The National Recreation and Parks Association

It's New Year's Eve, and on this episode of Open Space Radio, we're reflecting on the past year and sharing some of our resolutions and mantras that will keep us motivated in 2020.

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To kick off our monthly bonus episodes of Open Space Radio, we're chatting with Rich Dolesh, NRPA's Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and author of "Top Trends in Parks and Recreation 2020" - the highly anticipated article in the January issue of Parks & Recreation magazine.

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In the summer of 2019, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation partnered with the Natural History Museum of L.A. County, as well as the Department of Beaches and Harbors and the Department of Public Works, to offer ESTEAM camps at 17 county parks, serving over 900 children.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with John Prue, Installation Program Director at Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR), Naval Station Great Lakes, and Wynn Cramer of Melrose Pyrotechnics about the things a park and recreation agency should consider when putting on a fireworks display.

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With so many factors shaping this crisis, a multi-faceted approach is needed to address it, including a comprehensive approach from local government and community-based institutions, like parks and recreation.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with attendees at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference to learn their park and recreation life hacks — the tips and techniques that help get them through their day-to-day work.

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As you nourish your souls with good company this year, we’re excited to put our Commit to Health Foods of the Month recipes and resources to good use and help you spend time nourishing your bodies with healthy, delicious foods!

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From never speaking in public to believing they can change the world, this first-time presenter shares their experience speaking at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference and why you should submit a proposal to speak in 2020 in Orlando!

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Using these tips is the perfect way to help your program stay strong after a particular funding opportunity has ended.

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The deadline to submit an education session proposal for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference is coming up and it’s easy to get caught up in self-doubt. Here are some tips for if you're wondering what you’d present or letting the fear of public speaking hold you back.

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These animated videos provide helpful hints for creating successful plans, developing partnerships, ensuring funding, engaging the community, incorporating the right components for your community and sharing the meaningful stories about your park improvement project.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we sit down with Delano Hunter, director of D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, to find out about the innovative programs and partnerships that are helping them better serve all members of the D.C. community.

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As a Great Urban Parks Campaign grantee, the City of Memphis Division of Parks and Neighborhoods is transforming an 11-acre green space into a needed and desired opportunity for neighborhood gathering space and physical activity.

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National Rural Health Day is Thursday, November 21 — a day to highlight the “Power of Rural,” showcasing the unique assets and needs of rural communities.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we talk with Sue Yerkes, Director of Grandview Parks & Recreation, about how some insightful kids in her family motivated her to advance in her career, as well as inspire others to do the same.

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Determining how to implement and maintain a green infrastructure project in your park may seem a little daunting, but with the right network, resources and education, anything is possible.

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Over the summer, NRPA visited three agencies to see how they are using transportation, farmers markets and intergenerational programming to improve access to healthy food.

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Last year, NRPA partnered with Houston Parks and Recreation Department and Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department to host four volunteer events in each city to improve their local parks.

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NRPA and Williamette Partnership recently hosted a gathering in Washington, D.C., that brought green infrastructure, health, and equity professionals together to help advance green infrastructure in parks.

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NRPA is now accepting proposals for the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, October 27-29, 2020. Here are five secrets for submitting a successful education session proposal.

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In 2017, NRPA and Disney set a goal through the Meet Me at the Park Play Spaces grant program to improve access to inclusive play spaces for one million children and families. We are excited to announce that we reached this goal.

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We sat down with Molly Gallant and Bob Wall of Baltimore City Recreation and Parks at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference to talk about the importance of outdoor recreation opportunities in urban environments.

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Communities across the country are trying to keep their public places and waterways clean from litter and create healthy ecosystems — and the solutions can start right at home in our parks.

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The benchmarking data found within NRPA Park Metrics helps assist your agency in determining how its budget, personnel, activities, facilities, policies and more currently compare to agencies across the nation.

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On September 23, before the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference officially began, 36 professionals took part in a lively, engaging discussion on community engagement, inclusion and equity.

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Running the southern migration route of monarchs from Canada to southern Mexico is an attempt to bring international attention to the plight of the monarch butterfly, a species whose Eastern population has crashed more than 90 percent in the past 20 years.

