Newly-Founded Statewide Association Invests in Kansas Public Schools
October 28, 2026

Education foundation leaders from across Kansas have joined together to establish a new statewide organization dedicated to strengthening Kansas public schools and communities. 

The Kansas Education Foundation Association (KEFA) held its organizational meeting July 15, in Wichita, formally establishing the association’s leadership and governance structure. The meeting marked an important milestone for an initiative that began as a grassroots effort among education foundation leaders who saw an opportunity to impact schools through collaboration, professional learning, shared resources, and advocacy.

“The Kansas Education Foundation Association was created around a simple belief: when Kansas communities work together, we can create opportunities for students that none of us can create alone,” said KEFA President and Executive Director of Goddard Education Foundation Dane Baxa. “Our vision is for every education foundation in Kansas, regardless of its size, location, or experience, to have access to the relationships, knowledge, and tools needed to increase its impact.”

KEFA will support foundations of all sizes and stages of development, from established organizations with professional staff to volunteer-led foundations and communities interested in creating an educational foundation of their own.

In opening remarks at the organizational meeting, founding director Shanda Hurla, former Executive Director of the Eudora Schools Foundation, highlighted the common purpose that brings education foundations together. “Different communities. Different traditions. Different stories. But one shared belief: Our students are worth the investment,” Hurla said. “Education foundations are one of the most powerful ways a community says, ‘We believe in our students. We believe in our educators. And we believe in the future.’”

Moving forward, KEFA plans to offer professional learning, shared resources and best practices, networking, and a collective voice for education foundations across Kansas. The association also aims to support school districts and communities interested in establishing new education foundations.

“Ultimately, this work is about students and the experiences we can make possible for them,” Baxa said. “When education foundations thrive, they inspire generosity, encourage innovation, and create meaningful connections between public schools and the communities that believe in their success.”