2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | A 2024NRPA AGENCY PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Cover image: A community concert takes place in Wichita, Kansas. Photo courtesy of Wichita (Kansas) Park and Recreation Department

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Executive Summary 4 Infographic: 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review Key Findings 5 Index of Figures 8 Park Facilities 14 Programming 16 Responsibilities of Park and Recreation Agencies 18 Staffing 20 Budget 23 Agency Funding 26 Policies 27 Conclusions 28 Acknowledgements 28 About NRPA A young girl handles a monarch butterfly in Plymouth, Minnesota. PHOTO COURTESY OF THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT (MINNESOTA)

2 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Parks and recreation provides essential public services to communities all across the United States. Not only do park and recreation professionals and their agencies act as environmental stewards of the natural resources in their areas, but also by managing park and recreation facilities they increase economic value, promote socialization, and implement programming that improves the physical and mental well-being of individuals in their communities. From offering after- school programs to providing safe and inclusive spaces for community members to congregate, agencies directly impact the quality of life in their areas. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) gathers data annually from park and recreation agencies nationwide to assemble a clear overview of park and recreation agencies’ performance. The purpose of this 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review is to allow agencies to compare their own performance metrics with those of other U.S. agencies to identify areas of excellence and areas for potential improvement. As agencies preview the data presented in this report, it is important to note that there is no one-size-fitsall solution for maintaining and improving a park and recreation agency. The 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review does not provide “standards” which all agencies must strive to deliver, but rather serves as an informative evidence-based guideline. Factors such as jurisdiction population, the unique needs of each community and funding all play a major role in how an agency operates. In this report, we compare data grouped by agency size, funding, population served and other factors in order to provide agency professionals with more peerbased results. To operate successfully, an agency must customize its offerings to the unique needs of its community members. Identifying characteristics of members in an agency’s community based on age, economic means, interests and other backgrounds is vital for creating relevant programming and offerings. A successful agency will know its community’s characteristics and operate accordingly to better serve its residents. We recommend that park and recreation agencies and professionals use the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review in conjunction with other internal and external resources to gather a clearer understanding of needs and resources specific to their agency. How to Use the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review and NRPA Park Metrics To begin using the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review, first look at the available data. Throughout this report, tables, graphs and other data-based visuals are provided based on a “typical” agency within a given jurisdiction population or population. The “typical” agency represents the median of data collected for a metric. Information also includes upper and lower quartiles for further insight. To further benefit from the information provided in this report, examine the comprehensive cross-tabulations and interactive charts found at nrpa.org/APR. Park and recreation agencies across the country used the NRPA Park Metrics survey tool to self-report all data that were used in this report. Visit the Park Metrics website (nrpa.org/ParkMetrics) to learn more about this suite of tools and create a Park Metrics account or log in to an existing account to build a more customized benchmark report based on agency type, size and geographic region. Use this tool to generate reports that will further assist in analyzing your agency’s data needs, as well as identify peer agencies with similar characteristics to your own. The 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review presents data from nearly 1,000 park and recreation agencies across the country from 2021 to 2023. Note: Not all agencies answered every survey question.

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 3 PHOTO COURTESY OF DURANGO (COLORADO) PARKS AND RECREATION Young adults participate in a work day in Durango, Colorado.

4 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association INFOGRAPHIC 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review Key Findings Residents per park: 2,386 Acres of parkland per 1,000 residents: 10.6 Percent of agencies offering summer camp: 83% Full-time equivalent (FTE) employees per 10,000 residents: 8.9 Percentage of full-time staff dedicated to operations/maintenance: 46% Operating expenditures per capita: $99.47 Revenue to operating expenditures (cost recovery): 25.2%

