The Spoons Diagnosis Fund
I believe a diagnosis shouldn’t be a luxury.
Short version: 40% of my after-tax income from Spoons above the $48,000 sustainability floor funds autism diagnoses for adults who can't afford them.
The 40% starts accumulating when Spoons launches on April 2, 2026. By the time the fund opens, months of allocation are already set aside so execution is ready when it launches in 2027. The first transparency report will show every dollar accumulated during this period.
Partner organizations identify candidates based on financial need. I pay clinics directly — never individuals.
Target launch: January 2027 (launches when Spoons reaches $15,000/month in revenue sustained for 3 consecutive months — the 40% accumulates from day one). No purchase required to apply.
Fund status: Building phase
The 40% allocation is accumulating from April 2, 2026. Applications open January 2027 — once Spoons reaches $15K/month sustained for 3 months. Need help before then? [Jump to resources ↓]
Full details below ↓
I'm Omari — a 23-year-old autistic adult who built Spoons since job and work accommodations have failed me, and building this fund because too many of us can't afford answers. [More about me →]
When Spoons is profitable, 40% of after-tax income goes to the Spoons Diagnosis Fund.
Here's the actual math:
If Spoons earns $150,000 gross revenue in a year:
-After app store fees (~30%): $105,000
-After operating costs (~$1,000): ~$104,000
- After taxes (~33%): ~$69,700
- Sustainability floor: $48,000 (retained for living expenses)
- Remaining: ~$21,700
- 40% to diagnosis fund: ~$8,680
- I keep: ~$48,000 + ~$13,020 = ~$61,020
The 40% applies to after-tax income above a $48,000/year sustainability floor ($4,000/month). Below that floor, I keep everything — because if I put all of my money towards this fund, I won't be able to fund any diagnosis. Under these current projections as an example, this floor matters mainly in the early stage. It exists for the early months when Spoons is most vulnerable income-wise.
This commitment is written into the Spoons Terms of Service — not a marketing promise, a legal obligation. [Read Section 6b →]
The Mission
A diagnosis costs $200 to $3,500+ depending on where you live. For most of us, that’s out of reach.
Formal diagnosis isn’t required to be autistic. But without one, accommodations, services, and sometimes just basic answers stay locked behind a piece of paper you can’t afford.
This fund exists for those of us who want that access and can't afford it. Adults aged 18 and older, anywhere the fund operates.
Partner organizations focus on the communities that get missed most—women, BIPOC adults, LGBTQ+ adults, and people who were told they had something else for years before anyone considered autism.
I pay clinics directly so those of us can access professional assessments regardless of financial status. That's it. That's the whole idea.
How it Works
1) Partner-vetted (no random drawings)
I work with established autism advocacy organizations to identify candidates. No random drawings. No lotteries. Partner organizations determine who to refer based on their understanding of their community — we don't second-guess their judgment or means-test applicants.
Core principle: We vet the provider, not the patient. If the clinic is verified and the invoice is valid, the request is approved. We do not judge your 'worthiness' or ask for trauma details.
No purchase required to apply. You don't need to use or subscribe to Spoons.
Who qualifies:
Adults (18+) seeking a professional autism assessment.
Common situations include:
- Insurance that doesn't cover autism assessments
- Being between jobs
- Being on public assistance
- Or income that doesn't stretch to cover a $200–$2,250+ assessment.
If a partner organization refers you and your clinic invoice is valid, the request is approved. We don't judge your financial situation — the partner org determines who to refer.
Partner organizations handle referrals. The fund covers upcoming assessments — including assessments you've been quoted for but haven't yet scheduled.
If your organization works with autistic adults and is interested in becoming a referral partner, please reach out at partnerships@getspoons.app.
Accessibility: If you can't complete a standard application form due to burnout, executive function barriers, or any other reason — contact fund@getspoons.app and we'll figure out an alternative. We're not going to gatekeep diagnosis funding behind a form.
The fund launches with partners in 2–3 US regions. Partner organizations will be listed here by name and region when the fund opens. Coverage starts in a few US regions and expands as the fund grows—new partners are added every year.
If your region isn’t covered yet, you won’t be forgotten. Until then, please email fund@getspoons.app with “notify me” in the subject line and we’ll let you know when applications open in your area. That’s it. No forms. No follow-up questions.
2) Direct payment to clinics
Funding is paid directly to licensed psychologists and diagnostic clinics — never to individuals. This keeps the process clean and accountable.
If you have an existing provider who offers autism assessments, I can work with your clinic directly.
