Journey of the Foundation

Advancing systemic change for neurodivergent people through scalable, dignity-centred projects, 2016-2025.

All we are, all we do, why, and what we need to do more.

Executive summary

The Neurodiversity Foundation exists to help build a world in which neurodivergent people can live, learn, work, and belong without needing to shrink themselves to fit a fictional “normal.” We do this through a combined approach: public pride and narrative change, practical education tools, research and innovation that builds real-world solutions, and advocacy that removes structural barriers.

From the beginning, we have treated “impact” in a wide and honest sense. Impact is not only “how many people we reached.” Impact is also:

• starting projects that were missing,
• improving and renewing them,
• building new teams and governance,
• publishing usable tools and curricula,
• creating safer community spaces,
• and shifting policy, language, or cultural norms toward dignity.

Our work follows a consistent internal logic:

• Pride builds belonging and public legitimacy.
• Education turns philosophy into usable tools.
• Research & innovation builds and tests solutions that scale beyond one organisation.
• Advocacy removes barriers and challenges harm.
• Organisation (capacity and governance) makes the work sustainable and ethical.

2018–2025: the arc in one paragraph

We began by building a pride-based, dignity-centred public narrative and a tradition that neurodivergent people could own. Over time, demand accelerated: more people wanted to participate, more organisations asked for guidance, more partners wanted to collaborate, and more systems revealed discriminatory gaps. As the movement grew, our organisation matured: projects expanded, departments evolved, and our governance structures were strengthened. By 2025, global reach had arrived faster than sustainable funding — and we carried that responsibility with determined calling, refusing to sacrifice dignity, radical acceptance, or our values to “grow faster.” The result is a proven organisation with proven engines — and a clear need for stable support to meet demand ethically.

What makes our organisation distinct

Many organisations talk about inclusion. We build dignity-centred systems and a culture of practice:

• We use neurodiversity-affirming language and reject deficit framing.
• We design for accessibility, not optics.
• We build tools people can actually use
• We support community-led action and “make space at the table” as we grow the table.
• We take principled stances when harm becomes normalised.

Why funding matters now

Our trajectory shows two truths at the same time:

1. We can build scalable, internationally resonant projects (Pride growth, global networks, practical education tools).
2. Sustainable capacity has lagged behind demand, which creates risk: risk of burnout, risk of stalled projects, risk of under-serving communities that already carry too much.

Funding is not “just support.” It is the difference between:growth that is ethical, sustainable, and dignified, and growth that becomes unstable because responsibility outruns capacity.

2. Who we are

Mission

To strengthen neurodivergent dignity, belonging, and opportunity — by building traditions, tools, research pathways, and advocacy efforts that make society safer and more liveable for all neurodivergent people.

Vision

A world where neurodivergent people are not treated as “problems to manage,” but as full humans — with differences that are real, valuable, and welcomed — in education, employment, healthcare, public space, and community life.

Core values

Our work is guided by five core values (both strategic and cultural):

1. Compassion — We act with care for lived reality, not theory.
2. Love — We lead with warmth that includes boundaries, protection, and responsibility.
3. Benevolence — We assume good faith where possible; we invest in people and community.
4. Courage — We speak when silence would be easier, especially when harm is normalised.
5. Ambition — We are not here for small symbolic wins. We are here to build a future.

Our DNA: dignity & radical acceptance

Two concepts shape how we think, communicate, and design:

• Dignity: people are not valuable because they “function well.” People are valuable because they are human. This means we reject models that reduce neurodivergent people to deficits, burdens, or behaviours to correct.

• Radical acceptance: acceptance is not passive. It is an active, principled stance: neurodivergent people do not need permission to exist as themselves.

These principles show up in practice:

• in our language choices,
• in our refusal to centre harmful approaches,
• in our commitment to accessibility and community leadership,
• and in our long-term goal of shifting both culture and systems.

Culture: warm edges, steel backbone

Our culture is intentionally built. It is not “nice.” It is warm and principled:

• We are collaborative and human.
• We protect the community from harm.
• We do not trade values for comfort.
• We choose clarity over vague branding.
• We make real things: tools, programs, traditions, and infrastructures.

Departments and how they work together

Over time, we have worked through four departments (with “Organisation” as the enabling backbone):

1. Neurodiversity Pride
   Public tradition, global visibility, belonging, and narrative legitimacy.

2. Education (added in 2020)
   Practical resources, trainings, tools, courses, and learning communities that turn ideals into daily-life usability.

3. Research (initially Research & Innovation; later simplified)
   Platforms for inquiry, prototypes, collaborations, and building real-world solutions.

4. Advocacy & Awareness (awareness renamed to include advocacy in 2025)
   System change: policy influence, barrier removal, principled public stances.

Organisation (capacity, governance, roles, operations)
The structure that makes everything above sustainable and ethically scalable.

3. Origin & formation (2016–2017)

Why we began

Neurodivergent people are routinely asked to adapt to environments that were not built for them — and then blamed for the cost of that mismatch. The “help” offered is often deficit-based: it tries to make people look normal, act normal, or suffer quietly.

We began with a different premise:

• society needs a framework that treats neurodivergent difference as real human variation,
• and neurodivergent people deserve pride, not just awareness campaigns.

Incubation years: 2016–2017

In 2016 and 2017, the work was still in preparation — concepting, prototyping, community conversations, and early credibility building, mainly by Tjerk Feitsma, who would become the organisations director. This early phase was shaped by two strategic choices:

• to build a movement that is neurodivergent-led, and
• to create a public tradition that could scale across cities and countries without losing its soul.

We also secured early validation through awards and early support (as you noted in your own timeline), not as a goal in itself, but as fuel to make the first projects real.

Why Pride was chosen as the first flagship

We chose Pride not as “marketing,” but as structure:

• Pride creates belonging and shared identity.
• Pride makes language travel.
• Pride creates a cultural permission slip: you can exist as you are.
• Pride is scalable: it can be celebrated by communities even when resources are low.
• Pride becomes a bridge: once people feel seen, systems can be challenged.

This is how our first major project became the anchor that later enabled education, research, and advocacy to grow.

4. 2018 — Founding & first Pride

1) Year in context (2018)

2018 was the year we became real in public: from preparation into founding, and from concept into the beginning of a tradition. Internally, we moved from “idea and network” toward “organisation with projects.” Externally, we stepped into a social landscape where neurodiversity language was still unevenly understood and often framed through deficit-based narratives.

What changed compared to the year before:
2017 was vision-building; 2018 was execution. We began creating visible artefacts: an event, materials, branding, and a community moment people could remember. Aside Tjerk Feitsma as director, we invited Lana Jelenjev to become Chair person, and Eleonora Spagnuolo as boardmember. 

Defining tension/opportunity:
The opportunity was clear: there was space for a dignity-first pride tradition. The tension was also clear: credibility had to be built through substance, not claims.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Focus areas (2018):

• Launch the organisation publicly through a flagship tradition (Neurodiversity Pride Day).
• Establish a dignity-centred narrative: pride and self-acceptance over deficit framing.
• Build early community and legitimacy through a well-held first event.
• Begin prototyping a broader ecosystem (tools and innovation concepts introduced alongside Pride).

What we did not prioritise (2018):

• Large-scale growth; we prioritised a strong foundation over scale.
• Complex institutional partnerships; we prioritised community legitimacy and clarity first.