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 5 INDEX OF FIGURES FIGURE TOP-LINE FINDING PAGE NO. PARK FACILITIES Figure 1: Number of Residents per Park The typical park and recreation agency has one park for every 2,386 residents. 8 Figure 2: Acres of Parkland per 1,000 Residents The typical park and recreation agency has 10.6 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents. 9 Figure 3: Outdoor Park and Recreation Facilities Nine in 10 (93 percent) agencies have playgrounds. At least eight in 10 agencies have diamond fields, basketball courts and/or rectangular fields. 10 Figure 4: Indoor Park and Recreation Facilities Competitive and leisure swimming pools are the most common indoor facilities provided by park and recreation agencies. 11 Figure 5: Types of Indoor Park and Recreation Facilities and Amenities More than half of agencies have recreation centers (62 percent) and/or community centers (59 percent) in their indoor facility asset portfolios. 12 Figure 6: Miles of Trails Trail mileage increases with population. Agencies serving more than 250,000 residents typically have 97 miles of trail compared to 16 miles across all agencies. 13 Golfers participate in a camp in Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF AURORA (COLORADO) PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE

6 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association FIGURE TOP-LINE FINDING PAGE NO. PROGRAMMING Figure 7: Programming Offered by Park and Recreation Agencies The three most popular program offerings across agencies are themed special events (89 percent), social recreation events (88 percent) and team sports (86 percent). 15 Figure 8: Targeted Programs for Children, Older Adults and People With Disabilities Eighty-three percent of agencies offer summer camps, 78 percent offer specific older adult programs, and two-thirds offer specific teen programs and programs for people with disabilities. 15 RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES Figure 9: Key Responsibilities of Park and Recreation Agencies Nearly all park and recreation agencies are responsible for operating and maintaining park sites. 17 Figure 10: Other Responsibilities of Park and Recreation Agencies Additional responsibilities of select park and recreation agencies are to operate, maintain or contract tourism attractions (40 percent), manage large outdoor amphitheaters (36 percent), and operate, maintain or contract golf courses (36 percent). 17 STAFFING Figure 11: Park and Recreation Agency Staffing: Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employees The number of FTEs at an agency increases as jurisdiction population increases. The typical number of FTEs at an agency is 57.6. 18 Figure 12: Park and Recreation FullTime Equivalent (FTE) Employees per 10,000 Residents The median FTEs per 10,000 residents is 8.9. The number of FTEs per 10,000 residents decreases as jurisdiction population increases. 19 Figure 13: Responsibilities of Park and Recreation Workers The primary responsibility of FTEs is related to operations and maintenance (46 percent), followed by programming (31 percent). 19 BUDGET Figure 14: Annual Operating Expenditures The typical park and recreation agency annual operating budget is $6.45 million. 20 Figure 15: Operating Expenditures per Capita The typical park and recreation agency has annual operating expenses of $99.47 per capita. 21 Figure 16: Operating Expenditures per Acre of Park and Non-Park Sites The typical park and recreation agency’s operating expenditures per acre of park and non-park sites is $8,260. 21 Figure 17: Operating Expenditures per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employee The typical agency spends $110,912 in annual operating expenditures per FTE. 22 Figure 18: Distribution of Operating Expenditures More than half (54 percent) of the typical agency’s distribution of operating expenditures goes toward personnel services. 22 Figure 19: Operating Expenditures Dedicated to Parks or Recreation Thirty-nine percent of operating expenditures at an agency are dedicated to parks, 39 percent to recreation and 17 percent to administration. 22

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 7 FIGURE TOP-LINE FINDING PAGE NO. AGENCY FUNDING Figure 20: Sources of Operating Expenditures General fund/appropriations are the most common source of operating expenditures. 23 Figure 21: Park and Recreation Revenue per Capita The typical park and recreation agency generates $22.58 in revenue annually per resident in its jurisdiction. 23 Figure 22: Revenue as a Percentage of Operating Expenditures (Cost Recovery) The typical agency recovers a quarter of its operating expenditures from non-tax revenue. 24 Figure 23: Five-Year Capital Budget Spending The five-year capital spending budget at an agency greatly increases as population increases. Agencies with more than 250,000 people have a median five-year capital budget spending of $49.1 million. 24 Figure 24: Targets for Capital Expenditures — Percentage of Agency’s Capital Budget Designated for Improvements The primary target for capital expenditures is improvements (88 percent). 24 Figure 25: Improvement Dollars Split Between Renovation vs. New Development Improvement dollars are split between renovation (67 percent) and new development (33 percent). 25 Figure 26: Improvement Dollars Split Between Buildings vs. Parks Improvement dollars are split between improving parks (70 percent) and buildings (30 percent). 25 Figure 27: Value of Deferred Maintenance Projects per Agency The typical agency has $698,000 in deferred maintenance projects, but at agencies with more than 250,000, this number jumps to $17.3 million. 25 POLICIES Figure 28: Agencies With an Expressed Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in Their Foundational Documents Seventy-nine percent of park and recreation agencies have an expressed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their foundational documents (e.g., vision, mission and strategic plan). 26 Figure 29: Agencies With Hiring Practices and Policies That Promote a Diverse Workforce Nine in 10 park and recreation agencies (91 percent) have hiring practices and policies promoting a diverse agency workforce. 26

