HED is supported by the six major presidential higher education associations in the United States: The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) The American Council on Education (ACE) The Association of American Universities (AAU) The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (A.P.L.U.), formerly The National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) HED also works closely with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).