Show Me the Money! a Portfolio Analysis of Autism Research Funding in Australia from 2008 - 2017

Background:

Recent work by Pellicano, Dinsmore, and Charman (2014) examined the allocation of autism research funding across research topics in the United Kingdom (UK), and found that the distribution of investment did not align with community priorities for research. Similar projects (Daniels et al., 2018) have examined autism research funding in the UK, United States, and Canada, and have consistently found disproportionate investment in biological discovery, while topics of priority to the autistic community (such as services and lifespan issues) receive comparatively little funding. In Australia, autism research has historically received funding primarily from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). However, in 2013, the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) was founded as the world’s first national, cooperative research effort focused on autism. With a stated aim to empower autistic people through collaborative and inclusive research, the Autism CRC has the potential to change the landscape of autism research funding in Australia.

Objectives:

This study aimed to examine the distribution of autism research funding in Australia across research topics, using the questions and corresponding research areas outlined in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Strategic Plan. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether the pattern of research funding in Australia is similar to (or different from) the pattern of funding found in other countries, and to identify whether the establishment of the Autism CRC is associated with a change in the pattern of autism research funding in Australia.

Methods:

Data were gathered on research grants relevant to autism awarded from 2008 to 2017. A total of 128 relevant grants were identified. Each grant was coded independently by both authors, using the IACC Strategic Plan questions and research areas, with high agreement (89%). In cases where authors disagreed, consensus was reached through discussion. Funding patterns were then examined for the five years prior to the establishment of the Autism CRC (2008 – 2012) and the first five years of Autism CRC operation (2013 – 2017).

Results:

Preliminary findings indicate that, in the period 2008 – 2012, more than $22 million was invested in autism research in Australia. As shown in Figure 1, approximately 65% of funding was directed towards biological discovery, with no funding invested in autism research infrastructure or lifespan issues. In the period 2013 – 2017, more than $40 million was invested in autism research. As shown in Figure 2, research funding was more evenly distributed during this period.

Conclusions:

The distribution of autism research funding in Australia is similar to the US, the UK, and Canada, with a large proportion of funding directed to biological discovery. With the establishment of the Autism CRC in 2013, there has been a significant shift both in the extent and nature of funding for autism research. Further work is needed in order to bring research funding more into line with community priorities, to ensure that funds are directed to areas where they are most needed and can make the most impact.