8 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association PARK FACILITIES To support the various needs, interests and lifestyles of community members, park and recreation agencies must offer a wide range of outdoor and indoor facilities. These facilities provide for programming, activities and other recreational events and serve as vital hubs for health and wellness. The typical park and recreation agency has one park for every 2,386 residents. In heavily populated jurisdictions, a single park may serve many thousands of residents. For jurisdictions with populations fewer than 20,000 people, 1,172 people are served per park. This number increases for populations of 50,000 to 99,000 people, with one park for every 2,346 people. For those jurisdictions with populations of more than 250,000 people, there are 6,120 people for every park. The typical park and recreation agency manages 10.6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents in its area. “ParkChildren and families play outside during a community event in Asheville, North Carolina. PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHEVILLE (NORTH CAROLINA) PARKS AND RECREATION FIGURE 1: NUMBER OF RESIDENTS PER PARK (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median 2,386 1,172 2,062 2,346 3,344 6,120 Lower Quartile 1,333 659 1,233 1,489 2,173 3,274 Upper Quartile 5,000 1,944 3,000 4,048 7,039 18,586 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 RESIDENTS PER PARK

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 9 land” refers to both maintained parks and accessible open space areas such as green spaces and courtyards. This amount of parkland per 1,000 residents is largest for those agencies serving a population of fewer than 20,000 people: 12.6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. The number of acres per 1,000 residents decreases slightly for parks serving a population of 20,000 to 49,999 people: an average of 11.2 acres of managed parkland per 1,000 residents. For agencies serving between 50,000 and 99,000 people and more than 250,000 people, there are 10.2 acres per 1,000 residents. The smallest number of acres of parkland per 1,000 residents is found in jurisdictions with populations of 100,000 to 250,000 people with seven acres for every 1,000 residents. Outdoor park and recreation facilities allow community members to assemble, socialize and exercise in a safe and inclusive space. Ninety-three percent of agencies have playgrounds or play structures as their most common type of outdoor facility. Eighty-five percent of agencies have diamond fields (e.g., baseball, softball), 84 percent have standalone basketball courts and 83 percent have rectangular fields (e.g., soccer, field hockey, lacrosse). Other common facilities include tennis courts (72 percent) and dog parks (68 percent). The breakdown of the most common types of outdoor facilities includes: • One playground/play structure for every 3,750 residents • One diamond field for every 4,063 residents • One basketball court for every 8,000 residents • One rectangular field for every 5,000 residents • One tennis court for every 6,003 residents • One dog park for every 46,917 residents PHOTO COURTESY OF EUGENE (OREGON) RECREATION FIGURE 2: ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1,000 RESIDENTS (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1,000 RESIDENTS All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median 10.6 12.6 11.2 10.2 7.0 10.2 Lower Quartile 5.1 6.0 6.2 4.8 4.4 5.0 Upper Quartile 18.0 20.9 18.0 17.4 15.5 16.7 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 A group of pickleball players touch paddles in Eugene, Oregon.