Timeline: Applications submitted by the 1st of each month are reviewed within 7 days. Once approved, we contact your clinic to verify the invoice and confirm your booking. When the clinic confirms, we send them a 50% deposit — you never front any money. The remaining 50% is paid when the assessment is complete, regardless of outcome. Most applicants can expect their clinic to receive the deposit within 2 weeks of submission.
If you need to reschedule, the clinic will typically apply your deposit to a new appointment date. If an appointment is missed twice without rescheduling, the application closes — but you can reapply through your partner organization.
You’ll get confirmation at each stage. If something delays the process, you’ll hear from us—not silence.
What the fund covers: The full cost of a professional autism assessment, paid directly to the clinic before your appointment.
What the fund does not cover: Travel costs, time off work, past assessments already completed and paid for, or non-diagnostic services. The fund covers autism diagnostic assessments only. If the assessment identifies co-occurring conditions (ADHD, anxiety, etc.), those appear in your report but separate evaluations for those conditions are outside the fund's scope.
If you've already been diagnosed and are struggling with the cost, I can't reimburse past expenses — but I'm compiling resources that may help.
3) What recipients receive
After your diagnosis is confirmed, you’ll receive a permanent access code granting lifetime access to Spoons at no cost. Enter it in app settings. Works on any device, unlimited devices, forever. Switch phones, use a tablet—same code works everywhere. Never expires.
Please keep your code somewhere safe. If you lose it, contact the organization that provided it — they can help you recover it. If the partner organization that issued your code is no longer operating, contact hello@getspoons.app directly. We maintain backup records of all issued codes. You will not lose lifetime access because a partner organization has closed.
If the assessment concludes you're not autistic, you still received a professional evaluation at no cost. And if you believe the result was wrong, you can request a second opinion by reapplying through your partner organization with your original assessment report and a brief written explanation. The fund covers one second opinion at a different clinic.
4) Geographic expansion
Expansion prioritizes regions where the same dollar funds the most diagnoses — one US assessment costs ~$2,250 — the same amount funds ~11 assessments in Nigeria at ~$200 each. The timeline below reflects both cost efficiency and partnership readiness.
The fund expands as partnerships and legal readiness allow:
United States: January 2027 (launch)
United Kingdom: Target 2028
Philippines: Target 2029
India, South Africa: Target 2030
Nigeria, Kenya: Target 2031
Brazil, Mexico: Target 2032
Your region not listed? Email fund@getspoons.app — I’ll let you know when it opens. No forms.
By 2031, I plan to launch a direct application system that allows adults in any country to apply, not just countries with established partnerships. This requires hiring dedicated vetting coordinators to maintain the same trust standards the partner network provides — the system launches when that team is operational.
If your country isn't listed, expansion depends on partnership capacity and legal readiness in each region. Annual transparency reports will track where the fund operates and when new regions open.
All dates are targets, not guarantees. Each region launches when partnerships, legal review, and available funds are ready — not on an arbitrary timeline.
5) Long-term target
Minimum long-term target: Our long-term goal is to fund 100,000+ diagnoses
Midpoint planning scenario goal: approximately 198,000 diagnoses over 15 years.
If Spoons grows faster, the number grows with it.
The strategy: fund diagnoses where each dollar goes the furthest.
One diagnosis in the US costs ~$2,250. That same $2,250 funds:
~1.5 diagnoses in the UK ($1,500 average)
~5 diagnoses in the Philippines ($450 average)
~6 diagnoses in India ($350 average)
~11 diagnoses in Nigeria or Kenya ($200 average)
By prioritizing regions where dollars go furthest while maintaining US and UK funding, the same investment reaches 4.5x more people than US-only allocation.
Projected distribution over 15 years (Midpoint estimates. Not final.):
United States: ~7,500 diagnoses
United Kingdom: ~2,700 diagnoses
Philippines: ~32,000 diagnoses
India: ~63,000 diagnoses
South Africa: ~9,300 diagnoses
Nigeria/Kenya: ~65,000 diagnoses
Brazil/Mexico: ~5,700 diagnoses
Direct applications (all regions): ~13,500 diagnoses
These projections use conservative revenue estimates. Actual numbers depend on revenue growth, partnership capacity, and regional readiness— but the math is built to hold up, not to impress. If revenue exceeds projections, the numbers scale with it. Annual transparency reports will track every diagnosis funded against these estimates.
What you need to apply
What you'll need to apply (when applications open):
- Your legal name (required for clinic payment processing)
- your chosen name is used in all other communications)
- your country of residence
- an email address
- a quote or invoice from a licensed clinic (showing clinic letterhead, your name, service description, and total cost),
- the clinic's contact information and consent for us to contact the clinic to verify the invoice.
