National Recreation & Park Association

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

PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPSNRPA 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 ITS 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. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, THE ORGANIZATION AIMS TO HELP MEMBER AGENCIES INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, PROGRAMMING AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND CREATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. IN SUPPORT OF THESE GOALS, NRPA PROVIDED MORE THAN $3.6 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING, IMPACTING MORE THAN 966,000 PEOPLE THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS.

KNOWLEDGE, LEARNING AND CONFERENCES (INCLUDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS)NRPA PROVIDES PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THEIR 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 THOUSANDS OF 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.

MEMBERSHIP, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSNRPA IS MORE THAN 60,000 MEMBERS STRONG AND INCLUDES PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS, ADVOCATES, PARK AND RECREATION ENTHUSIASTS, MEMBERS OF ACADEMIA AND BENEFACTORS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES THE FIELD WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, NETWORKING, ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND IN-DEPTH CONTENT IN THE FORM OF NEWS, TRENDS AND BEST PRACTICES, AS WELL AS OTHER RESOURCES. IN ADDITION, 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. NRPA'S STATS PROVE ROBUST ENGAGEMENT WITH 730,267 PAGEVIEWS/ 574,672 UNIQUE PAGEVIEWS FOR EDUCATION PRODUCTS, THE 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 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 GAIN INSIGHT INTO TRENDS IN THE FIELD FROM THEIR PEERS. NRPA HOSTS THE LARGEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS. CONFERENCE ATTENDEES ON AVERAGE TOP 7,000. PLUS, MORE THAN 22,000 INDIVIDUALS ARE CERTIFIED IN THE AREAS OF AQUATICS FACILITIES, PLAYGROUND SAFETY, GENERAL PARKS AND RECREATION AND EXECUTIVE PARKS AND RECREATION.THE ORGANIZATION REACHES ITS MEMBERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING ITS MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE PARKS & RECREATION, THAT IS READ BY MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE EACH YEAR. THE HIGHLY RATED PODCAST OPEN SPACE RADIO BOASTS GREATER THAN 120,000 TOTAL DOWNLOADS, WITH 34,157 OCCURRING IN 2021. NRPA'S POPULAR BLOG RECEIVED 128,718 UNIQUE PAGEVIEWS IN 2021 AND THE NRPA WEBSITE HOSTED 5,247,878 UNIQUE PAGEVIEWS IN THE SAME YEAR. THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE, PARKS & RECREATION, DELIVERS TOPICAL CONTENT, CASE STUDIES, ADVOCACY HIGHLIGHTS AND PROSPECTS, LEGAL PERSPECTIVES, AS WELL AS FINANCIAL INSIGHTS RELATED TO THE FIELD. THIS CONTENT FURHER EDUCATES AND BRINGS AWARENESS TO DAY-TO-DAY AND LONG-TERM CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO TO SOLUTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES. COMPREHENSIVE MARKETING TOOLKITS, THE NRPA 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.

PUBLIC POLICY