10 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association FIGURE 3: OUTDOOR PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES (BY PREVALENCE AND POPULATION PER FACILITY) Types of Facilities Median Number of Residents per Facility Population of Jurisdiction Percent of Agencies All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Playgrounds or play structures 93% 3,750 1,990 3,105 3,707 5,016 9,591 Diamond fields 85 4,063 1,833 3,007 3,675 6,821 11,129 Basketball courts, standalone 84 8,000 4,366 7,501 8,363 9,643 15,136 Rectangular fields 83 5,000 2,493 3,333 4,070 7,375 14,238 Tennis courts 72 6,003 3,074 5,461 5,865 8,731 10,524 Dog parks 68 46,917 10,327 27,508 55,135 74,504 128,906 Tot lots 53 12,434 5,323 12,744 12,443 20,180 33,913 Community gardens 52 34,105 8,800 27,262 56,150 55,326 125,935 Swimming pools 49 45,919 9,500 27,081 46,353 65,697 113,219 Skateboard parks 46 54,750 11,284 33,167 60,904 105,567 239,177 Multiuse courts – basketball, volleyball, etc. 42 19,571 5,248 15,531 24,955 47,676 71,750 Pickleball 42 12,597 3,390 7,737 10,500 20,244 42,495 Multiuse courts – tennis, pickleball 37 15,674 4,634 13,000 12,972 34,500 61,213 18-hole golf courses 29 96,391 9,626 32,812 68,208 112,641 251,483 Driving range stations 28 24,360 2,122 12,700 4,914 35,710 172,403 Synthetic rectangular fields 25 43,643 11,284 23,189 36,000 54,254 127,714 Volleyball courts, standalone 23 27,640 9,250 14,280 26,612 46,517 57,456 Splash pads, spray grounds or spray showers 23 54,010 12,756 30,629 54,100 67,685 199,437 Fitness zones/Exercise stations 22 39,188 8,233 27,262 35,000 43,611 111,111 Disc golf courses 20 76,780 11,079 29,445 58,603 118,723 278,884 Ice rinks 19 19,667 8,015 19,770 29,378 102,891 532,258 Walking loops/Running tracks 19 20,017 5,459 18,585 20,527 37,169 68,811 Nine-hole golf courses 14 121,825 17,750 38,333 61,757 126,621 428,359 Overlay fields 10 18,097 10,584 10,000 9,375 22,951 36,070 Racquetball/Handball/ Squash courts 9 47,792 13,350 21,791 43,857 42,484 137,076 Waterparks 7 82,250 17,813 32,812 76,780 149,008 332,396

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 11 Indoor facilities are also critical to the programming and other offerings provided by park and recreation agencies. Twenty-two percent of agencies have indoor competitive swimming pools, 19 percent have indoor leisure pools (i.e., noncompetitive) and pickleball courts, 16 percent have multiuse courts, and 12 percent have standalone basketball courts and multiuse courts (e.g., tennis, pickleball). The breakdown of the ratio of population per type of indoor facility includes: • One indoor competitive swimming pool for every 66,88 people • One indoor leisure pool for every 71,046 people • One indoor pickleball court for every 17,033 people • One indoor multiuse court for every 23,755 people FIGURE 4: INDOOR PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES (BY PREVALENCE AND POPULATION PER FACILITY) Types of Facilities Median Number of Residents per Facility Population of Jurisdiction Percent of Agencies All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Competitive swimming pools 22% 66,880 8,224 31,000 64,150 110,270 260,000 Pools designated exclusively for leisure (i.e., noncompetitive) 19 71,046 12,203 32,812 63,688 111,385 281,151 Pickleball 19 17,033 4,929 10,463 17,240 29,470 79,795 Multiuse courts – basketball, volleyball, etc. 16 23,755 5,907 14,577 23,755 72,604 64,451 Basketball courts, standalone 12 26,937 5,907 19,173 26,612 77,099 66,002 Multiuse courts – tennis, pickleball 12 17,044 5,800 14,950 15,182 38,757 89,639 Therapeutic pools 11 94,456 10,814 33,306 63,001 121,465 521,114 Walking loops/Running tracks 10 59,630 9,875 32,619 63,336 111,508 301,916 Racquetball/Handball/ Squash courts 9 39,744 7,036 16,825 38,326 58,942 118,342 Tennis courts 5 19,286 ISD 6,600 10,605 27,995 60,913 *ISD = Insufficient Data

