NRPA’s public policy and advocacy team advances legislative and programmatic solutions that support our Three Pillars: Health and Wellness, Equity and Conservation at the local, regional and federal levels.

NRPA's 2023 Legislative Agenda and Priorities

NRPA advocates specifically for the advancement of our three pillars, including the priorities below: 

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

  • Ensure the LWCF state assistance program receives 40 percent of LWCF funding as laid out in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act.
  • Increase the overall funding for LWCF.
  • Pass the Outdoors for All Act, which could codify the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program into law.
  • Work with NRPA members, stakeholders, the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Congress and the Biden administration to ensure efficiency, flexibility and effectiveness of the LWCF where possible.  

Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

  • Ensure park and recreation agencies are eligible for funds distributed by the federal government. 
  • Ensure NRPA members are aware of the numerous opportunities and have the tools and resources they need to access the funding.

Increase Funding to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund

  • This program and its guaranteed funding for green infrastructure projects are an important avenue for ensuring green infrastructure projects can happen in local parks.  

AmeriCorps and Other National Service Programs

  • Support increased funding to the AmeriCorps State and National Grant Programs.

Chronic Disease Prevention

  • Support funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDPHP) programs related to obesity and arthritis, which includes NRPA’s Healthy Aging in Parks work.  

Mentoring

  • Support funding for the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) programs related to youth mentoring and substance use disorder, which supports youth mentoring activities at local park and recreation agencies.  

Out-of-School Time Programs

  • Support funding for out-of-school time programs through the 21st Century Community Learning Center program.  

2023 Farm Bill

  • As reauthorization of the Farm Bill will begin to be considered, push for dedicated funding for rural park and recreation spaces that increase the livability of rural communities.  

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