSA strengthened its policy infrastructure and expanded its National Grassroots Network (NGN), nearing 2,000 members nationwide. NCSA hired its first Legal and Policy Fellow for the 202526 academic year. The NGN held monthly meetings for state chairs to address national issues, while state chapters convened virtually to discuss state-specific priorities. NCSA held its first D.C. fly-in event, with 131 advocates representing 30 states holding more than 150 meetings with congressional offices. NCSA conducted a national survey of family caregivers of individuals with severe autism and published the results via webinar and also PDF on our website. In September, NCSA held its first Voices for the Voiceless Advocacy Week, which included 4.5 hours of online pre-training. 162 participants took part, meeting with legislators in an accessible format. The organization is continuing plans for the 2026 in-person fly-in in July and two virtual fly-ins in the spring and fall. NCSA launched its book club for social engagement and civics/advocacy training in 2025 with 30 registrants in the spring and 42 registrants in the fall. Multiple chapters participated in advanced advocacy at the state level, including testifying at legislative hearings, drafting and promoting specific legislation, and participating in multi-group disability conferences. State chapters have made significant progress on caregiver support, group home safety, and health care access. NCSA onboarded new national leadership volunteers as coordinators in Community Engagement, Government Affairs, Public Relations, Development and Digital Content. NCSA leadership continues to engage in targeted meetings with ACL, HHS, NIH, and CMS on matters most important to our community such as housing, equitable representation, research priorities, and funding allocations. Members attended INSAR and other relevant conferences, and the organization continues to collaborate with other nonprofit advocacy groups to find areas of common ground with an attitude of including diverse views to eliminate the long-standing discrimination and exclusion of severe autism in mainstream discourse.
- $32,580 spent. Solutions & Resources: NCSA hosted webinars on topics including exploring the complexities of epilepsy and seizures in autism, integrated health care, innovative housing, hospital care for special care, and understanding development & behavior. NCSA hosted a podcast discussing the similar disparities and discourse between the communities of severe autism and severe mental illness, addressing the harms that ensued from monolithic modern policy that sanitizes disability, and discussing the realities of the types of supports and collaborations that may bring real solutions to these marginalized populations. NCSA families served as significant cohort segments for studies such as Quality of Life of Mothers of Severely Autistic Children Under the Age of 22 by Chele Weiglein (Liberty University); Caregiver Adherence to Behavioral Recommendations by the PCORI-Awarded SPARC project, and Parents Caring for Autistic Adults by Jess Wellington (Penn State University). NCSA proudly supported promising research for Understanding Severity of SIB by Joseph Patrick Boyle (UC Davis) and co-hosted Supporting People with Autism and Catatonia through Education and Support (SPACES) with Autism Science Foundation and Autism Speaks. The NCSA Board of Directors published three new formal position statements in 2025: Medicaid and Healthcare Access, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Medicaid HCBS Settings Rule.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.