12 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. PETERSBURG (FLORIDA) PARKS AND RECREATION Sixty-two percent of park and recreation agencies have recreation centers (including gyms), making it the most common type of indoor facility. Other common indoor facilities include community centers (59 percent), senior centers (40 percent) and performance amphitheaters (40 percent). The ratios for population per each of the most common indoor facilities include: • One recreation center (or gym) for every 32,786 residents • One community center for every 31,569 residents • One senior center for every 62,201 residents • One performance amphitheater for every 69,604 residents FIGURE 5: TYPES OF INDOOR PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES AND AMENITIES (BY PREVALENCE AND POPULATION PER FACILITY) Types of Facilities Median Number of Residents per Facility Population of Jurisdiction Percent of Agencies All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Recreation centers (including gyms) 62% 32,786 9,685 24,486 39,886 57,750 67,213 Community centers 59 31,569 8,908 27,858 52,000 55,135 93,758 Senior centers 40 62,201 14,286 31,985 67,190 125,817 311,014 Performance amphitheaters 40 69,604 12,769 32,255 59,000 116,135 374,718 Nature centers 34 133,773 9,430 33,669 71,360 139,248 378,408 Aquatics centers 30 58,496 12,618 31,000 60,824 110,629 248,646 Permanent and semipermanent restrooms 28 5,580 2,579 4,905 5,520 6,850 11,925 Stadiums 19 103,222 10,633 32,299 64,150 154,198 425,884 Teen centers 12 58,712 14,797 31,785 58,712 124,264 360,153 Indoor ice rinks 12 59,277 8,004 23,512 53,224 108,508 500,000 Arenas 9 95,696 7,057 24,838 68,104 118,500 716,862 Young adults take a break from a game of basketball in St. Petersburg, Florida.

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 13 In addition to various outdoor and indoor facilities, many agencies provide trails, greenways and other outdoor walking areas for community members. The typical park and recreation agency is responsible for managing 16 miles of trails. This figure increases as the jurisdiction population an agency serves increases. Agencies serving populations of more than 250,000 people typically manage 97 miles of trails. FIGURE 6: MILES OF TRAIL (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median 16.0 4.5 10.0 18.1 27.0 97.0 Lower Quartile 6.0 2.0 5.0 8.0 18 40.8 Upper Quartile 46.0 9.2 19.6 37.0 52.0 180.3 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 MILES OF TRAILS A group of young adults set up their tent in San Diego. PHOTO COURTESY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION Adults participate in a guided river tour in Plymouth, Minnesota. PHOTO COURTESY OF THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT (MINNESOTA)

14 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association PROGRAMMING Park and recreation agencies offer a wide breadth of activities and programming to their community members. These offerings strive to promote better physical and emotional health and well-being. Much of this programming follows NRPA’s Three Pillars: Health and Wellness, Equity and Conservation. While some programs are targeted to certain age groups (i.e., children or older adults), the goal of parks and recreation is to have inclusive and safe spaces for all community members. By providing affordable programming and safe spaces to gather, park and recreation agencies enable their community members to interact with others, encouraging socialization and connection. To meet the diverse needs and desires of community members, park and recreation agencies must provide a wide array of accessible and affordable programming. Programming can be activities, events, clubs or other types of group activities. Most agencies offer themed special events (89 percent), social recreation events (88 percent) and team sports (86 percent). More than three-quarters of agencies also offer other programming, such as fitness enhancement classes, health and wellness education and individual sports. Other key programming activities offered by at least half of agencies include: • Racquet sports (73 percent of agencies) • Safety training (70 percent) • Aquatics (68 percent) • Natural and cultural history activities (66 percent) • Cultural crafts (63 percent) • Visual arts (63 percent) • Trips and tours (62 percent) • Performing arts (62 percent) • Martial arts (56 percent) • Running/Cycling races (53 percent) A new playground is installed in Lorain, Ohio. PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF LORAIN (OHIO) PARKS AND RECREATION

