The ASHFoundation supports innovators and sparks innovation in the communication sciences. We give early support to promising students, researchers and clinicians exploring bold ideas to transform the field and improve the lives of people challenged with hearing, speech and language problems on a daily basis. One in six Americans has a speech, language or hearing disorder that can keep them from reaching their full potential in school, work and life. That's 50 million people with conditions that can make human interaction a struggle to connect and convey ideas. ASHFoundation grants recognize the talent of passionate and promising innovators exploring forward-thinking solutions for our field. These investments in their ingenuity empower our grantees to chart new paths and pursue new breakthroughs, and ultimately, change people's lives.