The NSFNET Program was conceived as a three-level network of networks, with the national backbone connecting to roughly a dozen regional networks, in turn connecting to individual campus networks. The number and coverage of regional networks grew steadily beginning in 1986 until the entire country was served within a few years, including expansion to include smaller colleges, K-12s and for-profit organizations. The financial and technical contributions of the regional and campus networks were a key component to the success of the NSFNET. But what did all this mean for the community building NSFNET and regional networks? From the Series:NSFNET: The Partnership That Changed the World