As we wrap 2015 and look toward the holiday season, may I suggest a gift idea that would help not only your agency, but would also be a valuable contribution to park and recreation professionals throughout the United States? What if I told you this gift idea would not involve you or your agency giving any money but instead would cost, in most circumstances, just 15 to 30 minutes of your time?

Well, that is how long it will take for you to enter or update the Agency Summary information for your agency in PRORAGIS. As you know, PRORAGIS is NRPA’s benchmarking tool that collects and analyzes park and recreation agency data from across the country. As the largest repository of park and recreation operating data in existence, this tool provides you with powerful information to gauge your agency’s performance against that of its peers. 

But PRORAGIS can only be as valuable as the data entered into it and is enhanced even further when that data is updated on an annual basis. Perhaps your agency has not had the opportunity to take advantage of the power of PRORAGIS. Or, perhaps you represent one of the more than 1,000 agencies that have entered data into PRORAGIS since the system’s launch. 

Whatever the case, make December the month that you enter or update the Agency Summary information in PRORAGIS. Why? Because each spring, NRPA publishes its Field Report. This comprehensive collection of detailed data on local and regional park systems in the United States provides an informative look at the significant trends currently affecting park and recreation departments. The Field Report answers your agency’s many questions and does it best with a robust set of data.

The good news is that you can ensure the 2016 Field Report is the best ever by contributing 15 to 30 minutes of time this month to enter your agency’s 2015 data. So, what is the information that we need from you? The easy-to-answer questions in the Agency Summary focus on high-level budget information (i.e., size of your agency’s operating and capital budget, sources of revenue, etc.), demographics of residents your agency serves, personnel and volunteer counts, counts of park facilities and agency responsibilities. 

And as a thank you for giving your time to enter or update your agency’s 2015 PRORAGIS data, you will receive a customized Agency Performance Report that compares your agency’s performance to the Community Park and Recreation Standards. This report will help you make better-informed decisions to make your agency more effective and efficient.

Entering your agency’s information is a gift to the park and recreation community as a whole. Data in PRORAGIS and published in the Field Report help park and recreation professionals throughout the United States analyze their agency’s performance and answer questions like: 

• Is my agency adequately funded? 
• Does my agency have enough parkland? 
• Does my agency have enough staff?
• What percentage of my peer agencies’ revenues are derived from generated revenue and fees?

So, give the gift of time this December by entering or updating the Agency Summary data for 2015 in PRORAGIS. And let us be of assistance to you in the process. Should you have questions or concerns about entering your PRORAGIS data, please email Greg Manns, NRPA Research Specialist Melissa May or me at the address hyperlinked below. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kevin Roth, Ph.D., is NRPA’s Vice President of Research.