Mini-Grants for Neurodiversity-Affirming Mental Health Support

Small, flexible mini-grants to support neurodivergence-affirming care

We are thrilled to launch our clinician support program in 2025. This program aims to provide therapists and other clinicians with mini-grants to support free or sliding scale services to neurodivergent individuals. Our programme is currently by invitation only, though we hope to expand it in the future!

More information:

What is this program?

We provide small grants ($250-750) to clinicians, therapists, and other organisations that focus on mental health or wellbeing for neurodivergnt individuals. Our main focus is supporting direct care or peer support for neurodivergent patients, but we are also open to supporting general operating expenses, equipment purchasing (e.g. for items that would make a clinic more sensory-friendly), or other expenditures that would lead to a higher quality of care for neurodivergent patients or individuals receiving services.

How are we defining “neurodivergent”?

We use a broad definition of neurodivergence: if someone identifies with the term based on how they experience, think, communicate, or perceive the world, we trust their self-understanding. In short, our programme is not limited to a specific type of neurodivergence, though our main areas of focus are the following:

  1. Autism

  2. Intellectual Disability

  3. Psychosis 

  4. Anyone who has a highly stigmatized and/or inadequately understood form of neurodivergence

The reason for this focus is because people with the above forms of neurodivergence may find it particularly challenging to access care that is accessible and inclusive of their communication style, given the relative lack of training related to these conditions as well as the lack of clinicians with these forms of neurodivergence in the field. 

We hope that this grant can improve access to care for multiply marginalised neurodivergent individuals. We also hope to support clinicians who are neurodivergent and/or multiply marginalised.

What topics do we have experience in?

We have one occupational therapist on our team, an autism researcher, and a physicist-turned-autism-researcher. Some of the topics we are most familiar with include:

  • Autism

  • Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) more generally

  • PDA (pervasive desire for autonomy)

  • LGBTQ+ inclusion

  • Domestic violence and supporting survivors of abuse

  • Therapy harm and abuse, as well as feedback collection and mediation within therapy

We are by no means claiming to be an expert on every (or any) topic related to the above, but we are more than happy to support grantees with ongoing learning if there is an area where we could be of assistance.

How can I apply?

Unfortunately, we are not currently accepting applications and mini-grants are by invitation only. However, we hope to expand this programme and set up an application process in the future!

As we are a small organisation ourselves without a great deal of funding, we likely will be limited in how many mini-grants we can give out once our applications open. We are hoping to prioritise organisations/clinicians in the Triangle area (North Carolina). 

We welcome any feedback about the program overall— if you have any questions, comments, or feedback; please don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@allneurotypes.com!

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge AKALAKA as a partial sponsor/supporter of this program. Much of this program is made possible through Sam Brandsen’s work with AKALAKA, and he is deeply appreciative of AKALAKA’s generosity and compensation; as well as their own excellent work related to supporting the disability and care partner community. Below we include additional information about AKALAKA:

AKALAKA is building for a future where the people who need and give the greatest care receive the best support and resources.


AKALAKA works toward this future by connecting people who are caregiving for disabled loved ones with timeliness, thoughtfulness, and delightfulness to the peer-powered network that improves their connection, clarity, and confidence to succeed at home and in the community.

To connect with AKALAKA, click: hi.akalaka.org

Meet Our Grantees

Disclaimer: We deeply value the work of our grantees and more generally of clinicians and organisations who are committed to compassionate, trauma-informed, and inclusive care for the disabled community. At the same time, we recognize that no clinician or organisation is entirely immune from the potential to cause harm (and that people and groups are complex, and may have the capacity for both healing and harm in different ways.) For that reason, the listings below are not intended as blanket endorsements. Rather, they are a way to highlight clinicians and groups whose work we believe is meaningful overall.

Kind Theory. Kind Theory is the premier neurodiversity-based non-profit in the Texas area. Using the insights and knowledge of neurodivergent people themselves, we educate organizations, institutions, and the general public about neurodiversity, accessibility, and disability rights as these relate to autism and ADHD. In doing so, we improve educational, health, and employment outcomes for these marginalized members of our community.

Learn more about Kind Theory here

Janelle Johnson, MA, LMFT-S

Founder | Neurodiversity Researcher | Equity & Inclusion Strategist

Janelle Johnson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, is a wife, mother, and the Founder of Bridges Family Life Center - a neurodiversity-affirming family therapy and consulting practice near Raleigh, North Carolina.  An award-winning mental health leader and neurodiversity advocate with lived experience, her pioneering methods for serving underrepresented families led to her election as the first Black President of the North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy in 2020. Her writing on neurodiversity and disability is featured as one of thirty international thought leaders of mental health in a 2024 Oxford University Press anthology, “Anti-Blackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism.” Mrs. Johnson is now a doctoral candidate at NC State University where her research focuses on neurodiversity-affirming approaches to institutional policy and practice change in higher education and healthcare. Using the power of personal stories to connect people across difference, Mrs. Johnson delivers engaging equity and inclusion training, consulting and speaking for leaders internationally. In her free time you’ll find her eating delicious food, hiking with her family, and watching Korean dramas.

Accepting new clients: Yes

Click here to learn more about Janelle’s practice!


Neurodiverse Counseling Services.

Mission Statement

Neurodiverse Counseling Services was established to support and advocate for divergent minds. We are a cooperative of counseling professionals who rebel against the status quo through deep reflection and by questioning assumptions. We show unconditional respect and appreciation for the people we have the opportunity to meet. We are here to learn and grow with our community.

Vision (see here for more information about Neurodiverse Counseling Services and what each component of the vision entails!)

1: Promoting Neurodiversity Inclusion

2: Forging a Collaborative Network of Neurodiversity Affirming Providers

3: Empowering Neurodivergent Individuals through Resource Connectivity

4: Optimizing Provider Prosperity

BE ME Occupational Therapy (Jenna Meehan) . BE ME OT specializes in working with neurodivergent adults, teens, children, and their families, including those that have been diagnosed or self-identify as autistic. We want our our clients and their support systems to feel comfortable sharing who they are, what they believe, and how they feel, without fear of judgement or rejection which is why we have an ongoing commitment to DEI.

Our niche is in social and emotional difficulties, trauma, major life adjustments, and transition services, but instead of trying to cure or change neurodivergent clients, Jenna will work with you to find ways that are more in harmony with your natural neurological traits, and help you to heal from internalized ableism. BE ME OT wants you to thrive at just being you!

TheraFriends Community Partnership . TheraFriends Community Partnership's mission is to build a diverse, accessible, neurodiversity-affirming, and inclusive pediatric therapy community. We collaborate with community partners to remove financial and logistical barriers for families and provide direct quality pediatric therapy services such as speech, occupational, and physical therapies as well as related programs and resources. TheraFriends Community is committed to improving access to pediatric therapy, resources, and programs for all families. We are a community-based practice that provides therapy services and programs in the child's home, childcare center/school, or in the community.  TheraFriends also offers programming, resources, and inclusivity training to individuals, students, professionals, families, and organizations to foster diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility in our community.


Our final grantee is the Autistic People of Color Fund (and we would encourage others to consider donating to this fund as well). Here is more information about the fund: Autistic People of Color Fund .