3) Flagship achievements (grouped by department)

Pride

Neurodiversity Pride Day (first edition, Netherlands)

• What it is: the first Neurodiversity Pride Day celebration in the Netherlands, hosted by the Neurodiversity Foundation. 
• Why it mattered: it created a new permission slip: neurodivergent people could celebrate themselves openly — not as a problem to fix, but as a truth to honour. It also set the precedent for an annual tradition that later scaled internationally.
• Reach/result: early “humble beginnings” with an estimated 50–80 participants at the first edition (not a weakness — a foundation).

Neurodiversity Keynote / “Neurodiversiteitsrede” begins as a tradition

• What it is: the first annual keynote address was delivered as a central ritual element of the day. This would be the start of ‘tradition making’ as a novel strategy to promote the project over time. 
• Why it mattered: movements scale through rituals. This created an anchor tradition that later welcomed pioneers and strengthened narrative legitimacy year after year.

Neurodivergent appreciation as a practice (cards and gratitude tradition)

• What it is: early Pride included an explicit practice of writing appreciation messages to neurodivergent people and allies — turning pride into relational culture.
• Why it mattered: it shifted the emotional centre of the conversation: from “coping with deficits” to “recognising value and strength.”

Education (early-stage foundations)

In 2018, education was not yet a separate department (that came later), but the seeds were present: materials, language framing, and early “public pedagogy” through Pride and community dialogue.

Early educational framing through Pride

• What it is: Pride was designed not only as celebration, but as a dignity-first educational intervention: pride counters shame, stigma, and deficit narratives.
• Why it mattered: it created a clean, accessible entry point for people newly encountering neurodiversity.

Research & Innovation (early-stage)

Technology and innovation concepts introduced alongside Pride

• What it is: early Pride programming included showcasing initial technology and innovation ideas, including early concepts related to neurodivergent-friendly sign language and AI-supportive ideas.
• Why it mattered: it signalled from the first year: this foundation would not only “talk” — it would also build.

Advocacy & Awareness (early-stage)

Public narrative shift: pride over deficit framing

• What it is: the first Pride was explicitly framed as a move away from “awareness that centres suffering,” and toward pride, self-acceptance, and recognition of neurodivergent contribution.
• Why it mattered: advocacy begins with language. Before policy changes come cultural permission and legitimacy.

Organisation 

Creation of visual identity and core assets

• What it is: in the founding year, core visual works were created — including the “brain with the heart in mind” logo and other foundational materials (including early Pride materials).
• Why it mattered: a movement needs recognisable symbols to become coherent and shareable — and to be remembered.

First Pride shirts / early physical identity

• What it is: the first Pride shirts were introduced as part of the first public edition.
• Why it mattered: tangible identity supports belonging and community formation.

4) Culture & people (2018)

2018 was shaped by a founding culture: ambitious but careful, small but serious. The organisation began building a volunteer-driven community of people who wanted neurodivergent life to be met with dignity, not correction.

Key signals:

• A first core community formed around a new tradition (Pride).
• The organisation established an identity that combined warmth and seriousness: celebration paired with substance.
• Early assets and rituals were built with the intention to repeat and scale — without losing integrity.

5) What we learned / adjusted (2018)

What worked better than expected

• Pride worked as a structural intervention: it created belonging and legitimacy quickly, even at small scale.

What didn’t / constraints

• Scale was not the goal; the constraint was capacity — building credibility without overstretching.

What we reframed

• From the start, we learned: the goal is not “one successful event.” The goal is a repeatable tradition and a platform that can hold growth.

Numbers snapshot (2018)

• First Pride edition participants: ~50–80 (humble beginnings, strong foundation).
• Date & location: June 18, 2018; Rotterdam (Rotterdam Science Tower).
• Key ritual introduced: annual keynote tradition begins, the first of many ‘new traditions’.

 

4. 2019 — From initiative to responsibility

1) Year in context

2019 was the year the Neurodiversity Foundation crossed an important internal threshold: we moved from being a young organisation with a strong idea into an organisation that could no longer pretend its work was “optional.” Demand grew faster than expected, visibility increased, and it became unmistakably clear that our presence was filling gaps that were not being addressed elsewhere.

Externally, the concept of neurodiversity was gaining traction in public discourse, but still often misunderstood, diluted, or reduced to buzzwords. Internally, this created a tension: people were increasingly reaching out to us for leadership, tools, visibility, and legitimacy — while we were still structurally small, volunteer-driven, and learning in real time.

What changed compared to 2018
In 2018, we proved that a dignity-centred Pride tradition could exist. In 2019, we learned that once something meaningful exists, people will lean on it. Requests multiplied: from individuals seeking recognition, from partners asking for collaboration, from communities looking for guidance, and from institutions beginning to explore neurodiversity more seriously.

Defining tension of the year
The defining tension of 2019 was responsibility versus capacity. We could see clearly that the work mattered — and that retreating into “pilot mode” would be a form of abdication. At the same time, we had to learn how to grow without losing clarity, values, or dignity.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2019):

• Strengthening Neurodiversity Pride Day as an annual, repeatable tradition rather than a one-off event.
• Expanding from celebration into tools, research, and early innovation projects, responding to concrete needs voiced by the community.
• Beginning to position the foundation as a serious interlocutor — not only a cultural initiative, but an organisation with substance and responsibility.
• Testing early governance and team structures to hold increasing activity.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Rapid international scaling of Pride (this would come later, once the foundation was stronger).
• Commercialisation or paywalled offerings; access and dignity remained central.
• Formal institutional embedding before we were certain about our voice and ethics.

3) Flagship achievements (2019)

Pride

• Second annual Neurodiversity Pride Day (Netherlands)
  The 2019 edition of Neurodiversity Pride Day confirmed that Pride was not a coincidence or novelty, but a tradition people were willing to return to. Attendance grew, participation deepened, and the day increasingly functioned as a moment of collective recognition for neurodivergent people who were otherwise rarely centred positively in public space. This second edition demonstrated continuity, which is essential for credibility and trust-building.
• Strengthening Pride as a platform, not just an event
  Pride increasingly became a container for multiple forms of engagement: reflection, creativity, community presence, and emerging projects. Rather than being a single-stage celebration, Pride began to function as a gateway into deeper involvement with the foundation’s work.

Research & Innovation

• Formation of ND Tools research groups
  In response to recurring questions from neurodivergent people and practitioners, the foundation initiated early research groups focused on developing neurodivergent-friendly tools. These groups were exploratory rather than academic in a narrow sense, combining lived experience, design thinking, and practical experimentation. This marked the beginning of research as an ongoing pillar rather than an incidental activity.
• Assistive Technology Research Consortium (early stage)
  The foundation took initial steps toward what would later become more formal research collaborations, bringing together technologists, researchers, and neurodivergent contributors to explore assistive technologies that actually align with lived needs. This was a significant shift: instead of reacting to externally built tools, the foundation began to co-create and shape innovation agendas.

Education

• Educational projects and webinars
  Throughout 2019, the foundation organised and contributed to educational activities aimed at introducing neurodiversity concepts in accessible, strengths-based ways. These included webinars and learning-oriented sessions that helped translate Pride values into understanding and practice, laying groundwork for the later creation of the Neurodiversity Education Academy.
• Early curriculum thinking
  While not yet formalised as a department, 2019 saw the emergence of a clear educational philosophy: education should support self-understanding, reduce shame, and equip people to navigate systems — rather than training them to mask or comply.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Introduction of the Neuro-Inclusive Politician (NIP) Award
  One of the most important advocacy developments in 2019 was the creation of the Neuro-Inclusive Politician Award. This award was designed to publicly recognise politicians who actively contribute to neuroinclusion, offering positive examples rather than only criticism. The NIP Award introduced a new advocacy strategy: honouring courage and good practice to shift political culture from within.
• Public reframing of neurodiversity discourse
  Through Pride, talks, and public communication, the foundation increasingly positioned itself as a voice that rejected deficit-based narratives and called out harmful assumptions — while remaining constructive and accessible. This careful balance between clarity and openness became a defining advocacy style.

