Uniting, Strengthening & Advancing Special Districts

The American Association of Special Districts is collaborates with special district leaders to build advocacy capacity across states, deliver governance resources, and elevate recognition of special districts as a force of America’s local government.

American Association of Special Districts Logo, with blue font and a bold yellow line aligned to the left.

AASD Applauds Bipartisan Senate Introduction of the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act

AASD Applauds Bipartisan Senate Introduction of the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act The American Association of Special Districts (AASD) strongly supports federal efforts to define “special district,” which now includes introduction of the bipartisan...

Missouri Special Districts Meet for First Steering Committee Meeting

Special district leaders from across Missouri virtually met May 29 to kickoff efforts to develop an organization to network, educate, and advocate for all types of district services. Elected and appointed board members, district administrators, and stakeholders from fire...

5 1/2 Common Misconceptions about the Special District Fairness and Accessibility Act

Special districts have historically been at a disadvantage to engage with and participate in a wide range of federally-sourced programs. This long-standing public policy issue is complex and is largely rooted in the lack of a single definition of what a “special district”...

Registration Open for 3 Regional Special Districts Governance Summits

Registration is now open for three upcoming AASD Special Districts Governance Summits, offering regional opportunities for special district leaders to gather for two days of networking, education, and advocacy on common issues. The American Association of Special Districts...

NPPGov Partners with the American Association of Special Districts

SEATTLE, WA – NPPGov is proud to announce a direct partnership with the American Association of Special Districts (AASD). NPPGov is a national cooperative procurement organization offering publicly solicited contracts to government entities nationwide. Cole Arreola-Karr,...

Breaking Down the Skinny Budget Proposal – What’s on the Line for America’s Special Districts

This article first appeared Friday, May 16, 2025, in the Special Districts Download, AASD's biweekly newsletter offering insights into federal and state trending advocacy issues, governance resources, and program updates. The White House notified Congress of its Fiscal...

Lake of the Ozarks’ Special District Leaders Invited to Policy and Governance Roundtable

Special district leaders from across the Lake of the Ozarks region are invited to join a roundtable discussion on governance and policy issues impacting the local public services they provide in their communities. The Lake Area Special Districts Roundtable will take place...

Registration is open for the Northern Special Districts Governance Summit!

Register today for a different kind of local government experience, and join special district leaders from across the region to meet and discuss common district issues, to get perspectives and governance resources from professionals who understand the special district sector of local governance, to network, and to advocate.

AASD aims to provide these in-person regional summits as forums to unite, strengthen, and advance all special districts in their backyards, and in an affordable fashion for the very small to the large districts that provide essential services in their communities. (One full non-member registration + one night lodging = $256 total!).

Learn more about this special two-day regional event for special districts, and get your tickets today!

Special district leaders representing small special districts  interested to join the Summit and must travel more than 100 miles, one-way, may qualify for hardship/travel registration discounts or waivers. Email contact@americasdistricts.org to inquire.

Get Involved With AASD

At AASD, we’re all about engagement.

 

Learn more about how to get involved and engage with our member-driven programs for special district directors, managers, and stakeholders.

Join AASD as a founding trial member to get involved in AASD programs, risk-free and at no cost, through November 30, 2024.

Those who successfully complete three months of founding trial membership will be offered a special AASD Founding Member package for the lifetime of their AASD membership.

Join an AASD Division of Special Districts

AASD hosts 12 Divisions of Special Districts, each grouped by general service category. Each AASD Division meets throughout the year for virtual forums offering special presentations, resources/insights, and national conversations on trending topics of interest for the different types of special districts.

Our Division approach is aimed to network special districts to work through common issues, share best practices with one another, and focus on unique issues impacting special districts as units of local government.

Each Division has a governing structure. Special districts join a Division when they become AASD Members and elect their leadership, each of which are seated in one of 12 special district representative seats on the AASD Board of Directors.

Our 12 Divisions include:

  1. Emergency Services & Public Safety (ambulance, fire, safety, 9-1-1.)
  2. Energy Services (electricity, natural gas)
  3. Environmental Services (solid waste, recycling)
  4. Hospital & Healthcare
  5. Housing, Community Development & Broadband
  6. Irrigation & Flood Control
  7. Library (includes museums)
  8. Mosquito, Vector, and Pest Control
  9. Natural Resources Conservation
  10. Park & Recreation (includes cemeteries)
  11. Transportation (airport, highway/road, river port, seaport, transit, etc.)
  12. Water Utilities (water and wastewater)

Interested in joining? Click the “Join as Founding Trial Member” button to the left.

