Where You Belong
2024 NRPA Annual Report
Welcome
Dear Friends,
As we close out a remarkable year at NRPA and in the field of parks and recreation, we look back with pride and ahead to a vision in full focus.
In 2024, more than 276 million people visited a park. Thanks to diverse programming options and places to gather, our field serves people from all corners of our communities. Parks and recreation brings solace to community members through nature, supports the emotional, social and physical well-being of athletes, provides safe spaces for artistic expression, and offers volunteer opportunities for those wanting to give back.
At the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference in Atlanta, we celebrated our yearlong theme of “Where You Belong” and unveiled NRPA’s Strategic Plan 2025-29 and how it will shape our work during the next five years. NRPA has been the voice of the park and recreation field for nearly 60 years. With a network of more than 60,000 professionals, we are positioned to drive a culture of impact where everyone experiences belonging, well-being and joy through parks and recreation.
We are at an inflection point in parks and recreation, and we are confident this new strategic plan will help us meet this moment. The work of parks and recreation is uniquely positioned to help communities thrive, and now is the time to grow the future leaders for the field, build a groundswell of support for community investment, and ensure all people can access park and recreation’s life-changing benefits.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the years that immediately followed showed us how much people rely on and need parks and recreation for access to critical services, physical fitness and emotional well-being, and we can’t let the momentum slip.
As we head into our 60 th year, we need you to champion and proclaim the undeniable truth that parks and recreation not only belongs in every community but is essential infrastructure that provides critical services for everyone.
Kristine Stratton, NRPA President and CEO
Jesús Aguirre, Chair of the NRPA Board of Directors
Include
When we use the power of parks and recreation to foster inclusion, we break down barriers, create bonds and strengthen the fabric of society. It is how people know they are where they belong when they visit park and recreation spaces.
“Parks and recreational spaces are more than just physical locations; they are vital hubs where people unite, fostering social cohesion and healthy lifestyles. By volunteering [with NRPA], I am shaping these spaces and ensuring they remain vibrant and accessible to all.”
Parks and Recreation is...
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Know
When we know and see the success of parks and recreation, we understand its powerful role in ensuring all people experience high-quality, inclusive and holistic programs, services and spaces across the seven dimensions of well-being .
“At CHJS, we believe that all young people deserve a trained coach, and parks and recreation serve more young people around the country than anybody else. The impact that we make by serving parks through our partnership with NRPA is not just massive, but it’s generational. Those who grow up in parks go back and coach in parks and work in parks, and we believe that’s a changemaker that we need to tap into.”
City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation in Oregon is the picture of what inclusivity and belonging can look like. In 2024, staff and volunteers at the city’s Majestic Theater approached a community production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” in a way that turned the stage into a haven of belonging. What ensued connected people of varying generations, abilities and identities to inspire change that trickled into other facets of the department’s programs.
The concept that “every part of the community should be involved in community theater,” informed audition outreach, casting, stage design and production. This created an incubator for learning, understanding and acceptance of all people, which not only impacted the 60 volunteers on the show, but in turn the thousands who witnessed the magic of belonging coming to life on the stage.
City of Corvallis Parks and Recreation submitted a photo from the production to NRPA’s annual Park and Recreation Month photo contest. Belonging is truly center stage thanks to the intentional work that this department has done and how they’ve shaped their community. Their winning photo was the cover article for the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine — extending the benefits of lessons learned by Corvallis to thousands more park and recreation professionals.
There’s a trusted gathering place in Brownsville, Texas, where the bustle of community, connection and well-being never stops humming. The Gonzalez Urban Center serves as a vital Community Wellness Hub (CWH), improving the quality of life in one of the city’s underserved, but growing, areas. Managed by the Brownsville Parks and Recreation Department, the CWH tailors programs to the city’s diverse population — particularly its large Hispanic and Latino communities — by addressing unique health and wellness needs through data-driven initiatives.
With NRPA support from strategic partnerships and grant funding, the CWH offers services like nutrition education, cooking classes, older adult fitness programs and support for young families. The transformational power of the CWH is evidenced by the journey of community resident Mrs. Rodriguez. Hesitant at first because of her age and health concerns, her participation in older adult fitness classes led to regained mobility and new social connections, inspiring neighbors and others to join.