That's it. Six fields.
Status
Current Status: FUND BUILDING PHASE
I'm building the legal, financial, and operational infrastructure required to launch this responsibly. That includes: attorney consultation on payment structure, payment processing setup (Bill.com for US, Wise for international), tracking systems, fraud prevention protocols, and partner onboarding materials.
The 40% allocation begins accumulating at app launch (April 2, 2026). Money is being set aside before the fund is operational — so when it launches, it launches with funds ready to deploy.
Target launch: January 2027, contingent on Spoons reaching $15,000/month in recurring revenue sustained for 3 consecutive months. If growth is slower than projected, the launch delays until this threshold is met. The commitment itself doesn't weaken — the timeline just adjusts to financial reality to actually survive before the funding starts.
I'd rather launch late and funded than launch on time and have nothing to fund in the first place. (As well as struggling to afford basic necessities)
Note: Eligibility, availability, and timelines depend on legal review, partner capacity, and available funds.
Need help now?
The fund isn't active yet. If you need diagnosis support before January 2027, these resources may help:-
- AANE Adult Diagnosis Directory
- Link to Open Path Collective
- GRASP - Virtual Autism Assessments
Outside the US or UK? Please email me at fund@getspoons.app with your country, and I'll try to point you toward local resources. I can't promise I'll find something in every region just yet, but I'll definitely check. :)
I wish I could help today. The infrastructure isn't ready yet, but it's coming.
Transparency
Starting with the first full calendar year after the fund launches, I'll publish annual transparency reports showing the following:
- Total gross revenue
- App store fees paid
- Operating costs
- Taxes paid
- After-tax income
- Sustainability floor applied (amount retained)
- Fund allocation (40% of income above floor)
- Pre-launch accumulation balance (first report only)
- Partner organizations receiving funds
- Diagnoses funded by region
- Cost-per-diagnosis breakdown
- Any hardship provision invocations during the reporting period
The math will be public and posted here. Anyone can verify that I honored this commitment.
Starting in 2029, an independent CPA will conduct an annual review of the fund's financials, separate from business accounting.
Full transparency, every year. No vague claims — receipts.
Continuity
If I can't maintain Spoons for any reason — health, death, unforeseen circumstances — documented succession plans ensure the fund either transfers to a qualified organization or remaining funds are distributed to existing partners for diagnosis funding. No allocated money disappears.
Per the Terms of Service, any successor must honor the 40% allocation, the Fair-Price Promise, and all privacy commitments — or the app's source code is released to the community under the AGPL-3.0 open-source license. This means no company can take the code, make it proprietary, and lock it behind paywalls. The autistic community retains access.
This won't disappear. The commitment to this survives regardless.
As of right now, this is just me. (Still actively recovering from autistic burnout by the way!) The goal is for the fund to operate through a 501(c)(3) foundation by 2032 with its own board. Staff hiring follows once the foundation is operational.
Until then, I’m accountable for every decision. After that, the foundation is.
Privacy & Independence
Zero app data sharing
Your Spoons app data stays on your device.
Applying for the fund is a separate process that happens on the web — not inside the app. The app and the fund don't share data.
No accounts required
Just like the app, there are no accounts required to apply (when applications open).
The fund is supported by subscribers, but accessible to everyone. You don't need to download or use Spoons to apply.
Fund application privacy
Fund applications will require some personal information to process clinic payments (your legal name, country, email, clinic invoice, and clinic contact information). The application asks for your legal name because clinic payments require it. Your chosen name is used in all other communications. We’re not going to deadname you in an email.
That information is handled separately from the app, covered by the fund's own privacy policy (published before applications open), and not retained beyond what's needed for program reporting. Personally identifiable application data is deleted within 3 years of diagnosis completion.
If Spoons shuts down: in-progress applications will be completed before shutdown. No applicant will be abandoned mid-process. All personally identifiable application data will be deleted within 90 days of shutdown.
Hardship Provision
What if I can't maintain 40%?
In cases of genuine hardship — medical emergency, revenue decline exceeding 50%, unforeseen crisis — the allocation may be temporarily reduced. If this happens:
I will publicly disclose that a reduction occurred.
I will state the general reason (without requiring personal details).
I will state when I expect to resume full allocation.
I will resume the 40% once the hardship is resolved.
This is not an escape hatch for convenience. It exists because chronic conditions and unpredictable circumstances are real—and pretending they won’t happen to me would be dishonest given everything I already deal with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be diagnosed to use Spoons?
No. Spoons is for autistic adults who track energy. The fund is specifically for adults seeking formal diagnosis.
