$2.4 Million in Funding Available to Support Youth Mentoring in Parks and Recreation!
By NRPA's Youth Mentoring Team | Posted on February 6, 2023
To support park and recreation professionals as they work to connect youth to positive experiences and caring adults, NRPA has two multi-year grant opportunities available for local park and recreation agencies and their community partners to support mentoring programs.
Create More Sustainable Parks Through Pollinator and Native Habitat
By Michele White, CAE, IOM | Posted on January 30, 2023
Our new resource, Parks and Pollinators: Taking Action and Advancing Sustainability, provides tools to help you assess, plan and advance your efforts to support pollinators and biodiversity.
NRPA Celebrates I am a Mentor Day
By Lauren Kiefert, MPH | Posted on January 11, 2023
Mentors can make an indelible impact on a youth’s life. January 11, 2023, is I am a Mentor Day and an important part of National Mentoring Month.
A Bountiful Year for Farmers Markets in Parks and Recreation
By Liliana Ruiz Fischer | Posted on December 28, 2022
As we begin our second year of the three-year USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program, we are excited to share some incredible impacts made during this first year.
4 Dimensions of Health in Parks and Recreation
By Kevin Roth and Kelby Rose | Posted on December 27, 2022
Get an overview of the four dimensions of health as considered in A Framework for Assessing Equitable Health Outcomes of Parks.
RWJF-NRPA Award for Health Equity Celebrates Seven Years of Success — January Bonus Episode
By Maureen Neumann | Posted on December 22, 2022
Maureen Neumann, NRPA Senior Health Program Manager, shares where some of the previous RWJF-NRPA Award for Health Equity winners are now and what winning the award meant to them.
Ways to Advance Your Youth Mentoring Programs This Winter
By Lauren Kiefert, MPH | Posted on December 20, 2022
During the winter months, it is not always possible to be outside or utilize typical park and recreation assets and programming. Here are some fun and creative ways to continue supporting and engaging youth in your community year-round.
Conservation Reimagined: Los Angeles County’s 30x30 Plan
By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP | Posted on December 15, 2022
On December 6, 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the 2022 Parks Needs Assessment Plus (PNA+) Final Report as the county’s 30x30 plan. 30x30 refers to the goal of conserving 30 percent of lands and coastal waters by 2030 to address climate change and protect biodiversity.
Enhancing Resilient Park Access in Toledo, Ohio — Episode 125
By Cort Jones | Posted on December 13, 2022
On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with Karen Ranney Wolkins, the commissioner of parks and recreation and community enrichment for City of Toledo, Ohio, to discuss how the city is prioritizing community and equity in their plans to build more parks.
Activating Parks, Trails and Greenways for Physical Activity
By Allison Colman and Teresa Morrissey | Posted on December 12, 2022
Parks, trails and greenways play a vital role in keeping people active and healthy. Learn more about the Active Parks! Implementation Guide to explore effective strategies you can implement to increase physical activity in your community.
A Framework for Assessing Equitable Health Outcomes of Parks
By Kevin Roth and Kelby Rose | Posted on December 5, 2022
Most often, the economic value of parks relates to property values, tax revenue, tourism revenue, and local business development. Like these contributions to the local economy, the health benefits of parks also have economic value.
Featured Data Resource: Social Vulnerability Index
By Austin Barrett | Posted on December 1, 2022
The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) is a valuable tool to identify communities that will most likely need support before, during and after a public health emergency. More broadly, SVI is an indicator of which areas of a community are considered “at risk” and most in need of investment to reduce vulnerability and increase overall health.
Increasing Access to Nature in The Motor City — Episode 124
By Cort Jones | Posted on November 29, 2022
On today’s episode of Open Space Radio, I’m joined by staff from City of Detroit Parks and Recreation, which was one of seven agencies that received NRPA's Resilient Park Access grant.
New Mentoring Resources for Park and Recreation Professionals
By Lauren Kiefert, MPH | Posted on November 18, 2022
NRPA is thrilled to announce additional resources that expand our suite of mentoring and youth development offerings, including a family engagement guide and closure of the mentoring relationship.
Adopting a Mentoring Mindset
By Lauren Kiefert | Posted on October 21, 2022
One in three young people in the United States are growing up without a mentor. To help adults be more intentional when interacting with young people, the “mentoring mindset” outlines four ways adults can support youth.
5 Tips for Supporting Adults with Arthritis in Your Community
By Tiff Cunin | Posted on October 12, 2022
In celebration of World Arthritis Day this October 12, NRPA's Tiff Cunin shares five tips for supporting adults with arthritis in your community.
White House Conference on Hunger, Health, and Nutrition: Parks and Recreation Day of Action Toolkit
By Asia Simms and Dan McCarthy | Posted on September 19, 2022
Here are some ideas on the types of events you could host to raise awareness and drive action in partnership with the White House Conference on Hunger, Health, and Nutrition.
Data-Driven Effort to Advance Park Equity Expands
By Clement Lau, DPPD, FAICP | Posted on September 12, 2022
Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation's Parks Needs Assessment Plus contains data and analyses in support of expanding land conservation and restoration, transit to parks, and other strategies to meet regional and rural recreation needs, especially in the most vulnerable communities.