From January 2022 to January 2024, the Hub served more than 35,000 meals, engaged more than 4,000 adults and reached more than 21,000 children, showcasing its transformative impact on individual and community health and solidifying its role as a key driver of wellness in the region.
A summer job is often seen as a rite of passage for some. For more than 1,200 young people in Philadelphia, their summer jobs were powerful catalysts of community connection and life-changing impact.
Through the city’s revamped Career Connected Learning PHL youth workforce initiative, Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreation Department equipped young people ages 14 to 24 with essential and transferable career knowledge, work experience and skills that will last a lifetime. Supported by NRPA’s Million Coaches Challenge grant and conducted in partnership with the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, the department provided a weeklong training that included workshops on youth development and trauma, lesson planning, youth safety and coaching.
Youth were empowered to take on meaningful career roles in summer camps, sports and recreational programming across the city. By investing in our youth today, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation is fostering the next generation of capable leaders ready to contribute positively to their communities.
Connect
When we connect as a membership and broader partner and advocacy network, we create a powerful network of shared resources, education and collaborative solutions that create more inclusive, resilient and thriving communities.
A Conference That Unites
Bringing together thousands of park and recreation professionals, partners, experts, thought leaders and industry suppliers creates transformational change. It may be three days, but the experiences, education, connections and inspiration attained at the NRPA Annual Conference are everlasting.
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“Attending the NRPA Annual Conference was one of the highlights of my year, and overall has inspired and impacted my career. Although I work for a small town, it makes me feel connected to the park and recreation world as a whole. Training, development and networking is key in our industry to provide the highest quality of programs and services we can for our community…."
Not Hard to Find Where You Belong
Urban communities, rural settings and everywhere in between, the work of NRPA and the network of park and recreation professionals, volunteers, advocates, allies and partners spans coast to coast. For nearly 60 years, we’ve been harnessing the power of parks and recreation to build stronger, healthier and more equitable communities.
- 68,064 NRPA members
- 1,214 volunteers
- 80 NRPA staff members
- 171,000 work full-time in parks and recreation
2024 Membership Map
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Support
When we support the profession through education, advocacy and vital partnerships, we strengthen and celebrate these community impact leaders. We demonstrate their ability to deliver meaningful environmental, social and health programs with measurable outcomes that drive positive change and enhance quality of life.
Where Your Voice Makes History: In Washington, Championing the Outdoors for All Act
In July, more than 30 members of NRPA’s Business Council, Board of Directors and Advocacy Committee joined NRPA staff in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Outdoors for All Act, a priority piece of legislation that codifies the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program and expands eligibility for the program. After years of slow Congressional progress, NRPA turned up the advocacy heat through a day of meetings with members of Congress to implore them to pass the legislation and fund park and recreation programs, especially in under-resourced communities with little-to-no access to local parks. In addition to holding nearly 70 meetings, the advocacy campaign generated more than 1,200 unique contacts with members of Congress. We closed out the year strong when the legislation passed in Congress in December. This is a huge win for our members and advocates, as well as the communities they serve.
Strengthening Our Practices Centered Around Equity: Certificate Program in Action
Equity is central to all of NRPA’s work because it is essential to ensure a future where all people have access to and can experience the benefits of quality parks and recreation. NRPA supports park and recreation professionals by providing educational opportunities for them to practice putting equity into action and learn from and with each other to advance equitable outcomes. With support from the Pisces Foundation, NRPA developed an Equity in Practice Certificate program. More than 160 professionals were supported in the program, helping them understand and learn ways to address future challenges, with a special focus on those based on difference. One hundred percent of the participants praised the program for boosting skills in race equity analysis, direct communication, relationships across differences and self-awareness. Not only were individual skills strengthened, but 88 percent of participants created Equity in Action Plans for agency-wide solutions as an outcome of the certificate program.
