SILVER2023

Autism Society of Minnesota

Minnesota's First Autism Resource

aka ausm   |   St Paul, MN   |  www.ausm.org

Mission

The mission of the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) is to create connections, empowering everyone in the Autism community with the resources needed to live fully. AuSM seeks to enhance the lives of all who are a part of the Minnesota autism community, with a fundamental commitment to advocacy, education, support, collaboration, and community building.

Notes from the nonprofit

Please visit Schedule O on our 900 for a complete assessment of our recent year.

Ruling year info

2010

Executive Director

Ellie Wilson

Deputy Director

Daren Howard

Main address

2380 Wycliff St suite 102

St Paul, MN 55114 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

41-1718029

NTEE code info

Autism (G84)

Counseling Support Groups (F60)

Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers (P82)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2022, 2021 and 2020.
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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

At AuSM, equity and inclusion are central to our mission. Learning from diverse perspectives supports strategic creativity for meeting challenges and focusing on growth. We strive to amplify the voices of and reflect the communities we serve – in age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, physical ability, neurodiversity, and ethnicity. We value each unique individual in our community and want to offer a safe space where people are accepted and appreciated as their complete, authentic selves.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Camps

Camps provide a safe recreational environment for individuals of all ages living with Autism . Each camp provides supports based on the needs of the camper, while providing a typical camp experience for those with ASD, who might not otherwise be able to experience camp.

Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
People with intellectual disabilities

Ausm social skills , led by education specialists, help participants build skills in low-stress environments that encourage learning and growth. AuSM social skills are provided in a wide variety of locations, each focused on the needs of the individual and their special interest.

Population(s) Served

AuSM's Mental Health Services team helps those affected by autism overcome challenges, improve daily function, and achieve a more balanced lifestyle. Services include Diagnostic, functional, behavioral assessments; individual, family,marriage and couples therapy; developmental therapy; behavior consultation; training.

Population(s) Served

As a no- cost service to the Minnesota autism community, AuSM provides support groups to meet the needs of parents, family members, individuals, caregivers, and more

Population(s) Served

Designed for professionals who work with individuals with autism or who want to better provide services to those with autism, this in-depth, five session course will give you practical solutions for working with people on the autism spectrum.

Population(s) Served

Based on topics suggested by the Minnesota autism community, AuSM Skillshops are designed for individuals with autism and their parents, family members, caregivers, support staff, educators, and therapists.

Population(s) Served

Held annually during autism awareness month, the Minnesota Autism Conference hosts national, regional and local experts in the field of autism. It is open to the public and benefits teachers, educators, doctors, clinicians, therapists, psychologists, as well as parents and family members of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Population(s) Served

AuSM provides Post Certified trainings on Autism, including tips to understand and recognizing autism, and strategies to deescalate behaviors and provide safe encounters within our community.

Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups
Age groups
Family relationships
Health
Social and economic status

Where we work

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

• Offering in person summer camps allowing participants to interact with favorite counselors and participate in camp activities in a safe way.
• Providing five support groups using a hybrid of in person and Zoom, and decreasing the frequency to encourage stronger inclusion and community interaction.
• Engaging in multiple remote town hall forums and discussions with policymakers to hear and address the effects of the pandemic on autistic people and their families.
• Maintaining AuSM's Counseling and Consulting Services appointments to an accessible telehealth option , while bringing some clients who are prepared to do so back into in person sessions.
• Partnering again with the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin to offer a collaborative autism workshops.
• Conducting the new AuSM Community Unity Challenge scavenger hunt in the summer and the 3rd Annual AuSM Connections Jigsaw Puzzle Competition virtually and in person in the fall.

Communication; with a combination of monthly newsletters, emails and social media, we plan to each out to as many as we can through our monthly e-newletter as well as social media.

AuSM has more than 900 members including individuals with autism, families, caregivers, educators, professionals, organizations, and corporations at ur disposal. We find that with the help of this membership, in correlation with social media we should have what we need. o be successful

AuSM explicitly recognizes our need to learn, collaborate, innovate, and change our practices to meet needs long overdue. AuSM is strengthening its goals and strategies to contribute to the transformation of social service, mental health, and community building at the intersection of race and autism. By doing so, we will help create a stronger, better society.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time, It is hard to come up with good questions to ask people

Financials

Autism Society of Minnesota
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Autism Society of Minnesota

Board of directors
as of 06/12/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Paul D'Arco


Board co-chair

Keith Guggenberg

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 10/11/2021
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

No data

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/07/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.