National Recreation & Park Association

TO ADVANCE PARKS, RECREATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS THAT ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL PEOPLE.

PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS:NPRA LEVERAGES ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT KEY CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING GREATER RESOURCES TO LOCAL PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES. FOCUSING ON ADVANCING OUR STRATEGIC GOALS OF EQUITY AT THE CENTER, CLIMATE-READY PARKS, AND ADVANCING HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, NRPA MANAGES COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AND PROVIDES TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, RESOURCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND GRANT FUNDS TO LOCAL PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND CREATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. IN SUPPORT OF THESE GOALS, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED OVER $3.2 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING, IMPACTING MORE THAN 585,000 THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS.

PUBLIC POLICY & PUBLICATIONS

KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING, AND CONFERENCES (INCLUDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS):NRPA PROVIDES PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND HELP THEIR PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS TO EFFECTIVELY MEET THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. WHAT'S MORE, NRPA CONSISTENTLY KEEPS THE FIELD UP TO DATE ON CONSERVATION AND RESILIENCY EFFORTS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS ACHIEVEMENTS TOWARD EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS. NRPA CONTINUES TO EXPAND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERINGS, WHILE INTEGRATING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INTO ALL THAT WE DO. THE NRPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES. EACH YEAR, THIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EVENT ATTRACTS 8,000 ATTENDEES, WHICH INCLUDES 200+ EDUCATION SESSIONS. THESE SESSIONS COVER SUCH POPULAR TOPICS AS EQUITY AND INCLUSION, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PLANNING, DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE, RECREATION PROGRAMMING, AND MORE. MORE THAN 22,000 PROFESSIONALS ARE CERTIFIED THROUGH NRPA PROGRAMS. THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR KNOWLEDGE IN CORE AREAS, SUCH AS AQUATIC FACILITY OPERATION, PLAYGROUND SAFETY INSPECTION, AND/OR PROFESSIONALISM IN PARKS AND RECREATION (ENTRY-LEVEL AND EXECUTIVE LEVEL).

MEMBERSHIP, MARKETING, AND COMMUNICATIONS:NRPA HAS 61,000 MEMBERS, INCLUDING PARK AND REC PROFESSIONALS, STUDENT ADVOCATES, AND ACADEMICS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES THE PROFESSION WITH GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NETWORKING, ADVOCACY, AND MANY OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. NRPA PROVIDES LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE THE FIELD OF PARKS AND RECREATION. THE ORGANIZATION'S EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS ARE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS AND ADVOCATES. MORE THAN 51,558 INTERACTIONS WITH NRPA EDUCATION PRODUCTS INCLUDING ANNUAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS, WEBINARS, SCHOOLS, AND CERTIFICATIONS. NRPA ALSO OFFERS EXCLUSIVE MEMBER NETWORKS TO SUPPORT THEIR PROFESSIONAL NEEDS. THESE NETWORKS DELIVER ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATIVE EXCHANGES BETWEEN MEMBERS AND THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN MULTIPLE GROUPS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 50 NETWORK MEETINGS A YEAR. ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY IS THROUGH NRPA CONNECT, AN ONLINE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING TOOL THAT ALLOWS LIKE-MINDED PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS TO CONNECT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. MEMBERS RECEIVE INFORMATION, ASK INDUSTRY QUESTIONS, AND GET INSIGHT INTO TRENDS IN THE FIELD FROM THEIR PEERS. NRPA HOSTS THE LARGEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS WITH OVER 8,000 ATTENDEES. NRPA HAS 22,000 CERTIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN THE AREAS OF AQUATIC FACILITIES, PLAYGROUND SAFETY, GENERAL PARKS AND RECREATION, AND EXECUTIVE PARKS AND RECREATION. NRPA REACHES ITS MEMBERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING ITS AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE, PARKS & RECREATION, WHICH IS READ BY NEARLY 200,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. NRPA ALSO HOSTS A POPULAR BLOG THAT RECEIVED 240,708 VISITS IN 2020, AND A PODCAST THAT HAD 37,359 LISTENERS IN THE SAME YEAR. AN AWARD-WINNING MONTHLY MAGAZINE, PARKS & RECREATION, DELIVERS TOPICAL CONTENT, CASE STUDIES, ADVOCACY HIGHLIGHTS AND PROSPECTS, LEGAL PERSPECTIVES, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL INSIGHT TO THOSE IN THIS FIELD. THIS CONTENT FURTHER EDUCATES AND BRINGS AWARENESS TO DAY-TO-DAY AND LONG-TERM CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO TO SOLUTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING TOOLKITS, OUR ANNUAL REPORT, AND NUMEROUS OTHER RESOURCES OFFER PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS BEST PRACTICES FOR ENHANCING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ELEVATING THE NATIONAL PROFILE OF THE FIELD.