Organisation 

• Rapid team growth and volunteer engagement
  In 2019, the foundation’s team expanded significantly. Volunteers, contributors, and collaborators increasingly filled the physical office space at the Rotterdam Science Tower. This visible growth was both energising and sobering: it confirmed the relevance of the work, while also highlighting the need for clearer roles, coordination, and care structures.
• Increased seriousness in organisational ambition
  As the scope of activities expanded, the foundation consciously shifted its internal mindset. The work was no longer framed as “experimental activism,” but as a responsibility toward the communities depending on it. This led to more deliberate planning, prioritisation, and reflection on long-term sustainability.

4) Culture & people

2019 was a year of intensity. The culture remained warm and mission-driven, but the emotional tone shifted slightly: alongside joy and creativity came a growing awareness of responsibility.

Key cultural signals:

• Volunteers showed up consistently, not just episodically.
• The office became a living hub of collaboration rather than a symbolic location.
• Leadership began balancing openness with the need to say “not yet” or “not like this.”
• The organisation started recognising that care for people also includes care for structure.

People were not just contributing to projects; they were contributing to the shape of the organisation.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• Pride proved repeatable and expandable without losing meaning.
• Recognition-based advocacy (such as the NIP Award) resonated strongly and opened political conversations.
• Neurodivergent people responded positively to strengths-based framing and tool-oriented approaches.

What didn’t

• Informal coordination reached its limits faster than anticipated.
• Capacity strain became visible earlier than expected, especially for leadership and volunteers.

What we adjusted

• We began treating organisational development as a priority, not a distraction.
• We started laying groundwork for clearer departmental thinking (even before formal departments existed).
• We accepted that saying “yes” to everything would eventually harm both people and mission.

6) Numbers snapshot (2019)

• Neurodiversity Pride Day: second annual edition successfully delivered, with activities in 4 locations.
• Team & volunteers: rapid growth, with regular presence of volunteers in the Rotterdam Science Tower office.
• New initiatives launched: ND Tools research groups; Assistive Technology Research Consortium (early phase); Neuro-Inclusive Politician Award

Geographic focus: Netherlands, with increasing external interest from beyond NL

5. 2020 — Continuity under crisis

1) Year in context

2020 was defined by disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly removed physical meeting spaces, informal collaboration, and in-person community building from everyday life. For many organisations this meant postponement or paralysis. For the Neurodiversity Foundation, it meant an immediate and values-driven question: how do we continue serving neurodivergent people when the world retreats behind closed doors?

Externally, the pandemic disproportionately affected neurodivergent people. Support systems fell away, routines collapsed, and many individuals experienced heightened isolation, anxiety, and exclusion. At the same time, public attention was almost entirely focused elsewhere, making advocacy work both harder and more necessary.

Internally, the foundation was still young, volunteer-driven, and structurally fragile. Yet the need for continuity — emotional, educational, and cultural — became undeniable.

What changed compared to 2019
In 2019, the organisation operated from a lively physical base with strong in-person momentum. In 2020, those physical spaces closed almost overnight. The centre of gravity shifted decisively toward digital formats, online connection, and asynchronous resources.

Defining tension of the year
The central tension of 2020 was between disruption and responsibility. It would have been understandable to pause. Instead, the foundation chose to adapt quickly, even while resources, energy, and certainty were limited.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2020):

• Ensuring continuity of connection for neurodivergent people during lockdowns.
• Pivoting projects and events to online and digital formats without losing warmth or dignity.
• Expanding educational and self-support materials that could be accessed independently.
• Protecting the organisation’s core values while operating under stress and uncertainty.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Launching large new physical initiatives.
• Aggressive growth or visibility campaigns during a global crisis.
• Institutional expansion that would overburden volunteers already under strain.

3) Flagship achievements (2020)

Pride

• Neurodiversity Pride Day continued under pandemic conditions
  Despite restrictions on physical gatherings, Neurodiversity Pride Day was not cancelled. Instead, it was adapted to fit the realities of lockdown life. This continuity sent an important message: Pride is not conditional on convenience or visibility; it exists because people need it, especially in difficult times. Online elements and distributed participation allowed Pride to remain a moment of recognition and solidarity.
• Reframing Pride as emotional anchoring
  In 2020, Pride increasingly functioned as an emotional and symbolic anchor rather than a festive event. The emphasis shifted toward reassurance, belonging, and the affirmation that neurodivergent identities remain valuable even when the world feels unstable.

Education

• Development of digital educational tools and materials
  With schools, organisations, and communities operating remotely, the foundation invested energy in creating and sharing educational content that could be used independently or in online settings. This included learning materials, talks, and publications that addressed neurodiversity from a strengths-based perspective, suitable for uncertain and high-stress contexts.
• Launch and growth of the Neurodiversity Education Academy (NEA)
  2020 marked a crucial step in formalising education as a core pillar of the foundation’s work. The Neurodiversity Education Academy emerged as a platform for workshops, courses, and resources that could reach people regardless of location. This development ensured that education would not be dependent on physical proximity in the future.
• Lectures and knowledge sharing under constraint
  Talks and lectures continued in online formats, allowing the foundation to remain present in conversations around neurodiversity even as conferences and events were cancelled worldwide. This helped maintain intellectual momentum and public engagement.

Research & Innovation

• Brainy App development and iteration
  During a time when many neurodivergent people were struggling with disrupted routines and reduced support, the Brainy App provided a way to explore strengths, patterns, and self-reflection in a low-pressure, self-paced manner. Development and refinement continued throughout 2020, demonstrating a commitment to practical, usable tools rather than abstract innovation.
• Continuation of research thinking despite disruption
  Although large-scale research collaborations were slowed by the pandemic, the foundation maintained its research orientation. Early concepts and exploratory work were kept alive, ensuring that innovation would resume with greater strength once conditions allowed.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Sustaining the neurodiversity narrative during crisis
  While public discourse was dominated by pandemic-related concerns, the foundation continued to speak about neurodiversity in ways that emphasised dignity, resilience, and human variation. This helped counter narratives that framed vulnerability solely as deficit or weakness.
• Supportive presence rather than confrontational advocacy
  In 2020, advocacy took a more supportive tone. Rather than pushing aggressively for systemic change during emergency conditions, the foundation focused on being present, visible, and trustworthy — laying groundwork for future influence.

Organisation

• Rapid organisational pivot to remote collaboration
  The foundation successfully transitioned its internal collaboration to online formats. Meetings, planning sessions, and project coordination moved to digital platforms, allowing work to continue despite physical separation.
• Protecting volunteer energy and well-being
  Leadership consciously avoided overburdening volunteers, recognising that many were dealing with personal, professional, and emotional strain. This restraint reflected the organisation’s commitment to dignity not only in outward impact, but also in internal practice.

4) Culture & people

The culture of 2020 was marked by care, patience, and quiet determination. While energy levels fluctuated and uncertainty was constant, the organisation remained anchored in its values: compassion, benevolence, courage, ambition, dignity, and radical acceptance.

Key cultural signals:

• People stayed involved even when participation was harder.
• Flexibility was prioritised over productivity metrics.
• Emotional safety and mutual understanding became explicit organisational norms.
• Leadership modelled vulnerability and steadiness rather than urgency or panic.