Transforming Spaces, Building Communities: Bobcat, Chip Gaines and NRPA Park Makeover Challenge
Bobcat Company, a global equipment manufacturing leader, has proven its commitment to building a stronger, better community through a longstanding partnership with NRPA. This year, besides funding park-improvement grants and sponsorship of Park and Recreation Month, Bobcat launched a nationwide $100,000 Park and Rec Makeover Contest with renovation expert, Chip Gaines. This contest called upon the experience and expertise of NRPA to establish evaluation criteria and activate the park and recreation community to champion their projects and rally their communities to nominate a park or recreation facility that could benefit from generous, transformational funds.
Media Highlights
Public pools are good, actually
They offer so much more than a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.
USTA partners with the National Recreation and Park Association to promote tennis
The USTA and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) are forming a new partnership, which will support healthier, happier communities throughout the United States.
Push for parks leads to bipartisan 'Outdoors for All' bill
The bill would create dedicated funding for outdoor recreational projects in urban and low-income communities across the country and would codify the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership into federal law.
Why Your Partnership Belongs With NRPA
- Opportunity to support communities through programs and funding to ensure everyone, everywhere benefits from parks and recreation
- Ability to activate and advocate through awareness and public policy campaigns that are community oriented with high impact and visibility
- Support for education resources that provide park and recreation professionals high-quality professional development experiences focused on action and implementation
- Achieve results partnering with a nonprofit association with a nearly 60-year history and proven track record working with like-minded organizations and driving results
Contact us to learn more about partnership opportunities with NRPA.
Our Work
About Us
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of more than 60,000 park and recreation professionals and advocates. NRPA champions and supports the field of parks and recreation through professional development, advocacy, grants and programs, research, publications and more.
Every day, millions of people experience a sense of belonging in their community thanks to the efforts of local parks and recreation intentionally creating inclusive programs, providing essential services for all and ensuring spaces for meaningful connections. Partnering with like-minded organizations — including nonprofits, government agencies, academics and corporate leaders — strengthens the efforts to create belonging for all.
Our Board of Directors
NRPA’s Board of Directors brings together leaders from diverse interest areas and disciplines within the park and recreation industry.
- Jesús S. Aguirre, CPRE – Chair | Director, Austin Parks and Recreation Department
- Joshua Medeiros, Ed. D, CPRE, AFO – Chair-Elect | Superintendent, City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services
- Susie Kuruvilla, CPRP, CPA – Treasurer | Executive Director, Gurnee Park District
- Philip Wu, M.D. – Secretary | (retired) Physician Consultant, Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region
- Tiffany White-LaPierre, CPRE – At Large | Senior Planner, MIG
- Kristine Stratton — Ex Officio | President and CEO, NRPA
- Kathy Abbott | President and CEO, Boston Harbor Now
- Rebecca Armstrong | CEO, NORTH
- Samuel Assefa | Director, California’s Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
- Rick Atkins | Director, City of Round Rock Parks and Recreation
- Anthony-Paul “AP” Diaz | Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation
- Jose F. Diaz | Executive Vice-President, Ballard Partners
- Lakita Frazier, CPRP | CEO, Women in Parks and Recreation
- Christian Gabriel, FASLA, PLA | Public Nature Projects
- Phil Ginsburg | General Manager, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
- Sean Johnson | Director, City of University Park Parks and Recreation
- Mollie Marsh-Heine | Chief Development Officer, Natural Resources Defense Council
- Kathryn Ott Lovell | President and CEO, Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation
- Stephanie Milewski, RLA, ASLA | Sr. Project Manager, Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.
- Ben Page | Director, Des Moines Park and Recreation Department
- John Prue, CPRP | Morale, Welfare and Recreation Program Analyst, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic
- Arnold L. Randall | Executive Director, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
- Breece Robertson | President, Breece Robertson Consulting
- Shonnda Smith | Executive Director, Parks and Public Services for City of Mobile
- Hashim Taylor, CPRE | Director, City of Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation
- Monica Hobbs Vinluan | Sr. Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Linden Weiswerda | Data Insights Analyst, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
Thank You
Your support is vital to build strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation.
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We regret any errors or omissions. For corrections, please contact development@nrpa.org .
Find out how you can support NRPA and get involved at nrpa.org/Give .