In 2008, an economic downturn started an alarming trend: more than half of the country’s school districts experienced permanent cuts to local and state funding. With little hope of government support returning, community leaders turned to local education foundations. In 2008, the National School Foundation Association went to work, actively connecting, supporting, and leading the education foundation movement. Our organization has trained hundreds of foundation executives on program management, successful fundraising, and community engagement. We support state associations tailored to helping members solve those unique, local education funding problems - and we are just getting started. Every day, the local education foundation movement becomes more critical to sustaining and improving our schools, and at the National School Foundation Association, we are committed to making sure members like you lead the way. NSFA is the industry's primary thought leader, convener and advocate, providing support to preK-12 public education foundations through professional development, evidence-based best practices and research in order to increase community investment in our nation’s students.