The year reinforced an important truth: culture is not what happens when everything goes well, but how people treat each other when circumstances are hard.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• Online formats allowed broader access for people who previously struggled with physical attendance.
• Educational materials proved scalable and reusable.
• Pride’s symbolic value increased when stripped of spectacle and centred on meaning.

What didn’t

• Digital fatigue limited sustained engagement for some participants.
• Informal communication became more fragile without physical presence.

What we adjusted

• We accelerated thinking about digital-first design.
• We learned to pace work more consciously, accepting slower progress when necessary.
• We reinforced values as operational guides, not just ideals.

6) Numbers snapshot (2020)

• Neurodiversity Pride Day: continued despite lockdowns, but with activities in 3 countries and 1500 participants. 
• Education: NEA established as a formal platform; multiple online talks and learning resources delivered
• Digital tools: Brainy App continued development and use, downloaded over a 1000 times. 
• Operational mode: fully remote, volunteer-driven

 

6. 2021 — Expansion & internationalisation

1) Year in context

2021 was a year of cautious reopening, uneven recovery, and significant growth. While the pandemic continued to shape daily life, it also accelerated structural changes that had already begun in 2020: online collaboration became normalised, geographic boundaries softened, and international connections became easier to sustain.

For the Neurodiversity Foundation, 2021 marked a decisive transition from a primarily national organisation to one with a clearly international presence and responsibility. The foundation’s voice was no longer only heard within Dutch contexts; it began resonating across borders, cultures, and systems.

What changed compared to 2020
Where 2020 was about survival and continuity, 2021 was about re-emergence and expansion. Projects that had been held together under crisis conditions were now able to grow. The organisation moved from “keeping things alive” to “building forward.”

Defining tension of the year
The defining tension of 2021 was growth without dilution. Visibility increased rapidly, but the foundation remained determined not to sacrifice dignity, nuance, or values in exchange for scale or popularity.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2021):

• Expanding Neurodiversity Pride beyond national borders.
• Strengthening education as a global resource through the Neurodiversity Education Academy.
• Deepening advocacy by entering political and institutional spaces.
• Experimenting with new formats for connection, including virtual and immersive environments.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Commercial scaling of education or Pride.
• Simplifying messages to fit mainstream narratives.
• Rapid formalisation of governance beyond what capacity allowed.

3) Flagship achievements (2021)

Pride

• Neurodiversity Pride Day celebrated in six countries
  In 2021, Neurodiversity Pride Day expanded to six countries, marking a crucial milestone in the movement’s internationalisation. This expansion demonstrated that Pride was not culturally bound to one national context, but could be meaningfully adopted elsewhere while retaining its core values of dignity, self-acceptance, and celebration of difference.
• Pride Universe: the largest virtual neurodivergent Pride space created to date
  One of the most ambitious projects of 2021 was the creation of the Pride Universe — a large-scale virtual reality environment designed specifically for neurodivergent Pride celebrations. Despite technical limitations and inevitable early-stage imperfections, the Pride Universe successfully hosted hundreds of participants across ten virtual rooms, including what became the largest virtual neurodivergent dance floor ever built. This project pushed the boundaries of accessibility, imagination, and what Pride could look like in digital space.
• Neurodiversity Pride Anthem: “Own Kind of Music”
  The foundation commissioned the development of an official Neurodiversity Pride Anthem. “Own Kind of Music” became a recurring symbol of Pride, used in subsequent years to reinforce continuity, emotional resonance, and shared identity across borders.

Education

• Significant growth of the Neurodiversity Education Academy (NEA)
  Under the leadership of Lana and in collaboration with educators and contributors, the NEA made several strategic advances. Educational content expanded in both depth and reach, with workshops, learning sessions, and resources becoming accessible to international audiences.
• Collaboration with the United Nations
  One of the most notable educational milestones of 2021 was a collaboration in which NEA contributors provided neurodiversity-related training to United Nations staff. This represented an extraordinary level of institutional recognition for a young organisation and underscored the credibility of the foundation’s educational approach.
• High-profile international lectures
  NEA-related talks reached prominent academic spaces, including a large live presentation at Harvard. These moments signalled that neurodiversity, when framed with clarity and dignity, belonged in serious educational and institutional contexts.
• Publication of “My Amazing Brain” magazine
  To support accessible learning without logistical barriers, the foundation released the My Amazing Brain magazine as a downloadable PDF. This decision reduced production costs, increased global accessibility, and aligned with sustainability values.

Research & Innovation

• Progress on the Family Signs project
  The Family Signs project continued its long-term development trajectory, moving closer to an Alpha release after years of conceptualisation and prototyping. Research internships, including the successful completion of a Cum Laude research internship by Maya Zaidan, strengthened the project’s scientific and practical foundations.
• Early-stage virtual and creative research experiments
  Projects such as virtual showcases for neurodivergent artists and creators demonstrated the foundation’s commitment to experimentation, even when outcomes were uncertain. These initiatives expanded the definition of “research” to include cultural and experiential knowledge.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Neuro-Inclusive Politician Award awarded to Sylvana Simons
  The 2021 NIP Award gained significant public and political attention. Awarding Sylvana Simons, and engaging directly with political leaders in The Hague, positioned the foundation as a serious advocacy actor willing to enter formal political spaces while maintaining a principled stance.
• First parliamentary motion using the term “neurodivergent”
  Following conversations with the foundation, politician Lisa Westerveld submitted a parliamentary motion that included the term “neurodivergent” for the first time. This linguistic shift represented a symbolic and practical step toward recognition and inclusion at the policy level.
• Election guidance and public political engagement
  The foundation’s election-related communications helped frame neurodiversity as a political issue, countering exclusionary rhetoric and supporting more inclusive narratives during a tense electoral period.

Organisation

• Support and delivery of the first Mikel Rijsdijk Memorial Grant
  The foundation supported the establishment and distribution of the Mikel Rijsdijk Memorial Grant, providing coaching and resources to neurodivergent individuals. This initiative embodied the organisation’s values by offering tangible support alongside advocacy and education.
• Growth of ambassadors and collaborators
  New ambassadors joined the foundation, including Suzanne Agterberg-Rouwhorst, strengthening representation and outreach. Relationships with leading figures in the neurodiversity movement, such as Judy Singer and Lyric, further deepened the organisation’s network and credibility.

4) Culture & people

2021 was characterised by courage and creative ambition. The organisation embraced complexity rather than avoiding it, experimenting boldly while remaining grounded in care.

Cultural highlights:

• Volunteers and leaders accepted imperfection as part of innovation.
• Emotional honesty and mutual respect remained central, even during high-stakes projects.
• The organisation increasingly saw itself as part of a global movement rather than a national initiative.

The foundation’s culture matured, balancing vision with responsibility and enthusiasm with reflection.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• International Pride adoption exceeded initial expectations.
• Virtual environments enabled forms of participation not possible offline.
• Educational credibility opened doors in high-level institutions.

What didn’t

• Technical limitations constrained some immersive experiences.
• Rapid expansion strained coordination and communication.

What we adjusted

• We accepted that innovation requires iteration, not perfection.
• We began preparing for more formal research and education structures.
• We recognised the need for clearer role definitions as the organisation scaled.

6) Numbers snapshot (2021)

• Neurodiversity Pride Day: celebrated in 6 countries, both in person and online and in VR. 
• Virtual Pride participation: hundreds of participants across multiple VR spaces
• Educational reach: international lectures and UN project
• Grants: first recipients of the Mikel Rijsdijk Memorial Grant supported

7. 2022 — Scale, community & participation

1) Year in context

2022 was a year of reopening, reconnection, and scale. As pandemic restrictions eased, people cautiously returned to shared physical spaces while retaining many of the digital habits developed during the previous two years. For neurodivergent people, this transition was uneven: some welcomed renewed contact, while others experienced renewed pressure to conform, mask, or “return to normal.”