Attend a Regional Summit

AASD aims to offer six regional in-person summits across the country in 2025 to connect special districts with essential resources for board governance, district management, and staff professional development. Summits are coordinated leveraging the expertise of the AASD Professional Network to deliver resources to special district leaders and stakeholders. AASD’s Members receive heavily discounted registration as a benefit, and AASD’s Professional Network members are offered priority or exclusive invitations to engage with America’s special districts.

2025 Summit Schedule TBA

  • Late March 2025: Greater New Orleans Area
  • Spring 2025: Kansas City Area

AASD is available to coordinate local and regional workshops for special districts by stakeholder request. Contact cole@americasdistricts.org for more information.

AASD Webinars

AASD’s webinars provide a platform to reach special districts where they are. AASD offers two types of webinars to advance special districts’ good and transparent governance and another type that highlights professional service needs and trends, and has 24 slots open (12 each) for 2025 webinar presentations.

Governance/Transparency webinars are those that convey best practices and understandings of board practices, good governance, transparency, finance administration, accountability and related demands.

Trends/Professional Needs are those that deliver information to enhance special districts’ processes, staff efficiencies and professional development, management best practices, investment best practices, communications/public relations, and related needs.

AASD Professional Network

Businesses, firms, nonprofits, and other organizations providing professional goods and services are invited to join AASD as an Associate Professional Member and dubbed a member of the “AASD Professional Network.”

AASD’s Professional Network is the backbone of AASD’s services, and its members are recognized as a trusted resource for America’s special districts. We recognize and appreciate the value our Associate Members add to all categories of AASD Membership, and we strive to ensure that realized through valuing, in turn, engagement.

Professional Network members benefit from formal referrals for professional services, flexible in-personal and virtual engagement invites, contributions to AASD’s biweekly newsletter, offers to present to AASD Division meetings, and much more. 

Pro Networkers will have flexibility to put their membership dues to work. Member engagements are included in AASD Associate Professional Membership on a seven-tiered level. Pro Networkers will be allocated credits (the higher the tier, the more the credits) that they can “spend” on a “menu” of engagement options. Professional Network tiers and engagement options in 2025 will be finalized October 25, 2024.

Researching to Understand Special Districts

Research, Academic, and Data (RAD) Stakeholders are the centerpiece to AASD’s overarching mission to drive deeper understanding of the nation’s special district services.

RAD AASD Members are on the frontlines of active collaboration with academic, federal, and commerce partners to develop a full, recognized picture of the nation’s special districts – including the establishment of a committee to examine issues impacting the proper recognition and understanding of special districts across the 50 states.

RAD Stakeholders offer academic services and brainpower to investigate complex problems in understanding special districts at the federal, state, and local levels. White papers and policy papers will be produced and leveraged for related policy efforts and to advance state-based district priorities. Involvement may lead to:

  • Co-authorship and contributions to full research projects and white papers for best practices in governance surveys, statistical analysis for local governments and special districts, and more.
  • Co-authorship, contributions, and citation in formal AASD policy white papers leveraging the AASD Research and Data Committee’s valuable perspectives and insights.

Interested to be part the research and data side of policy change to help all special district governments? Email us at evan@americasdistricts.org

Building & Empowering Strong District Associations

AASD brings special districts together through a range of in-person and virtual events to build capacity for “umbrella” special district organizations in states where they do not yet exist. Through this, we deliver governance and professional resources to special district leaders. AASD also invests in and empowers existing special district associations to deliver more value-add resources to their special district members.

 

Coalition Development for Policy Advocacy

Through building grassroots coalitions and associations, AASD assists special districts be the force of local government they are. AASD supports and provides resources for special districts and stakeholders to advocate on a range of relevant regional, state, and national policy issues that impact delivery of essential services to their communities

Recognizing District Services: Research & Data Leadership

AASD’s Research, Academic, and Data (RAD) Stakeholders offer academic services to investigate complex problems to better understand special districts at the federal, state, and local levels. RAD Stakeholders dive in to better understand the policy-based obstacles they face to access funding resrouces. They are core to AASD’s mission to advance recognition of the public services 35,000+ special districts provide to millions of Americans everyday.

 

Stay Connected

See how your district can benefit from association membership, or subscribe to updates on Special District news, legislation and district data analysis.