The National Recreation and Parks Association

Dr. Tiffany Johnson writes about the importance of volunteering and the great potential for growth because of it.

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Volunteering is a cornerstone of promoting societal well-being, fostering connections, building communities and enriching lives. NRPA stands as a beacon, advocating for the significance of volunteering and offering avenues for individuals to improve their communities.

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As older adults continue to make up a growing share of the U.S. population, physical activity is a vital tool for helping them manage and improve their health. The Physical Activity Guidelines Midcourse Report: Implementation Strategies for Older Adults (Midcourse Report) highlights what works to increase physical activity among older adults. Park and recreation professionals can use these five strategies from the Midcourse Report to help older adults in their communities get moving.

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Michael Kalvort explores the importance of volunteering and lists some ways to get involved right away.

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In the dynamic world of parks and recreation, building a robust network can be the key to unlocking exciting opportunities and advancing your career. Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned professional looking for further challenges, strategic networking is an essential tool for success.

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In celebration of the Niagara 60th anniversary in 2023, Niagara Bottling and NRPA tested a new model — a supplementary investment in parks that had previously been supported by grants. This past year, eight parks across the United States have received funding from Niagara to refresh their outdoor play space.

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On today’s episode, we’re talking with someone who has been making a big impact in the larger outdoor industry for a while now. Teresa Baker, founder of In Solidarity Project, is an outdoor enthusiast focusing on community engagement, creating events that encourage people to venture outdoors responsibly, and learning about our open spaces and what it takes to protect them.

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April is Earth Month — the perfect time to engage community members in park cleanups and park improvement projects. Whether it’s planting trees or creating pollinator habitats, hosting outdoor activities to connect communities to nature, or fostering community engagement through environmental initiatives, park and recreation professionals are the driving force behind transformative change in our public spaces.

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Before receiving a park improvement grant from The Bobcat Company, community members removed the trash they could on their own—routinely bringing vehicles into the park and leaving with mattresses, tires, and other liftable debris. However, with backing from the partnership between Bobcat and NRPA, community members have been able to rely on BNRLT and Bobcat of Buffalo to facilitate the removal of dangerous and heavy debris.

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It’s important for young professionals to share their insights and ideas because they bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to the industry and statistics show that the number of young professionals in parks and recreation is increasing, with a growing number of individuals under the age of 35 joining the field.

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The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Community Change Grant Program was announced and opened for applications in late 2023. The program will award roughly $2 billion in project funding for projects that provide meaningful improvements to the environmental, climate, and resilience conditions affecting disadvantaged communities.

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Through the Million Coaches Challenge, NRPA is partnering with leading national training providers to ensure park and recreation agencies have access to no-cost, high-quality training programs. These training opportunities focus on two key areas — social and emotional learning (SEL) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) — to complement and enhance existing training and ensure all people interacting with youth have essential skills to promote relationship building, leadership and teamwork, cultural humility, conflict resolution, unconscious bias, building understanding, and more.

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NRPA's new video-storytelling project, Park and Recreation Stories, aims to capture the memories and insights of park and recreation professionals, as well as commemorate significant events experienced by NRPA members, partners and advocates. The initiative promotes the voice of the people who have dedicated their lives to the field of parks and recreation for the purpose of creating strong, healthy and vibrant communities across this country.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're chatting with are Amanda Lovejoy, a recreation coordinator at the Zach Gordon Youth Center for City and Borough of Juneau Parks & Recreation, and Lauren Anderson is the Treadwell Arena Manager for Juneau Parks & Recreation.

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Working for local parks and recreation during the summer offers a unique and rewarding experience. Employees get the chance to contribute to the well-being of their community by organizing and participating in various outdoor activities and events. Summer positions in the field can offer significant advantages, including skill development, monetary benefits and certifications.

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With summer being the busiest time for parks and recreation, valuable programs can suffer without the addition of summer seasonal staff. From summer camps and sports leagues to outdoor events, parks and recreation is an essential avenue for fostering a vibrant and engaged community. In September 2023, the NRPA Research team sought to capture the experiences park and recreation agencies had in hiring their summer seasonal staff by conducting a survey completed by agency directors.

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In part three of this blog series, we will discuss some common supports for facilitating inclusion in parks and recreation.

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Your NRPA Public Policy and Advocacy team is here to help you make sense of the new federal fiscal year appropriations process. Whether you submitted a request for funding last year or you’re reading about this opportunity for the first time, here’s all the information you’ll need to successfully submit a project request with your congressional representatives.