For the Neurodiversity Foundation, 2022 marked a shift from experimentation to mass participation. The organisation’s work reached significantly larger audiences, and the consequences of visibility became more tangible. Neurodiversity Pride, in particular, moved from being an international initiative to becoming a widely recognised moment of collective attention.

What changed compared to 2021
In 2021, the organisation proved it could operate internationally. In 2022, it experienced what it meant to operate at scale. Reach increased sharply, participation diversified, and expectations from external stakeholders rose accordingly.

Defining tension of the year
The central tension of 2022 was between reach and intimacy. As numbers grew, the foundation faced the challenge of maintaining dignity, safety, and authenticity while engaging with millions rather than thousands.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2022):

• Scaling Neurodiversity Pride to reach a truly mass audience.
• Developing community-based formats that encouraged participation rather than passive consumption.
• Expanding social and physical initiatives (sports, dance, meetups) that supported belonging.
• Strengthening the organisation’s ability to respond to increased demand and visibility.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Monetising reach or converting visibility into commercial offerings.
• Centralising control over local Pride initiatives.
• Rapid institutionalisation without sufficient cultural safeguards.

3) Flagship achievements (2022)

Pride

• Neurodiversity Pride Day reached approximately 1.6 million people
  In 2022, Neurodiversity Pride Day achieved a major milestone in reach, with an estimated 1.6 million people engaging with Pride-related activities, content, and media coverage. This represented a dramatic increase compared to previous years and confirmed Pride’s resonance far beyond the foundation’s immediate networks.
• Expansion of Pride activities across countries and formats
  Pride celebrations took place in multiple countries, combining online campaigns, offline meetups, creative events, and symbolic actions. The diversity of formats allowed people to participate in ways aligned with their access needs and comfort levels, reinforcing Pride as inclusive by design.
• Increased institutional visibility of Pride
  Neurodiversity Pride gained recognition from public institutions, municipalities, and organisations, signalling a shift from grassroots celebration to a recognised cultural moment. Importantly, this visibility did not come at the expense of the Pride’s core message of self-acceptance and dignity.

Education

• Continued growth of NEA educational offerings
  The Neurodiversity Education Academy expanded its range of workshops, sessions, and materials, responding to growing interest from educators, organisations, and individuals. Education increasingly functioned as a bridge between Pride visibility and everyday practice.
• Strengths-based tools and publications
  Educational tools focusing on strengths, identity, and self-understanding continued to be developed and shared. These resources supported both neurodivergent individuals and those seeking to create more inclusive environments.

Research & Innovation

• Interactive meeting spaces and hybrid formats
  Building on earlier experimentation, the foundation explored interactive and hybrid meeting formats that combined online accessibility with physical presence. These experiments informed later developments in community events and conferences.
• Stride Sports initiative
  In 2022, the foundation launched and expanded the Stride Sports initiative, encouraging neurodivergent people to engage in physical activity together in a non-competitive, supportive context. The initiative demonstrated that inclusion also involves bodies, movement, and joy — not just conversation and cognition.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Broader mainstreaming of neurodiversity concepts
  Through Pride, education, and public engagement, neurodiversity became more visible in mainstream conversations. The foundation played a significant role in shifting language toward strengths-based and dignity-centred framing.
• Increased engagement with organisations and employers
  Requests for talks, advice, and collaboration from organisations and employers increased, reflecting growing recognition of neurodiversity as relevant to workplaces and public services.

Organisation 

• Growing demand across all channels
  The foundation experienced a notable increase in inbound communication: questions from neurodivergent individuals, collaboration requests from organisations, and invitations to participate in events and initiatives. This demand confirmed relevance while also placing pressure on volunteer capacity.
• Strengthening informal community structures
  Rather than immediately formalising everything, the organisation invested in informal but intentional community structures that allowed people to participate without excessive bureaucracy.

4) Culture & people

The culture of 2022 was characterised by openness and experimentation. The foundation embraced participation as a value, inviting people not just to observe but to join, create, and move together.

Cultural signals:

• Pride became something people did, not just watched.
• Community initiatives such as sports and dance fostered embodied belonging.
• Leadership prioritised safety, consent, and autonomy in large-scale participation.

At the same time, the organisation became more aware of the emotional labour involved in holding space for many people.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• Pride scaled without losing its core message.
• Community-based formats generated deep engagement.
• Physical and embodied initiatives complemented digital work effectively.

What didn’t

• Capacity lagged behind demand.
• Some initiatives required more coordination than anticipated.

What we adjusted

• We began thinking more explicitly about sustainable scale.
• We recognised the need for clearer pathways for volunteers and contributors.
• We accepted that not every request could be met immediately.

6) Numbers snapshot (2022)

(Approximate)

• Neurodiversity Pride Day reach: ~1.6 million people
• Countries involved: multiple, with growing international participation
• New initiatives: Stride Sports; expanded community formats
• Engagement: significant increase in organisational and individual inquiries

 

8. 2023 — Ecosystem building

1) Year in context

2023 was the year in which the Neurodiversity Foundation’s work began to function unmistakably as an ecosystem rather than a collection of projects. After years of initiating, testing, and scaling individual initiatives, patterns became visible: people, organisations, researchers, educators, technologists, and advocates were no longer engaging with isolated activities, but with a growing, interconnected movement.

Externally, neurodiversity was increasingly present in public discourse, but often fragmented. Many initiatives existed in parallel, sometimes duplicating effort, sometimes competing for attention, and often lacking coordination. Internally, the foundation recognised that its role was shifting: from initiating everything itself, to connecting, enabling, and amplifying the work of others.

What changed compared to 2022
Where 2022 was defined by scale and mass participation, 2023 was defined by structure and coherence. The question was no longer “can this grow?” but “how do we ensure that growth creates long-term value rather than exhaustion or fragmentation?”

Defining tension of the year
The central tension of 2023 was between ownership and stewardship. The foundation increasingly chose to act as a springboard for others rather than as the sole owner of initiatives, even when that meant less direct visibility or control.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2023):

• Strengthening recognised pathways between Pride, education, research, and advocacy.
• Expanding the Neurodiversity Education Academy into a more robust and visible learning ecosystem.
• Building bridges with businesses, research partners, and international collaborators.
• Advancing assistive technology projects from concept toward real-world testing.
• Preparing for more formal research structures without prematurely bureaucratising them.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Becoming the exclusive hub or “gatekeeper” of neurodiversity initiatives.
• Rapid expansion of commercial services.
• Simplifying complex topics to fit marketable narratives.

3) Flagship achievements (2023)

Pride

• Continued growth and maturation of Neurodiversity Pride
  In 2023, Neurodiversity Pride continued to grow in scale and complexity, building on the momentum of 2022. Rather than focusing solely on higher reach, the foundation invested in strengthening the quality, diversity, and coherence of Pride activities. Pride increasingly functioned as a yearly convergence point for multiple strands of the ecosystem: community, education, advocacy, and innovation.
• Deepening international collaboration around Pride
  Country teams, organisers, and partners collaborated more closely, sharing practices, ideas, and resources. This horizontal collaboration reduced dependency on the central organisation and strengthened local ownership.

