Dreams Come True
Dreams Come True is our primary program for helping families in desperate need access a life-changing assisted vacation experience. These pages have details of the program and how a family can apply. Grants are only available to families in the United States and Canada.
Applications for Dreams Come True grants are now open.
Families who registered for grant notifications should check their email inbox, as well as spam or junk folders, for their invitation to complete an application form.
The timeline for this grant cycle is shown in this table.
Registration for future grant cycles will re-open on April 7th.
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For many families, a vacation is something to look forward to each year—a chance to rest, reconnect, and create memories together. For others, particularly families supporting a loved one with a disability, a vacation can feel financially and emotionally out of reach, or even impossible.
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The out-of-pocket costs of disability-related care can reach tens of thousands of dollars each year. When combined with the time demands of therapy schedules that limit a parent’s ability to work, and the unique challenges that can make travel more stressful than staying home, opportunities for true rest and togetherness often disappear.
The Autism on the Seas Foundation exists to change that.
Through our fully funded Dream Come True grants, we give families in severe need the opportunity to experience a cruise vacation supported by Autism on the Seas’ staff-assisted program—an approach that has been successfully operating for nearly 20 years and has helped thousands of individuals and families enjoy meaningful time together, reduced stress, and much-needed respite.
Our goal is to serve as many families as possible while working responsibly within our available resources. Demand for these grants consistently exceeds the funds available, and we follow a careful, structured process to ensure support reaches those with the greatest need. Every dollar raised allows us to help more families experience inclusion, relief, and joy.
The Autism on the Seas Foundation is based in the United States and currently awards grants to families residing in the United States and Canada.