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 15 From children to older adults, programs are designed to accommodate the diverse groups of community members regardless of age, socioeconomic status, ability, race or background. Many agencies offer specific programming based on age and abilities to better support all community members. Eighty-three percent of agencies offer summer camps and 78 percent offer programs specifically targeted to older adults. About two-thirds of agencies offer teen-focused programs and programs for people with disabilities, while at least half of agencies offer STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs and after-school programs. Agencies serving populations of more than 250,000 residents are more likely to offer programs for older adults, children and people with disabilities than are those agencies serving populations of fewer than 20,000 residents. However, the number of targeted programs offered varies for those agencies serving populations of 20,000 to 49,999 people, 50,000 to 99,999 people and 100,000 to 250,000 people. FIGURE 7: PROGRAMMING OFFERED BY PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES (PERCENT OF AGENCIES) Themed special events Social recreation events Team sports Fitness enhancement classes Health and wellness education Individual sports Safety training Racquet sports Safety training Aquatics Natural and cultural history activities Cultural crafts Visual arts Trips and tours Performing arts Martial arts Running/Cycling races Golf Esports/Egaming 89% 88% 86% 82% 80% 76% 73% 70% 68% 66% 63% 63% 62% 62% 56% 53% 49% 26% FIGURE 8: TARGETED PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (PERCENT OF AGENCIES BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) Percent of Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Summer camps 83% 65% 86% 92% 84% 92% Specific senior programs 78 63 79 88 82 82 Specific teen programs 67 50 64 77 69 78 Programs for people with disabilities 66 37 62 78 75 86 STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs 57 41 49 66 59 74 After-school programs 52 44 41 51 58 71 Preschool 34 26 34 46 32 36 Before-school programs 19 17 17 23 15 22 Full-day care 7 7 2 8 6 12

16 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES Park and recreation agencies are responsible for ensuring that their facilities, programming and offerings are at the highest level possible. Nearly all agencies operate and maintain park sites (98 percent), and the vast majority provide recreation and programming (93 percent), as well as operate and maintain indoor facilities (93 percent). Other key responsibilities that at least 70 percent of agencies mention include: • Have budgetary responsibility for its administrative staff (91 percent of agencies) • Operate, maintain or manage trails, greenways and/or blueways (87 percent) • Conduct jurisdiction-wide special events (83 percent) • Operate, maintain or contract racquet sport activities/courts/facilities (77 percent) • Include in its operating budget the funding for planning and development functions (76 percent) • Operate, maintain or manage special purpose parks and open spaces (75 percent) Volunteers tidy Burnside Park in Maryland. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNAPOLIS (MARYLAND) RECREATION AND PARKS

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 17 FIGURE 10: OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES (PERCENT OF AGENCIES) Operate, maintain or contract tourism attractions 40% Manage large performance outdoor amphitheaters 36 Operate, maintain or contract golf courses 36 Operate, maintain or contract indoor swim facilities/waterparks 31 Maintain or manage beaches (inclusive of all waterbody types) 26 Administer or manage farmers markets 22 Operate, maintain or contract campgrounds 20 Administer or manage tournament- or event-quality indoor sports complexes 20 Maintain, manage or lease indoor performing arts centers 19 Operate, maintain or contract marinas 13 Administer or manage professional or college-type stadiums/arenas/racetracks 9 Manage or maintain fairgrounds 7 98% 93% 93% 91% 87% 83% 77% 76% 75% 69% 67% 57% 48% FIGURE 9: KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES (PERCENT OF AGENCIES) Operate and maintain park sites Provide recreation programming and services Operate and maintain indoor facilities Have budgetary responsibility for its administrative staff Operate, maintain or manage trails, greenways and/or blueways Conduct jurisdiction-wide special events Operate, maintain or contract racquet sport activities/courts/facilities Include in its operating budget the funding for planning and development functions Operate, maintain or manage special purpose parks and open spaces Operate and maintain non-park sites Operate, maintain or contract outdoor swim facilities/waterparks Administer or manage tournament- or event-quality outdoor sports complexes Administer community gardens Other responsibilities of many park and recreation agencies include operating, maintaining or contracting tourism attractions (40 percent); managing large performance outdoor amphitheaters (36 percent); and operating, maintaining or contracting golf courses (36 percent).