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Improving safe park access requires thoughtful assessment and inclusion of strategies aimed at overcoming injustices in each stage of a community’s Safe Routes to Parks efforts.

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Since it’s our 50th episode of Open Space Radio and we’ve been reflecting on when we first started, we're using this episode to explore one of the questions we asked while we were in Baltimore at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference: What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

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Tune in on your way to Baltimore for the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference to hear valuable insider tips on making the most of your time at conference, things that are new to the conference this year and the events that you won’t want to miss!

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The best moments from the NRPA Annual Conference are coming to your newsfeed!

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NRPA’s Public Policy Team is excited to share three opportunities for you to advocate on behalf of park and recreation policy priorities and influence your Members of Congress as part of the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference.

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Since 2014, NRPA and the American Water Charitable Foundation have partnered to support 14 grants to communities throughout the country to support nature and water-inspired play spaces.

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The U.S. Department of the Interior recently released the annual apportionment for the Land and Water Conservation Fund State Assistance Program.

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Parks themselves play a key role in disaster recovery when natural disasters strike, but when they implement green infrastructure they also function as spaces that mitigate the impacts of these disasters.

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Digital marketing can be a useful tool for park and recreation agencies that want to promote their programs, special events and other offerings to a broader audience, but it can be a little overwhelming if you don't know where to start.

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A park advocate shares the toolkit he and his wife put together to help maximize their park visits with their two young daughters.

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Tragic deaths of beloved dogs from suspected poisoning from blue-green algae have occurred recently in public recreational lakes and ponds in North Carolina, Texas and Georgia.

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Today, we’re looking at intergenerational programming – what it is, how it’s working in the field and how it’s impacting those who participate in the programs.

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We make enjoying healthy, summer-fresh foods easier with our Summer Fresh Foods resources.

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To help you plan for the upcoming NRPA Annual Conference, here are some of our “must see” conservation sessions that are sure to inspire ideas you can take back home with you.

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NRPA's new guide can be used by healthcare providers and community-based organizations in the development of referral processes to increase awareness of and participation in community-based programs and services.

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Even in a picturesque city like Burlington, Vermont, food insecurity and social isolation are ongoing challenges.

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For years, park and recreation agencies have prioritized offering access to healthy foods and providing families with nutrition education. Farmers markets offer an avenue to continue providing these opportunities.

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During the summer months and after school, over 15 million students across the country go hungry because they do not have access to nutritious meals. Cole Momcilovich created a mobile app to help.

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eSports, or video game competitions, isn’t new, but it is a growing trend. So much so that eSports is starting to make a space for itself in the world of parks and recreation.

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We've picked a few equitable park access sessions that you won't want to miss at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference.

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These health and wellness education sessions at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore will leave you eager to make advancements back home.

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Whether you're part of a marketing team or marketing is simply one of the many hats that you wear, you'll be able to get the latest marketing strategies in the Marketing Certificate Program pre-conference workshop.

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Sometimes just taking that first step toward your own professional development seems like a daunting task – especially if you don’t know where to start.

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Programs such as Grow Appalachia, Berea Kids Eat and the Berea Farmers Market help increase access to local, healthy food by focusing on community development and education, as well as local economics.

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In Little Rock, Arkansas — like so many other U.S. cities — one of the biggest challenges many residents face is having access to reliable, consistent and safe transportation.

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NRPA's Green Infrastructure Evaluation Framework encourages the collection of environmental, social, economic and health data that can realistically be measured without a ton of time, money or experience.

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It’s easy to get caught up in meetings, workshops and afterhours fun at a conference, not to mention trying to keep work running smoothly back home. Here are five self-care tips for the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

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With a five percent increase in population in the past decade, the city of El Cajon, California, has become very diverse in a short period of time and residents are clamoring for more outdoor opportunities.

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The new national toolkit released by the Collaborative Summer Library Program encourages libraries to become summer meal sites or partner with existing sites, such as park and recreation agencies.

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Working in parks and recreation regularly provides those deeply-satisfying laughs you can feel throughout your entire body. On this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with a few folks about their funniest stories from the field.

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More than 40 park and recreation agencies from across 21 states participated in the first annual Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz.

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Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces found that using commercial propane mowers instead of gasoline could increase crew productivity, as well as reduce fuel costs and emissions.