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More than 750 community coalitions across the country receive funding up to $125,000 per year to strengthen collaboration among local partners and create an infrastructure that reduces youth substance use.

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Thanks to Bobcat Company, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and Davidson County Parks and Recreation, a new family-friendly park is opening in Davidson County as a part of the growing revitalization of the area.

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NRPA is launching a new Sustainability in Practice program that aims to provide park professionals with examples, templates, skills, resources and new ways of thinking to achieve easy environmental wins and long-term strategic changes.

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The executive director of SoCal Adaptive Sports shares why municipalities and local park and recreation professionals have the power to level the playing field, creating greater societal inclusion.

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Emma Laux shares how a member of the Monon Community Center, part of Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, focuses on the "gold" lining during her cancer battle.

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NRPA has developed a new resource that offers five practices to support park and recreation professionals with centering community and culture that can be applied to any park and recreation program.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we're exploring an exciting partnership between NRPA, Bobcat Company and the San Antonio River Authority that is advancing resilient park access.

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The Park Champions Initiative is a rallying call to individuals and communities to stand up for their local parks, from passionate community leaders to environmentally conscious citizens.

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In part two of our Inclusion in Parks and Recreation blog series, we explore how to facilitate inclusion at an organizational level by including self-advocates, creating an accessible environment, and implementing organizational and programmatic changes.

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On November 2, 2023, a few dozen warm-hearted people gathered on an unseasonably cold morning, just south of San Antonio, Texas, to celebrate the future of Trueheart Ranch Nature Park as part of NRPA's partnership with Bobcat Company.

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Join us in celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day®, an annual celebration hosted by the Women’s Sport Foundation to celebrate all the girls and women who play, coach or work in sports.

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Park and recreation agencies need to maintain relationships with community members to understand and meet their needs. Learn how text outreach can help.

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NRPA’s Healthy Aging Team has developed a resource, “Representation Matters: Strategies to Diversify Instructor Recruitment,” with eight strategies agencies can use to diversify instructor recruitment.

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Lunar New Year, a festive celebration deeply rooted in Asian cultures, holds immense significance and has become an integral part of global cultural diversity. Here are several reasons why park agencies should consider offering programs to celebrate Lunar New Year, which begins February 10.

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Celebrated on February 7, National Girls and Women in Sports Day® honors the achievements of girls and women in sports, while also acknowledging that we must continue to advocate for gender equity. Here are five ways your agency can create a culture of women coaching.

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NRPA has received $86,000 in grant funding to conduct a research project that will identify promising interventions and scale practices to promote social and intergenerational connectedness.

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NRPA staff recently attended the National Mentoring Summit to connect with other park and recreation professionals and learn from a range of mentoring experts. Here are some takeaways from the event.

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A solid communications strategy is vital for your park and recreation agency, zoo or nature center to engage the community. Get started with these three tips.

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On the latest Open Space Radio episode, we talk about the power of mentoring with Katlin Okamoto, director of Coach-Mentor Training at U.S. Soccer Foundation; Char Barnes, a park and recreation professional who previously worked in Columbus, Ohio; and Kent Hunt, NRPA’s program manager of health.

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The City of Auburn, Washington, was one of five recipients of a $50,000 Bobcat grant to support park improvement projects awarded as part of Bobcat’s 65th anniversary celebration in 2023.

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When working with vendors, Nikki Taylor, CPRP, has found that the key to a successful relationship is to actively engage in their programs and support them while they are working in your community and beyond.

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This year, we recognize the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 15, and we invite you to join us in strengthening communities nationwide through the integration of community service in youth mentoring programs.

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In part one of a series about facilitating inclusion for people with disabilities in parks and recreation, we explore the meaning of inclusion and why it matters.

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National Day of Racial Healing is January 16, 2024. Each year, hundreds of organizations observe and honor the day by creating experiences for people to connect, build relationships and bridge divides.

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, Gabby Vera, CPRP, the regional park superintendent for Maricopa County (Arizona) Parks and Recreation, shares strategies she's used to overcome imposter syndrome and more!

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Families play a crucial role in the overall success of youth in programs, helping to shape their behaviors, actions and choices.

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In 2024, park and recreation professionals can look forward to opportunities from NRPA to learn at their own pace and focus on areas most relevant to them.

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National Mentoring Month is an annual opportunity to spread awareness of the power of mentoring and serves as a reminder of the critical role park and recreation professionals play in providing youth development and youth mentoring services in local communities.

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