DoW Autism Career Development Award

<p><strong>Summary:</strong> The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Autism Research Program (ARP) Career Development Award supports early-career, independent investigators and/or the transition of established investigators from other research fields to conduct innovative, high-impact ideas or early-phase, proof-of-principle clinical trials with the potential to have a major impact on autism.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Distinctive Features: </strong></p><p><strong><em>Applications are strongly encouraged to address one of the FY26 ARP Career Development Award Areas of Interest </em></strong>or provide justification that the proposed research addresses a critical problem, question, or need in autism.</p><p><strong>FY26 Career Development Award submissions with a pilot clinical trial component are required to include community collaborations to optimize research impact. </strong>Applications are expected to name at least one community partner (e.g., an Autistic individual or caregiver, representatives of community-based organizations) who will provide advice and consultation throughout the planning and implementation of the research project.</p>