Do I need to buy Spoons to apply for the fund?
No. No purchase is ever required to apply.
How do I know if I qualify financially?
If paying for an assessment would create genuine financial hardship for you — whether that means choosing between rent and a diagnosis, carrying debt you can't absorb, or simply not having $200 to $2,250 available — you're the person this exists for. We don't ask for pay stubs. Partner organizations determine who to refer based on their understanding of their community. We don't set income cutoffs or ask for pay stubs. If a partner org submits your application with a verified clinic invoice, it's approved. We vet the provider, not the patient. If you're unsure whether you qualify — choosing between rent and a diagnosis, carrying debt you can't absorb, or simply not having $200–$2,250 available — you're the person this exists for. Please talk to the partner organization in your region.
I'm not sure if I'm autistic. Can I still apply?
Yes. The fund pays for the assessment — which is the process of finding out. You don't need to be certain. You don't need a self-diagnosis. If you suspect autism might explain your experiences and you can't afford to find out, that's enough. If the assessment concludes you're not autistic, you still received a professional evaluation at no cost. And if you believe the result was wrong, the fund covers a second opinion at a different clinic.
I have insurance but it doesn't cover autism assessment. Can I apply?
Yes. Insurance that doesn't cover autism assessment is one of the most common reasons people need this fund.
I'm employed but can't afford a $2,000+ assessment. Am I eligible?
Yes. Employment doesn't disqualify you. Partner organizations refer candidates—we don't ask why you can't afford it, just like we don't ask for proof that you can't. You apply through a partner org, they submit your application, we pay the clinic.
I was previously diagnosed with something else (depression, anxiety, ADHD). Can I still apply?
Yes. Adults who were told they had something else for years before anyone considered autism are exactly the population this fund exists for. A prior diagnosis doesn’t disqualify you—if anything, it’s one of the most common reasons people need a proper autism assessment.
Does the fund cover telehealth assessments?
If a licensed provider offers valid autism assessments via telehealth and your region recognizes telehealth diagnoses, yes. We pay the clinic regardless of assessment format.
What if I can't fill out the application during a burnout episode?
Please contact fund@getspoons.app in whatever format works for you. We'll accommodate. We won't gatekeep diagnosis funding behind a specific communication format.
What if I (Omari) stop doing this?
The 40% is written into the Terms of Service. If I can’t continue, succession plans transfer the fund to a qualified organization. If a successor doesn’t honor the commitment, the app’s source code goes open-source so no one can lock it behind a paywall. The target is for the fund to operate through a 501(c)(3) foundation with its own board by 2032.
What if the organization that gave me my code closes down?
Please contact me at hello@getspoons.app directly. We maintain backup records of all issued codes. You will not lose lifetime access because a partner organization closed. Your code works the same regardless of who issued it."
Is there any independent oversight?
Not yet. Right now this is just me, backed by public transparency reports and the legal commitments in the Terms of Service. The annual reports exist so anyone can check the math themselves and to prove I'm not lying or being dishonest. By 2032, the fund operates through a 501(c)(3) foundation with its own board and staff—and at that point, the foundation is accountable, not just me.
How do I know the 40% isn't being gamed?
The annual transparency reports show every line item: gross revenue, app store fees, operating costs, taxes, after-tax income, sustainability floor, and fund allocation.
The math will be public and will be included in each annual report. If the numbers don't add up, anyone can call it out.
Diagnosis Fund & Lifetime Access
Where do I get a diagnosis code?
Codes are issued only to people whose autism assessment was funded through the Spoons Diagnosis Fund. The partner organization that arranged your diagnosis will send you the code after your assessment is complete.
What is the diagnosis code?
If your autism diagnosis was funded by the Spoons Diagnosis Fund, you will receive a permanent access code. Enter this code in the app settings once.
Main Interface: Settings icon on top right -> Enter Diagnosis code -> Enter Code and Confirm
Paywall Screen: Have a Diagnosis Code -> Enter Code and Confirm.
After that, Spoons is permanently unlocked on any device you use. This code works offline and doesn't require an internet connection to activate it.
.webp)
What if I lose my code?
Contact the partner organization that arranged your diagnosis — they can help recover your code.
If that organization is no longer operating, please contact hello@getspoons.app directly. We maintain backup records of all issued codes.
Why does this exist?
If the Spoons Diagnosis Fund paid for your diagnosis, Spoons will always be free for you. The code ensures permanent access.
Questions? Email: fund@getspoons.app
If your organization is interested in partnering with the fund, please reach out at partnerships@getspoons.app.