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We know that as leaders in their respective communities, park and recreation professionals hold tremendous power and wield the ability to impact public policy and budgets. NRPA works to foster and support this important work by providing relevant information, salient resources, and additional expertise and capacity to our members. NRPA’s continued survey work provides one of the best ways to learn about the public policy and advocacy needs of our members. As such, this past summer, we surveyed our members to gauge their views on advocacy, their capacity to advocate and the ways NRPA can support their advocacy work. Here is what we learned:

Key Takeaways

It’s clear that park and recreation agency leaders recognize the importance of advocating to all levels of government for greater and more sustainable funding, though many consider their efforts only moderately successful. Unsurprisingly, agency leaders view their relationships with local government officials as much more productive than those with state or federal officials. Whether it is through site visits to tour agency facilities, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, municipal meetings or other public engagement activities, park and recreation professionals have forged strong ties with their local government officials and constituents.

Given the capacity of many park and recreation agencies, it often falls to the agency directors to be the main or sole advocacy resource. This lack of dedicated advocacy staff limits how much an agency can focus on these efforts during the week. No stranger to having more work than hours in the day, park and recreation professionals regularly partner with community groups, foundations, nonprofits and others to engage in advocacy efforts. In recent years, at least 70 percent of respondents engaged their government officials and the public in advocacy. However, recognizing the growing importance of advocacy, agencies want to do more in this space.

So, while directors view advocacy as essential and local-level efforts tended to yield more positive results, nearly every agency surveyed identified multiple challenges in their efforts to engage in advocacy. Competition for limited funding and resources with other local government departments, a lack of dedicated advocacy staff, and a need for resources and trainings to help “make the case” for parks and recreation in tough conversations topped the list of barriers.

How NRPA Can Help

According to the findings of the survey, park and recreation leaders look to NRPA for effective resources to assist them in their advocacy efforts. Three-quarters of survey respondents find advocacy toolkits and “how to” guides helpful. Beyond plug-and-play materials, members also expressed that they want to be trained on the ins and outs of advocacy, gaining the specific set of skills that will empower them to increase their advocacy impact within their communities.

Most respondents said that advocacy workshops at the NRPA Annual Conference are an effective training method. However, one training a year cannot build the sustainable grassroots movement we are striving toward. Regular virtual trainings can ensure all members have equitable access to advocacy resources in a structured learning schedule available at one’s own convenience.

This survey will help inform future efforts of NRPA’s Public Policy and Advocacy team and ensure that our work complements the needs of members on the ground. Effective advocacy is the continual work of systems change. The daily, often unsung, work of folks in local communities makes societal change possible. We are here as a resource and strategic partner for you — let us build a park and recreation future for all.

Looking to get involved in advocacy in your local community? Want to make your voice heard, but you are not sure where to start? NRPA’s Public Policy and Advocacy team is ready and willing to provide high-
level expertise and strategic collaboration. Reach out to us and let us know how we can better help you.

Dan McCarthy is NRPA’s Advocacy Manager. Melissa May is NRPA’s Senior Research Manager.