Laura Slatkin and Ilene Lainer founded New York Collaborates for Autism in 2003 to improve the lives of individuals and families living with autism in the New York City region. The organization helped launch several ground-breaking initiatives, including the NYC Autism Charter School, the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, and a teacher training program at Hunter College.

The success of the programs it incubated and its special events, particularly Night of Too Many Stars, positioned the organization as a national pacesetter in the field, and in 2016, the organization rebranded as NEXT for AUTISM. The new name came with an expanded focus on national reach and impact. As the organization considered how to achieve its expanded goals, it has engaged Impact Catalysts to guide an exploration of its opportunities and the development of a focused strategy for the next phase of its development. We also supported NEXT in implementation of the plan, guiding the planning and launch of a major gifts campaign to support the new strategy.