Our History
The Nevada Public Education Foundation (NPEF) was created in state statute in 1991 and, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees and funded by grants and donations. In 2003, NPEF gained traction on the high school dropout issue in Nevada. When a statewide education needs assessment was conducted by NPEF in 2004 to determine where to focus efforts, it became clear that too many youth were leaving high school without graduating. In response, the NPEF Board of Trustees committed to focusing on helping youth become "ready for life" through successful transitions at each developmental stage during their educational careers in Nevada and beyond.
After more research and in collaboration with a steering committee of community leaders and stakeholders, NPEF launched Ready for Life in 2005, which quickly became a viable movement under NPEF's visionary leadership. Established first in Southern Nevada, Ready for Life (RFL) expanded statewide in 2007, bolstered by funding allocated by the 2007 Nevada State Legislature. The funding was matched 100 percent by NPEF to build and expand Ready for Life, fund local RFL collaboratives, and develop an online statewide resource map of youth services and programs.