About Full Spectrum Agency

The Full Spectrum Origin Story

In 2018, founder Katie Oswald was diagnosed as Autistic at age 38. Like many adults who receive a later diagnosis, she discovered that most autism services and resources are designed for children and families, leaving adults with very few options to connect and find support.

Determined to change that, she started a small meetup group for Autistic adults to connect with others who shared similar experiences. The response was immediate and overwhelming. What started as a small gathering quickly grew as more adults began seeking connection with others who understood their experiences.

That grassroots momentum led to the creation of Full Spectrum Agency for Autistic Adults, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to building community, fostering belonging, and creating neuro-affirming futures for Autistic adults.

Not your typical nonprofit

Full Spectrum Agency is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, but it isn’t structured like a typical nonprofit. We are an Autistic member-led community. With most nonprofit organizations, program attendees are not an active part of the operations and governance, and there is a hierarchy which places the people served at the bottom.

At FSA, our members are the leadership. We believe that the people we serve should be the ones leading. We are a member-led collaborative space built by and for Autistic people. That puts both the power and the responsibility in the hands of our members. That means our members are in charge and it also means we depend on our members to…

  • Lead programs and events
  • Do admin work behind the scenes
  • Offer peer support and mentorship to other FSA members
  • Moderate our meetup groups and Virtual Village
  • Advocate for our community
  • Help with fundraisers
  • Join the board of directors
  • And more!

100% of our programs and events are led by Autistic peer group members AND our board of directors is 100% Autistic!

We believe that people shouldn’t have to pay to be part of a community. But we still have expenses associated with operating. It costs Full Spectrum Agency over $15,000 per year just to “keep the doors open”.

That means we need volunteers and donations!

To learn more about volunteering and access the volunteer application, visit https://fullspectrumautisticadults.org/volunteer/

To donate or learn more about sponsorship, visit https://fullspectrumautisticadults.org/donate/ or https://fullspectrumautisticadults.org/sponsor-a-program/