Education

• Significant growth of the Neurodiversity Education Academy (NEA)
  2023 was a breakthrough year for NEA. Educational offerings expanded substantially, and the Academy became a recognisable point of reference for neurodiversity education grounded in dignity and lived experience. Courses, workshops, and publications reached broader audiences, including professionals, educators, and neurodivergent individuals themselves.
• Launch of new publications and educational tools
  Building on earlier work such as What’s Strong With You, the foundation prepared and launched additional publications and tools that supported self-reflection, strengths-based development, and practical application of neurodiversity principles. These resources reinforced NEA’s reputation for depth and usability.
• Growth of learning communities
  NEA increasingly functioned not only as a content provider, but as a community space where participants returned repeatedly, exchanged experiences, and built shared language around neurodivergence.

Research & Innovation

• Public testing of the Signs App
  One of the most concrete innovation milestones of 2023 was the public testing phase of the Signs App, developed in collaboration with research and technology partners. The app explored new ways of supporting communication, particularly for neurodivergent individuals and families. Public testing generated valuable feedback, validating some assumptions and challenging others.
• Evolution of the Together social meetup platform
  The Together initiative continued to evolve from its original concept into a more nuanced tool for facilitating safe, interest-based connection. In 2023, learning from earlier iterations informed adjustments in design and positioning, emphasising invitations and autonomy over platform-driven social dynamics.
• EU collaboration projects
  The foundation participated in and contributed to several European collaboration projects, connecting neurodiversity expertise with broader research and innovation agendas. These collaborations strengthened international networks and laid groundwork for future funding bids and joint initiatives.
• Laying groundwork for the Research Fellows Programme
  While not yet formally launched, 2023 saw the conceptual and organisational preparation of what would become the Research Fellows Programme. This included identifying needs among researchers, exploring support models, and articulating how research could be both rigorous and neurodivergent-led.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Expansion of the business and organisational network
  In 2023, the foundation launched and expanded a business-oriented network focused on neurodiversity. Rather than positioning itself as a consultancy, the foundation facilitated dialogue, learning, and exchange among organisations interested in moving toward neuroinclusion.
• Continued reframing of neurodiversity in public narratives
  Through talks, publications, and partnerships, the foundation continued to challenge deficit-based models and promote dignity-centred, strengths-based perspectives. Advocacy increasingly operated through example and infrastructure, not only through messaging.

Organisation 

• Growth in complexity and coordination needs
  As the number of active initiatives and partners increased, internal coordination became more complex. The foundation invested time in aligning teams, clarifying responsibilities, and improving communication flows without formalising prematurely.
• Recognition of the need for sustainable research and education structures
  By the end of 2023, it was clear that research and education required more stable structures, dedicated leadership, and long-term planning — insights that directly informed developments in 2024 and 2025.

4) Culture & people

The culture of 2023 was marked by maturity and generosity. The organisation increasingly acted from the belief that impact grows when knowledge, space, and credit are shared.

Cultural signals:

• A shift from “we must do everything” to “we must enable the right things.”
• Increasing trust in partners, volunteers, and collaborators.
• Acceptance that leadership sometimes means stepping back rather than stepping forward.

People across the ecosystem contributed not only labour, but also wisdom, reflection, and restraint.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• Ecosystem thinking reduced duplication and strengthened collaboration.
• Educational communities showed strong retention and return engagement.
• Public testing accelerated learning in innovation projects.

What didn’t

• Some innovation projects required more iteration time than initially anticipated.
• Coordination demands increased faster than organisational capacity.

What we adjusted

• We began formalising support structures for research and education.
• We reframed our role from “project owner” to “ecosystem steward.”
• We accepted that sustainable impact sometimes means slower, deeper progress.

6) Numbers snapshot (2023)

• Neurodiversity Pride: continued multi-country growth and consolidation in 9 countries. 
• Education: major expansion of NEA courses, tools, and learning communities of over a 1000 eductors
• Innovation: Signs App public testing phase; Together platform iteration

Partnerships: multiple EU collaborations and expanded business network

9. 2024 — Civic recognition & new flagships

1) Year in context

2024 was the year in which the Neurodiversity Foundation’s work entered civic and institutional reality in a visible, irreversible way. After years of building culture, tools, education, and international community, the foundation’s initiatives began to be formally recognised by municipalities, parliaments, research partners, and public institutions.

Externally, neurodiversity had become a widely used term — but not always a well-understood one. There was growing risk of dilution: inclusion language without structural change, celebration without accountability, and visibility without protection. Internally, this created a clear imperative: move from narrative influence to demonstrable civic impact, while protecting the integrity of neurodivergent-led work.

What changed compared to 2023
In 2023, the foundation functioned as an ecosystem builder. In 2024, it became a reference point. Invitations increasingly came not only from communities and partners, but from civic actors asking: How do we do this well?

Defining tension of the year
The defining tension of 2024 was recognition versus responsibility. Public recognition brought legitimacy — and with it, heightened expectations. The challenge was to accept recognition without becoming symbolic or performative.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2024):

• Launching new flagship initiatives that translated values into civic and institutional contexts.
• Formalising research and education pathways without losing accessibility.
• Strengthening advocacy through concrete policy proposals and public recognition mechanisms.
• Supporting international Pride growth while reinforcing quality and coherence.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Scaling purely for visibility metrics.
• Positioning the foundation as a commercial service provider.
• Centralising control over local or partner-led initiatives.

3) Flagship achievements (2024)

Pride

• Neurodiversity Pride celebrated in 15 countries
  In 2024, Neurodiversity Pride expanded to around fifteen countries, demonstrating sustained international growth. Pride celebrations were increasingly organised by local teams who adapted the tradition to their cultural context while remaining aligned with the foundation’s dignity-centred principles. This balance between local ownership and shared values strengthened Pride’s resilience and credibility.
• Continued evolution of Pride as a civic moment
  Pride increasingly functioned as a moment when municipalities, institutions, and organisations publicly reflected on neuroinclusion. Rather than remaining solely a community celebration, Pride became a mirror for civic responsibility.

Education

• Monthly Neurodiversity Education Academy (NEA) Community Meetings launched
  In 2024, NEA introduced monthly community meetings, creating a stable rhythm of learning, exchange, and peer support. These meetings reinforced NEA’s role not just as a content provider, but as a living learning community.
• Expansion of educational publications and resources
  New publications and tools were developed and shared, deepening the foundation’s educational catalogue. These materials supported self-understanding, organisational learning, and the practical application of neurodiversity principles.

Research & Innovation

• Launch of the Research Fellows Programme
  One of the most significant milestones of 2024 was the formal launch of the Research Fellows Programme. This programme supported neurodivergent researchers through coaching, community, and visibility, addressing a long-standing gap in academic and applied research ecosystems. By centring neurodivergent leadership in research, the foundation strengthened knowledge sovereignty and ethical research practice.
• Barefoot Coaching (EU collaboration)
  Through Erasmus+ and European collaboration frameworks, the foundation contributed to the Barefoot Coaching project. This initiative explored inclusive coaching methodologies, integrating neurodiversity perspectives into broader European learning and professional development contexts.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Autvinder Awards launched
  The Autvinder Awards were introduced to recognise autistic inventors and innovators. In the first edition, twenty autistic finalists presented their inventions, shifting public attention from deficit narratives to creativity, ingenuity, and contribution. The Awards created a new public ritual of recognition that directly aligned with the foundation’s values.
• ND Hacks launched
  ND Hacks was launched as a platform to showcase neurodivergent inventions and ideas. By providing visibility and validation for grassroots innovation, ND Hacks complemented the Autvinder Awards and reinforced the foundation’s commitment to practical, community-led solutions.

