Conducting a Regional and Rural Parks Needs Assessment
By Clement Lau, AICP, DPPD | Posted on March 24, 2021
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is starting a community engagement and outreach process to develop a needs assessment to address regional recreation, beaches, rural areas and open space.
Time-Sensitive Federal Funding Notice: Local Community Project Funding (Earmarks)
By Elvis Cordova | Posted on March 23, 2021
As Congress begins to consider funding for the fiscal year 2022, the House Committee on Appropriations — the committee overseeing this process — has announced “Community Project Funding,” which is a revised version of “earmarks,” or federal funding for congressional district-specific projects.
From Experiencing Homelessness to Becoming a Community Leader — Episode 087
By Cort Jones and Roxanne Sutton | Posted on March 23, 2021
On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we’re joined by Dr. Samose Mays, the director of Bryan County Parks and Recreation and the Georgia Recreation and Park Association district two commissioner, to learn more about his story of adversity, resilience and how parks and recreation saved his life.
COVID-19: What Can We Expect for Summer Camp 2021?
By Allison Colman | Posted on March 22, 2021
Recent conversations with the CDC, American Camp Association and other national out-of-school time organizations, as well as newly released studies highlighting the effectiveness of multi-layered prevention measures in camp and childcare settings, have confirmed that while summer camp programs will continue to have significant prevention and mitigation strategies in place this year, they can safely operate (yay!).
Case Study: How One Successful Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz Led to Another
By Della Killeen | Posted on March 22, 2021
Learn about the successes of a Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz in Peoria, Arizona, and join us to raise awareness of pollinators nationwide by hosting a Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz in your community this September and you could win one of three $1,000 prizes or one of three Scotts Miracle-Gro prize packs to help with your pollinator habitats or programs!
NRPA Parks Snapshot: March 16-19 Survey Results
By Kevin Roth | Posted on March 19, 2021
Park and recreation professionals continue to play a vital role in the community when it comes to testing and vaccination distribution. In the latest NRPA Parks Snapshot, we find 82 percent of park and recreation agencies across the country supporting these efforts.
The Importance of Amplifying Contemporary Indigenous Voices — April Bonus Episode
By Cort Jones and Roxanne Sutton | Posted on March 18, 2021
The April issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today’s bonus episode of the podcast, we’re diving deeper into one of this month’s cover stories, “Protecting the Land and Its History.” We're joined by Sara Sinclair and Stephanie Lozano about the importance of land acknowledgment and amplifying Indigenous voices.
How the American Rescue Plan Will Help Parks and Recreation
By Kyle Simpson | Posted on March 12, 2021
To help park and recreation agencies maximize the economic relief opportunities provided by the American Rescue Plan, NRPA's public policy and advocacy team has prepared a summary of the relevant provisions of the bill.
How Park and Recreation Departments are Reimagining Themselves During COVID-19
By Jon Solomon | Posted on March 12, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on just how essential parks and recreation is to our communities and has forced agencies to get creative – to adapt and reimagine programming and other offerings as we all adjust to new norms following the pandemic.
Introducing Parks as Community Nutrition Hubs
By Maureen Neumann | Posted on March 11, 2021
Park and recreation agencies are uniquely suited to serve as community nutrition hubs, connecting all members of the community to programs and services that improve health outcomes.
USDA Extends Free Meals Through Summer 2021
By Dan McCarthy | Posted on March 11, 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently extended waivers that allow all children to continue to receive free nutritious meals through the summer.
One Year Later: COVID-19 and Parks and Recreation — Episode 086
By Roxanne Sutton and Cort Jones | Posted on March 9, 2021
We're two days away from the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and on today’s episode of Open Space Radio, we're joined by Jesús Aguirre, NRPA board member and superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Allison Colman, NRPA's director of health, to discuss the impact the pandemic has had on parks and recreation.
New Tools to Support COVID-19 Vaccine Education for Communities and Employers
By Allison Colman | Posted on March 2, 2021
To educate the public and build confidence around the COVID-19 vaccines, The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative have launched the “It’s Up to You” campaign. Through the campaign, various toolkits, creative assets, and other resources are available to support messaging for community-based organizations and employers.
Engaging Youth as Park and Recreation Leaders
By Maureen Neumann | Posted on March 1, 2021
Youth are one of the most powerful yet under-utilized community groups. So, how can park and recreation professionals engage with youth in their community to serve as leaders, inspire change, and support critical life skills and career readiness?