We welcome students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis who wish to apply for Autism Funding from the Province of British Columbia to support their Arts Umbrella program. While we are not a dedicated service provider, we try our utmost to tailor our approach to autistic students at Arts Umbrella through staff training and access supports. Through our individually tailored Accessibility & Learning Needs process, you can request supports and share strategies for your student and their chosen classes.

We know how transformative art can be to engage with a special interest, build social skills with peers in a more structured environment, or learn regulation skills through creative expression.

We have outlined the process below to help you. More questions or want to speak with someone on our Student Services team? Reach out to [email protected].

Autism Unit Funding Application Process

1. Confirm your student’s eligibility and apply for funding

You will need to visit the Autism Funding Unit website to determine your student’s eligibility and complete the steps to apply for funding.

2. Enroll in Arts Umbrella classes of your choice

Once you have applied or been approved for AFU funding, you can choose which classes your student would like to enroll in. You can call our Student Services team on 604 681 5268 x1 to enroll and learn more about our third-party payer process (such as for AFU).

3. Tell us about your student’s accessibility needs and support strategies

Visit our Accessibility & Learning Supports page to learn more about our accessibility for students, to download forms to request supports, and contact us with more information.

4. Submit a Request to Pay to AFU

Once you have been approved for AFU funding, have chosen your Arts Umbrella program, and requested supports for your student in class, complete and submit a Request to Pay to AFU with all the appropriate information.

5. AFU program review

AFU will conduct a program review to determine if the class meets their criteria for funding. Arts Umbrella may be contacted as part of this review to learn more about the class and the supports available to your student.

6. Approval or next steps

If your request to pay is approved, please forward the approval letter. Once we receive a notice of approval from AFU, our Registration Specialist will invoice for the approved class. If funding is not approved, please contact us for next steps or to make a payment.