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These five purchasing best practices will help your organization get the most out of a cooperative purchasing partnership.

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You know that feeling you get when you summit a mountain after a long hike? That's the feeling Lindsay Labas gets at the NRPA Annual Conference.

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In a recent landmark decision, the Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated ruling in the case of a large Latin cross, “Peace Cross,” located on park property in Bladensburg, Maryland.

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Out-of-School Time programs provide a variety of protective factors that lower a child’s chance of experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we kicked off Park and Recreation Month with a conversation with SaulPaul, a musician with a message.

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From an organizational perspective, Trauma-Informed Care emphasizes respecting and appropriately responding to the effects of trauma at all levels.

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Chanute Recreation Commission used its Increasing Access to Healthy Meals at Parks grant to create a space to serve as a community feeding center and shelter in the case of a community crisis or natural disaster.

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On today's episode of Open Space Radio, we're chatting with Keep Tennessee Beautiful and Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful about how they're playing their part to clean up cigarette butt litter in their state.

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Seattle Parks and Recreation has a track record of working collaboratively with the community to make Seattle a more inclusive place to live.

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There will be hundreds of captivating speakers at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, but only one is a baseball legend.

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This resource guide is designed to provide park and recreation professionals the tools to conduct community engagement, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion.

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The L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation’s refreshed trails website and new mobile app promote the use of trails and informing the public of the value of stewardship, conservation and habitat restoration.

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In celebration of Pride Month, we're talking about LGBTQ+ inclusion in parks and recreation on the latest episode of Open Space Radio with Jason Shriner, marketing manager for the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation.

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It was at the Stonewall Inn in New York City that the gay pride movement was born — and right at the center of it all was a park.

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Akron Parks Week is right around the corner and recently got a special shout out from Jerry Gergich from NBC’s hit show Parks and Recreation — or is it Garry?

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On the latest episode of Open Space Radio, we have an inspiring conversation with 2012 Paralympic Games Silver Medalist, Jennifer French, and Greenfields Outdoor Fitness CEO, Sam Mendelsohn.

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Story maps are a simple yet powerful way to inform, motivate and inspire people with any story you want to tell that involves a geographic component.

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NRPA’s Healthy Aging in Parks team recently visited the Vienna Community Center in Virginia to learn more about what they are doing to engage older adults in their community.

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Thousands of park and recreation agencies celebrated Kids to Parks Day on Saturday, May 18, and many agencies made their events Park Champion events by inviting their members of Congress.

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This year, park and recreation agencies across the country had the opportunity to take advantage of the Connecting Communities Through Outdoor Play grant, thanks to support from the Target Corporation. Here's how Phoenix Parks and Recreation used their grant funding to improve their community.

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We know finding the right fit for your job openings can difficult, but what if I told you that you can find the perfect employee with all the qualities that you are looking for?

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We're taking a deeper dive into some of the questions we received during a recent webinar alongside our friend, colleague and NRPA’s Senior Manager of Public Relations, Heather Williams.

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For many older adults in Mount Vernon, New York, the threat of hunger is a stark reality.

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Whether you are a repeat NRPA Annual Conference attendee or a newbie, you probably want to know a little more about the event before (or after) you register. Here is a preview to help you plan.

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We have created a Community Engagement Resource Guide to ensure that equitable and inclusive community engagement is incorporated throughout the planning, design, maintenance and activation of neighborhood parks and park-system plans.

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The Meadville Area Recreation Complex (MARC) Community Garden, entering its fifth season, is a gathering place for community members of all ages.

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Each year for National Prevention Week, communities and organizations nationwide come together to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health.

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May is Older Americans Month, and we're celebrating the adults age 60 and older who are making a positive impact in communities across the country.

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On this episode, we’re chatting with Barbara Tulipane, NRPA’s president and CEO, about the incredible 11 years she has spent helping transform NRPA into what it is today. But we can’t help being saddened that we’re having this discussion because of her upcoming retirement in June.

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We love pollinators here at NRPA and to celebrate Earth Week, we held a pollinator BioBlitz at our headquarters. Our BioBlitz, focused on pollinators and plants, took a snapshot of the pollinators that can be found here and the local flora that is available to support them.

