How It Works
A simple, transparent process designed with families in mind.
From Application to Provider Payment
We designed our process to be clear, fair, and as simple as possible for the families we serve.
Check Your Eligibility
Before applying, review our eligibility criteria to see if your family and child may qualify. Our criteria are published, objective, and applied equally to all applicants.
- Child must have a qualifying diagnosis (autism, developmental delay, or related condition)
- Family must demonstrate financial need based on income and cost of therapy
- Requested service must be within our funded categories
- Provider must be licensed and meet our partner standards
Submit Your Application
When applications open, you'll complete our secure application form. The form collects the information our committee needs to make a fair decision, and nothing more.
- Completed through a secure, HIPAA-conscious application portal
- Completed by a parent or legal guardian, never the child directly
- Requires basic documentation (diagnosis, provider estimate, income verification)
- No medical information submitted through the public contact form
Application Review
Our volunteer review committee evaluates each application based solely on published criteria. No one on the committee has a financial relationship with the applicant's proposed provider.
- All applications reviewed using the same published scoring rubric
- Committee members disclose and recuse from conflicts of interest
- Decisions are documented internally for audit purposes
- Families are notified of the decision in writing
Direct Provider Payment
If approved, Growing Beyond Barriers pays your provider directly. You never touch the money, which keeps the process clean, accountable, and consistent with IRS requirements for nonprofits.
- Payments go directly to the licensed provider, never to the family
- Payment amounts are documented and reported as required by law
- Families receive a grant letter documenting the approved assistance
- Provider submits invoices directly to Growing Beyond Barriers
What We Don't Do
Being clear about what we won't do is just as important as what we will.
We don't give cash to families. All payments go directly to licensed providers to ensure funds are used for their intended purpose.
We don't charge application fees. Applying for assistance is always free.
We don't guarantee approval. Every application is subject to available funding, program capacity, and eligibility criteria.
We don't fund unapproved or experimental treatments. We fund evidence-based therapies delivered by licensed professionals only.
We don't allow the founder's family to receive assistance. Per IRS private benefit rules, our founder's family is not eligible to receive program benefits.
We don't share your medical or financial information. Information collected during the application process is held confidentially and used only to evaluate your application.