• Neuro-Inclusive City of the Year: Leiden
  In 2024, the foundation awarded Leiden the title of Neuro-Inclusive City of the Year. Alongside the certificate, the foundation presented the city’s mayor with ten concrete ideas for improving neuroinclusion. This initiative demonstrated a shift from abstract advocacy to actionable civic engagement.
• Parliamentary engagement: “10 plans for neuroinclusion”
  The foundation was invited to parliament to present ten concrete plans for neuroinclusion. This invitation reflected growing trust in the foundation’s expertise and its ability to articulate practical policy proposals grounded in lived experience.
• Support for partner initiatives (e.g. Limbo project)
  The foundation supported partner initiatives such as the Limbo project for queer refugees, providing financial support and content collaboration. This reflected a broader advocacy stance: solidarity across intersecting forms of marginalisation.

Organisation 

• Strengthening governance and advisory structures
  As activities and recognition increased, the foundation invested in strengthening its governance structures, including the Executive Board, advisory bodies, and role clarity across teams. These steps were essential for maintaining accountability and care at scale.
• Growth of international organiser networks
  The organisation supported an expanding network of national and local Pride organisers, sharing guidance, materials, and coordination structures while respecting autonomy.

4) Culture & people

The culture of 2024 was shaped by confidence tempered with humility. The organisation accepted recognition without assuming completion, and responsibility without claiming authority over others.

Cultural signals:

• Pride in achievements combined with vigilance against mission drift.
• Increased emphasis on listening — especially to neurodivergent researchers, organisers, and community members.
• Leadership framed success not as dominance, but as stewardship.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• Civic actors responded positively to concrete, dignity-centred proposals.
• Recognition-based initiatives (Autvinder Awards, City of the Year) created momentum without antagonism.
• Research Fellows Programme filled a real, unmet need.

What didn’t

• Administrative load increased sharply alongside recognition.
• Some partners underestimated the time required for ethical collaboration.

What we adjusted

• We invested more explicitly in organisational capacity.
• We clarified criteria and expectations for partnerships.
• We reinforced internal boundaries to protect people from overload.

6) Numbers snapshot (2024)

• Neurodiversity Pride: ~15 countries; ~1.8 million reach
• Autvinder Awards: 20 autistic finalists presenting inventions, 4 winners
• Research: Research Fellows Programme launched (first cohort)
• Civic engagement: parliamentary invitation; city-level recognition (Leiden)
• Education: monthly NEA community meetings established, newsletter reaches over 25k subscribers.

 

10. 2025 — Global scale with integrity

1) Year in context

2025 was the year in which global reach arrived faster than sustainable capacity. By this point, the Neurodiversity Foundation was no longer simply becoming international — it was operating globally, with real-world consequences for people, communities, and systems across dozens of countries.

Externally, neurodiversity had entered mainstream vocabulary in many places, but often in fragmented or diluted forms. At the same time, political polarisation, pressure on public institutions, and competing narratives around disability and inclusion intensified. Neurodivergent people increasingly faced contradictory forces: visibility on the one hand, renewed marginalisation on the other.

Internally, the foundation carried a growing sense of responsibility. More people wanted to join, we established the Advisory Board with 12 members and invited Magda, Poppy, Ana and Paola, aside Tjerk & Lana to join the new Executive Board. More organisers wanted guidance, more researchers wanted support, and more institutions asked for partnership — while funding and operational capacity had not yet caught up with the scale of demand.

What changed compared to 2024
In 2024, the foundation gained civic recognition. In 2025, it faced the consequences of legitimacy: expectations multiplied, and the cost of saying “yes” indiscriminately became clear. The organisation moved from expansion into disciplined stewardship.

Defining tension of the year
The defining tension of 2025 was scale versus sustainability. The foundation refused to sacrifice its values — dignity, radical acceptance, care for people — even when faster growth might have been possible by lowering standards or simplifying narratives.

2) Strategic focus of the year

Primary focus areas (2025):

• Supporting Neurodiversity Pride at truly global scale while protecting its integrity.
• Translating advocacy into concrete policy change.
• Strengthening research and education as structured, international programmes.
• Building organisational infrastructure that could hold responsibility without burning people out.

What we deliberately did not prioritise:

• Growth driven primarily by branding or visibility metrics.
• Partnerships that required compromising neurodiversity-affirming principles.

• Centralising power at the expense of local autonomy.

3) Flagship achievements (2025)

Pride

• Neurodiversity Pride active in 58 countries
  In 2025, Neurodiversity Pride reached an unprecedented scale, with Pride activities taking place in roughly 58 countries worldwide. This global footprint reflected years of careful groundwork, trust-building, and decentralised organisation. Pride was no longer a single campaign, but a shared tradition held by local communities across continents.
• 97 registered Pride events worldwide
  Across these countries, around 97 events were organised, ranging from small community gatherings to larger public celebrations. The diversity of formats reinforced Pride’s accessibility and adaptability, ensuring participation for people with different needs, capacities, and cultural contexts.
• Distribution of over 180 Pride flags globally
  More than 180 Neurodiversity Pride flags were shipped worldwide, often gifted to local organisers. These flags served as tangible symbols of belonging, continuity, and shared values — reinforcing Pride as a lived, visible tradition rather than an abstract idea.
• Global organiser infrastructure established
  By 2025, 40 country teams were active, supported by a distributed communication infrastructure including more than 43 WhatsApp groups. This system enabled peer-to-peer learning, mutual support, and decentralised coordination without excessive central control.

Education

• Launch and rollout of the Neuroprofiler
  The Neuroprofiler was launched as a practical educational and self-reflection tool designed to help individuals and teams better understand neurodivergent profiles in a strengths-based, non-pathologising way. The tool translated years of educational philosophy into a concrete, usable instrument.
• Continued expansion of NEA publications and courses
  The Neurodiversity Education Academy released twelve publications in 2025, covering topics related to neurodivergence, identity, strengths, and inclusion. Courses and learning materials continued to reach a growing international audience.
• Growing educational community metrics
  By 2025, NEA’s ecosystem included 34,000 newsletter subscribers, around 1,474 active community members, over 5,500 webshop orders for educational materials, and more than 2,300 recorded user sessions — signalling sustained engagement rather than one-off interest.

Research

• Expansion of the Research Fellows Programme
  The Research Fellows Programme grew to support  24 Fellows in 2025. Fellows received coaching, community support, and platforms to share their work, strengthening neurodivergent-led research across disciplines.
• Nine research bids submitted
  The foundation submitted nine research proposals in 2025, reflecting a growing ability to operate within formal research funding ecosystems while maintaining ethical and neurodiversity-affirming principles.
• Science Online Conference
  The foundation hosted a Science Online Conference featuring 14 speakers, creating a space for neurodivergent researchers and allies to share work, ideas, and emerging insights.
• Ongoing development of Signs and communication tools
  Building on earlier iterations, Signs continued to evolve, including experimentation with chat-based tools and personalised gesturing support. These developments reflected a long-term commitment to communication accessibility.

Advocacy & Awareness

• Policy win: removal of discriminatory driver’s license practices (Netherlands)
  In 2025, a long-standing discriminatory practice affecting neurodivergent people and driver’s licenses was removed in the Netherlands. This policy change represented a concrete, life-affecting outcome of sustained advocacy and dialogue.
• Motion 370: limiting public funding of intensive ABA
  A parliamentary motion (Motion 370) was passed, limiting public funding for intensive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). This outcome aligned directly with the foundation’s advocacy for dignity-centred, non-harmful approaches.
• Neuro-Inclusive Politician Awards (NL & India)
  The NIP Award was presented to Agnes Joseph in the Netherlands and Maneka Gandhi in India. These recognitions reinforced the foundation’s international advocacy reach and its strategy of rewarding inclusive leadership.