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Accredited Agencies, Certified professionals, Directors School Graduates and Spotlight Award-winners have already put in the time and effort to accomplish great things, but now they can add to that recognition with NRPA Digital Badges.

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Background checks do more than protect people, they help protect other vulnerabilities in your organization, such as your resources and your reputation.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're speaking with Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom about how staff meetings don't have to be a waste of valuable time and can be places where amazing ideas are born.

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Summer camps are some of the most popular programs for any park and recreation organization and it’s extremely important to be prepared for incidents that might come up throughout the course of a camp or activity.

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Trees are blooming, people are sneezing — spring is in the air and April is here! As we thaw out from the winter months, its easy to see why April is the perfect time to celebrate Earth.

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Lewisville Parks and Recreation in Texas is helping older adults age well and supports NRPA’s Healthy Aging in Parks Initiative in efforts to improve and maintain the health and wellness of older adults through parks and recreation.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we talk with Todd Lehman, Cre8Play's owner and "design guy," about the benefits of keeping a community's spirit in mind when designing play spaces.

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Presenting a Speed Session at the NRPA Annual Conference is a great professional development tool for the novice and experienced speaker alike.

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The spring and summertime are the perfect times to plan pollinator-based BioBlitz events to document the current pollinators and plants species found in your parks.

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In today’s episode, we take a moment to celebrate five years of Commit to Health and how we're making an impact nationwide.

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The White House released its FY20 budget request this week, kicking off debate for the next budget cycle.

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LWCF reauthorization has passed Congress and was signed by the president today, and while this is a big win for our industry, the fight isn't over yet.

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There are a lot of reasons to celebrate NRPA Connect's 5th birthday, but here are five new features that will help make it easier and more fun to network with fellow park and recreation professionals around the country.

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Thanks in large part to the efforts of NRPA members, this package will permanently reauthorize LWCF and provide a guaranteed amount in funding for the state assistance program.

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Answer a few key questions and we’ll match you to your perfect park!

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Since 2010, grant funding from the Walmart Foundation has supported local park and recreation agencies in serving 90 million meals to nearly 5 million kids.

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Receiving national recognition fosters a sense of pride within your organization and helps build trust and credibility with your community leaders.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, we're talking about one of NRPA’s top trends in parks and recreation for 2019 that is causing quite a stir.

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Cary, North Carolina's smart tech program has been very successful, and it’s paving the way for cities around the U.S. to implement similar programs.

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Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, the term “third place” refers to places where people spend time between home (first place) and work or school (second place).

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As the 2018 recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)-National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Award for Health Equity, Becky Tuttle explains how the award has been valuable to her and her community!

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A 2018 article helped diversify support for coastal justice, and opposition to a proposed settlement between wealthy, beachfront private-property owners and the state officials that excluded the public at Hollister Ranch.

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if you prepare for the CPRP exam like it’s an awesome opportunity to learn, grow, develop and gain a broader understanding of your profession and how to become a leader, you will probably enjoy studying for the exam as much as Kris Ammerman did.

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On this episode of Open Space Radio, Mark Foote joins us to discuss the real need for parks and recreation to adapt to younger generations in order to attract and retain staff.

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Much more needs to be done in order to conserve this critical species. Here are a few ways you can help immediately.

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The hiring process isn't always an easy one, but following these five tips will ensure that it goes as smoothly as possible!

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ABC Park in Baltimore, Maryland, is the site of our 2019 Parks Build Community project, but Derwin Hannah has been caring for the park as a volunteer for more than 17 years.

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With so much going on day-to-day, it’s common for emergency preparedness in any organization to be pushed down the priority list, so the start of a new year is a great time to set workplace resolutions, goals, or intentions, just as you would for yourselves!

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One part good research, one part taking the pulse of NRPA members, one part blue-sky thinking, the Top Trends in Parks and Recreation for 2019 are here.

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In 2018, Lewisville Parks & Recreation Department (Texas) was one of 12 recipients of the 10-Minute Walk Technical Assistance and Planning Grant, and they're moving full-steam ahead into 2019.

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In this episode of Open Space Radio, we chat with Ed McMahon, the senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute, about the importance of placemaking and why developers should invest in parks and open space.

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