AASA Wins Gold TRENDY Award for Best Advocacy Campaign
March 06, 2026
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, has been honored with the gold TRENDY Award for Best Advocacy Campaign by Association Trends, one of the association management community’s most respected honors. The award recognizes AASA’s FY25 Funding Freeze on Students Across America campaign, a rapid-response advocacy initiative that mobilized school system leaders nationwide and helped secure the release of approximately $7 billion in federally appropriated education funds.
The campaign generated extraordinary media impact, earning AASA 1,885 media stories in July 2025. Coverage spanned the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR’s All Things Considered, Good Morning America, CNN, Newsweek, The Atlantic, and dozens of national and local education outlets. AASA’s social media engagement during the campaign reached an 8.7% engagement rate — more than triple the association’s typical average and the nonprofit industry benchmark.
By transforming superintendent voices into compelling testimonials and maintaining sustained pressure on decision-makers, AASA was instrumental in securing the full release of FY25 education funds and helped protect essential services and programs for millions of America’s children.
The TRENDY Awards, presented by Association Trends, celebrate the most innovative and effective work in association communications, marketing, and advocacy.
About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.
