The Washington Local Schools Foundation was established on January 11, 2021 in response to a comprehensive assessment completed in 2020. This assessment gathered the thoughts and ideas of stakeholders including graduates, former and current employees, business partners, and other foundations on what the successful establishment of a foundation should look like. The Board of Education established the need for a foundation as the district continued to face unstable state aid. Washington Local was deemed a capped funded district in 2014 and, as a result, has lost over $100 million in state aid since that time. Washington Local students receive just over $4,000 in state aid compared with other local urban students who receive over $8,000 per student. This inequity creates both a funding and opportunity gap for Washington Local students. The Panther family extends all across the country and even internationally. Washington Local alumni make an impact in their communities due, in part, to the values they learned and practiced as growing Panthers. The Washington Local Schools Foundation Board identified five pillars where gaps in funding currently exist due to declining revenue. These pillars align with the district’s Strategic Plan.