Organisation 

• Organisation-wide scale reached without proportional funding
  By 2025, the foundation coordinated 200 contributors and volunteers, maintained over 110,000 followers across platforms, and operated multiple global programmes — largely without structural funding commensurate with this scale.
• Refusal to compromise values under pressure
  Despite increasing workload and responsibility, the foundation explicitly refused to sacrifice how it treats people, how it supports shared dreams, or how it speaks about neurodivergent lives. This principled stance preserved trust and integrity, even when it limited speed.

4) Culture & people

The culture of 2025 was defined by determined calling. People involved in the foundation carried a deep sense of responsibility, often going beyond formal roles to ensure continuity and care.

Cultural signals:

• Strong mutual loyalty between organisers, researchers, educators, and leadership.
• Increasing honesty about limits, fatigue, and the need for sustainable support.
• A shared understanding that values are not a luxury, but a structural necessity.

The organisation held itself to a high ethical standard, even when external pressures encouraged shortcuts.

5) What we learned / adjusted

What worked better than expected

• Decentralised global Pride organisation proved resilient and adaptable.
• Policy advocacy achieved tangible outcomes.
• Research and education programmes attracted serious engagement.

What didn’t

• Capacity lag created ongoing strain.
• Informal structures reached their limits at global scale.

What we adjusted

• We prioritised organisational reflection alongside delivery.
• We clarified boundaries around partnerships and commitments.
• We articulated more clearly what sustainable funding would enable.

6) Numbers snapshot (2025)

• Neurodiversity Pride: ~58 countries; ~97 events; ~2.1 million reach
• Organisers: ~40 country teams; 100+ contributors, 80 volunteers
• Education: ~34,000 newsletter subscribers; 40.000 followers on education linkedin account, ~1,474 community members; ~5,500 webshop orders
• Research: 24 Fellows; 9 research bids; 14 speakers at Science Online Conference
• Organisation: ~200 contributors in total; ~110,000 followers in total

Where this leads

Across eight years, the Neurodiversity Foundation has demonstrated that:

• dignity-centred work can scale,
• neurodivergent-led initiatives can build credibility,
• and ethical restraint can coexist with ambition.

What remains is not proof of concept — it is capacity.

11. Cross-cutting impact themes

(What runs through all years, projects, and choices)

While the previous chapters describe what happened year by year, several themes cut across time, departments, and initiatives. These themes explain how the Neurodiversity Foundation works — and why its impact has been durable rather than episodic.

11.1 Dignity as a design principle

Dignity is not a value we add after decisions are made; it is a design constraint that shapes choices from the start.

Across projects — from Pride to education tools, from research programmes to advocacy — dignity has meant:

• refusing deficit-based language, even when it would be easier or more familiar,
• designing participation so people can enter without masking or self-justification
• prioritising safety, consent, and autonomy over spectacle or speed,
• treating neurodivergent people not as “beneficiaries,” but as contributors, leaders, and experts.

This principle explains why some opportunities were declined, why growth was sometimes slower, and why trust has remained high even as scale increased.

11.2 From visibility to structural change

The foundation’s work intentionally follows a progression:
visibility → legitimacy → structural intervention.

• Pride created visibility and belonging.
• Education translated values into practice.
• Research built evidence, tools, and alternatives.
• Advocacy moved into policy, civic recognition, and system change.

This arc is visible in outcomes such as:

• parliamentary language shifts,
• concrete policy changes (e.g. driver’s license discrimination, Motion 370),
• municipal engagement (Neuro-Inclusive City of the Year),
• research structures led by neurodivergent people themselves.

Visibility alone was never the goal; it was the opening move.

11.3 Neurodivergent leadership & knowledge sovereignty

A consistent through-line has been the insistence that neurodivergent people are not only subjects of discussion, but authors of knowledge.

This is reflected in:

• the design of Pride as a neurodivergent-led tradition,
• the creation of research fellowships that centre lived experience,
• education tools written with, not about, neurodivergent people,
• advocacy that speaks from dignity rather than deficit.

Knowledge sovereignty has practical consequences: it changes what questions are asked, which solutions are explored, and whose wellbeing is prioritised.

11.4 Ethical growth versus extractive scale

As reach expanded, the foundation faced a recurring choice: grow faster by simplifying, branding, and centralising — or grow more carefully by protecting nuance, autonomy, and care.

Repeatedly, the organisation chose ethical growth:

• decentralised Pride rather than franchise-style control,
• open sharing of materials rather than paywalls,
• partnership criteria rooted in values rather than visibility,
• pauses and recalibration when people or systems were under strain.

This choice explains both the organisation’s resilience and its current capacity tension.

12. What funding makes possible

A narrative scenario

Imagine the Neurodiversity Foundation three years from now — not as a different organisation, but as the same organisation with the capacity to meet the responsibility it already carries.

The present situation

Right now, the foundation operates at global scale with largely informal infrastructure. Pride reaches dozens of countries. Education tools circulate internationally. Research programmes attract serious interest. Advocacy achieves policy outcomes.

What limits impact is not vision, relevance, or demand.
It is time, coordination, and care capacity.

People step in because they care.
They stay because they believe.
But belief alone is not a sustainable operating model. And our impact is greatly reduced, by having a lack in funds to organize, pay salaries, pay material costs and so on.

With stable funding, the future looks different — and calmer

With sustainable support, the foundation does not suddenly “grow bigger.”
Instead, it grows steadier.

• Pride organisers receive clearer guidance, better support, and safer handovers.
• Education programmes deepen rather than constantly restart.
• Research Fellows receive consistent mentoring and publication pathways.
• Advocacy work becomes proactive rather than reactive.
• Organisational memory is protected, not lost between volunteer transitions.

The work becomes less fragile, not less ambitious.

The human difference

Funding allows the foundation to do something deceptively simple but transformative:
reduce hidden labour.

• Fewer late-night fixes.
• Fewer people holding responsibility without authority.
• Fewer projects depending on personal sacrifice.

This does not reduce passion — it preserves it.

The systemic difference

With capacity aligned to scale:

• Pride can mature into a long-term global tradition without burning out organisers.
• Education can move from episodic learning to sustained competence building.
• Research can generate cumulative knowledge rather than isolated pilots.
• Advocacy can anticipate policy windows instead of reacting to harm.

The foundation becomes not only impactful, but reliable — for communities, partners, and funders alike.

What does not change

Even with funding:

• The foundation does not become a consultancy.
• It does not dilute language for market comfort.
• It does not abandon dignity for efficiency.
• It does not centralise power at the expense of community ownership.

Funding does not change the organisation’s soul.
It protects it.

13. Closing reflection & invitation

Over eight years, the Neurodiversity Foundation has demonstrated something rare:

That it is possible to build a globally resonant movement without abandoning care,
to influence policy without erasing lived experience, and to grow without losing integrity.

What stands before you now is not a start-up seeking proof of concept, nor a movement driven only by visibility. It is an organisation that has already carried more responsibility than its structure was designed for — and has done so with restraint, reflection, and dignity.

The invitation is not to fund ideas. It is to fund the power of love, manifested through our hundreds of volunteers, dozen of projects and great ambitions.
We need funding for continuity. 

Continuity of care.
Continuity of leadership.
Continuity of impact. 

We are here, and with love, courage, benevolence, compassion and ambition, we are ready to utilize our strength and energy, to bridge the gaps, and make this society better for all neurodivergent people that live today, and for all the next generations to come.