2025 Annual Report

Championing Local Services. Advancing National Impact.

2025: A Year of National Momentum

In its first year as an Association, 2025 elevated NSDA into a new era of national leadership. Building on the foundation set in 2024, NSDA has expanded its reach, influence, and impact—solidifying our position as the leading national voice for special districts.

This year, NSDA continued to advance major federal legislation, grew membership and state coalitions, expanded educational programming, and deepened our partnerships across the country. Our message is resonating—in Congress, in statehouses, and in communities nationwide.

Federal Advocacy: Influence at the National Level

With the backing of over 25,000 districts, NSDA continued to drive progress on the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act (H.R. 2766 / S. 2014)—historic legislation.

NSDA intensified Congressional outreach, briefed key committees, and strengthened bipartisan support for multiple priorities such as creating a Congressional Special District Caucus, public finance, FEMA, Fix our Forest Act, etc. Creating seamless advocacy and communications platforms, NSDA was able to advance on many fronts.

Membership & Coalitions: Growing Nationwide

NSDA expanded to represent almost 10,000 districts through state and individual memberships. Our coalition network deepened, our presence broadened, and new partnerships were forged. With the Acquisition of the American Association of Special District, NSDA is set for positive growth in 2026.

2025 Membership Highlights

• With the acquisition of AASD, NSDA will grow in 2025 by 5 new states state – a 41.7% growth with 34% of all US States represented. Potential members in 2026 from Louisiana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri
• Texas Special District Coalition entered its first full year of programming
• New members such as Nebraska Association of Resource Districts and GovDeals
• Trial memberships continue to be a source of contacts
• Multi-association outreach in states including Washington, Illinois, and Nevada
• Launched the National Partner Network with a founding group of 8 National Associations

Leadership, Education & Events

In 2025, NSDA expanded its leadership education footprint, offering more opportunities for district leaders to learn, connect, and grow.

Held first ever Leadership Forum in Austin, Texas:  Our inaugural Leadership Forum in Austin launched a new model for high-level, interactive leadership development—bringing together more than 40 district leaders and partners.  Hosted by key platinum partners, PTMA, Streamline, the event set the stage for future NSDA Leadership Forums across the country.

While the Naperville Illinois Leadership forum was postponed, NSDA continued on to visit multiple Special District Associations in Illinois and focused on growth and coalition building.

Communications & National Campaigns

NSDA’s message continues to reach millions as we elevate the role and importance of special districts nationwide.

2025 Communications Impact

• Districts Make the Difference (DMTD):
  →   106 videos – an increase in videos of 168%
  → Youth video contest participation across 30 states – an increase of 114%
• Unprecedented Social Media Growth
  • Across platforms, NSDA saw major increases in audience interaction and visibility, driven by new content strategies, multi-state campaigns, and storytelling efforts.
• Key 2025 Highlights: In addition to major impression and engagement growth:
  • Audience growth remained strong across all platforms do to new digital storytelling tools, consistent weekly campaigns, and district spotlights boosted visibility
  • LinkedIn impressions increased 643%
  • Facebook impressions grew 288%
  • Post link clicks increased 840%, demonstrating higher interest in NSDA resources, events, and advocacy actions
  • Engagements surged by 2,371%, showing exceptional growth in how audiences respond, share, and interact with NSDA content.
  • Video views increased by 1,556%, fueled by member spotlights, educational clips, and the Districts Make the Difference video campaign.
  • Engagement rates soared to 9.1%, a 304% increase, far surpassing public-sector benchmarks.
  • Social media paid engagement increased by 52.8% even while spending 18% less.

Grants & Federal Funding: A Year of Major Expansion

In 2025, NSDA’s partnership with The Ferguson Group (TFG) significantly expanded access to federal funding support for special districts across the nation. Demand for grant assistance surged, and NSDA’s grant readiness resources reached more districts than ever before. Through consultations, custom research, trainings, and weekly opportunities updates, NSDA provided districts with the tools needed to compete—and win—in a highly competitive federal landscape.

 

2025 Program Impact and Key Outcomes:

Special districts engaged at record levels, reflecting growing awareness of federal opportunities and deepening reliance on NSDA’s grant services.

• 55 districts received grant guides and research materials, strengthening project development and readiness for upcoming solicitations.
• 24 special district projects supported through TFG consultations, project research, office hours, and individualized advising.
• Districts from California, Oregon, Florida, and Colorado were among the most active users of NSDA’s funding consultation program.
• Consultations increased steadily throughout 2025, with the strongest participation in Q3 and Q4, signaling momentum for 2026.
• NSDA members gained access to a robust database containing more than 2,000 successful grant applications, helping districts learn from winning models and trends.
• Weekly federal grant updates ensured districts stayed informed, with 50+ weeks of continuous funding alerts delivered in 2025.
• Popular webinars—including “Follow the Money” and training on FEMA, WaterSMART, and infrastructure programs—had high participation and strong demand for additional sessions.

Strengthening Grant Readiness

NSDA made significant strides in building district capacity through:

• Office Hours Consultations: Personalized guidance for districts seeking funding pathways, aligning projects with competitive opportunities.
• Grant Funding Guides & Profiles: Easy-to-use summaries offering insights on eligibility, match requirements, and past awards across dozens of federal programs.
• Expanded Training: Introduction to grant basics, writing strategies, budget development, and post-award compliance helped districts prepare for the full lifecycle of grant management.

Real Funding Wins

Districts across the country saw tangible results:

• Millions in awards to California special districts from FEMA and WaterSMART.
• Increasing numbers of districts reported improved competitiveness and stronger proposal submissions due to NSDA’s training and TFG’s expert review.

Looking Ahead: 2026 Priorities

NSDA will continue building national momentum with a strategic focus on:

• Passage of the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act
• Expanding state coalitions and member growth toward representation in Illinois, New Mexico, North Dakota, Louisiana, Missouri etc.
• Advancing federal policy on cybersecurity, resilience, and local infrastructure
• Increasing federal funding access through training, tools, and one-on-one support
• Growing the reach and impact of the Districts Make the Difference campaign

Together, we will continue to strengthen the voice, visibility, and effectiveness of America’s special districts.

Thank you to our Professional Services partners:

Duran Kinst Strategies

Paragon Government Relations

The Ferguson Groups

CU Consulting

And special thank you to our Business Affiliate partners:

Business Affiliates:

Platinum - Streamline and PTMA

Gold – GovDeals

Bronze – Gridbase