We consider a 2D quantum system of $N$ bosons in a trapping potential $|x|^s$, interacting via a pair potential of the form $N^{2\beta-1} w(N^\beta x)$. We show that for all $0 < \beta < (s+1)/(s+2)$, the leading order behavior of ground states of the many-body system is described in the large $N$ limit by the corresponding cubic nonlinear Schrödinger energy functional. Our result covers the focusing case ($w \leq 0$) where even the stability of the many-body system is not obvious. This answers an open question mentioned by X.~Chen and J.~Holmer for harmonic traps ($s=2$). Together with the BBGKY hierarchy approach used by these authors, our result implies the convergence of the many-body quantum dynamics to the focusing NLS equation with harmonic trap for all $0 < \beta < 3/4$.