18 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association STAFFING Supporting programming, facilities and other offerings of park and recreation agencies requires adequate staffing. Park and recreation staff are essential to ensuring the success of each agency and creating safe, inclusive spaces for all community members. Full-time employees are vital to the operations, management and overall success of a park and recreation agency. Understaffed agencies may result in fewer program and activity offerings, poor facility maintenance and decreased community involvement overall. The typical agency employs 57.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. It is important to note that because the size of park and recreation agency jurisdictions varies, so too will the number of staff members. The larger the population served by an agency, the larger number of FTE staff required. Agencies that serve fewer than 20,000 people typically have 14 FTE employees, agencies in jurisdictions of 50,000 to 99,999 people have 70.3 FTE staff and larger agencies serving more than 250,000 people have a staff of 263 FTEs. Two swimmers float in a pool. FIGURE 11: PARK AND RECREATION AGENCY STAFFING: FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS (FTEs) (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 NUMBER OF FTE STAFF All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median 57.6 14.0 34.2 70.3 120.0 263.0 Lower Quartile 20.4 6.1 19.9 46.5 61.3 123.0 Upper Quartile 143.7 30.0 66.9 121.0 181.2 471.5 PHOTO COURTESY OF ADOBE STOCK

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 19 While the number of staff increases as population increases, the same is not true for the ratio of FTEs to residents. For agencies serving a population of fewer than 20,000 people, there are 13.7 FTEs for every 10,000 residents. This ratio decreases as population increases. At agencies serving 50,000 to 99,999 people, there are 10.5 FTEs for every 10,000 residents. At agencies in jurisdictions of more than 250,000 residents, the ratio declines to an average of 4.7 FTEs per 10,000 residents. Overall, the ratio of FTEs across jurisdiction populations is 8.9 FTEs per 10,000 residents. Among the various responsibilities of park and recreation staff, almost half of FTEs are responsible for operations and maintenance. About 30 percent of FTEs are responsible for programming, and 16 percent are responsible for administration. Operations/Maintenance Programmers Administration Other Capital development 16% 46% 31% 3% 4% FIGURE 13: RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARK AND RECREATION STAFF (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF AGENCY FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYEES) Volunteers plant trees in Miami, Florida. PHOTO COURTESY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACES FIGURE 12: PARK AND RECREATION AGENCY STAFFING: FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYEES PER 10,000 RESIDENTS (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 FTE STAFF PER 10,000 RESIDENTS All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median 8.9 13.7 11.2 10.5 7.9 4.7 Lower Quartile 4.9 6.9 5.8 6.5 3.8 2.1 Upper Quartile 16.6 25.3 20.3 17.1 12.2 7.8

20 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association BUDGET The typical goal of annual operating expenditures, such as personnel services, contracts, commodities and supplies, and capital outlay, is to balance the needs of the community with the fiscal capabilities of the governing body (i.e., city, county). Each park and recreation agency must be aware of its annual operating expenditures in order to continue to provide the vital programs and services expected of parks and recreation in its community. To offer a better understanding of annual operating expenditures — and, in turn, a clearer view of budgeting and spending across agencies — the data are presented by jurisdiction population, as well as per capita, per acre of park and non-park sites, and per full-time equivalent (FTE) employee and by other operation expenditure distributions. The median annual operating expenditure for park and recreation agencies is nearly $6.5 million. That amount increases as population increases. Smaller agencies serving fewer than 20,000 people have median operating expenditures of about $1.5 million, while agencies in jurisdictions of more than 250,000 people have annual operating expenditures of $32.7 million. Agencies serving populations between these two groups have operating expenditures that range from $3.5 million annually (20,000 to 49,999 people) and $7.7 million annually (50,000 to 99,999 people) to $13.5 million annually (100,000 to 250,000 people). FIGURE 14: ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $6,453,357 $1,451,763 $3,462,654 $7,710,075 $13,552,112 $32,700,000 Lower Quartile $2,295,873 $707,145 $2,003,128 $5,348,266 $6,800,000 $15,091,825 Upper Quartile $16,247,943 $3,004,473 $7,853,006 $13,394,323 $23,399,020 $59,286,392 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 $35,000,000 $30,000,000 $25,000,000 $20,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000 $5,000,000 $0 ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENDITURES People participate in a game of ice hockey in Illinois. PHOTO COURTESY OF PEKIN (ILLINOIS) PARK DISTRICT

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 21 The median operating expenditures decrease as population increases. The typical agency has operating expenditures of $99.47 per capita. For agencies serving populations of fewer than 20,000 people, the median is $135.53 per capita. This figure declines to $120.72 per capita for agencies serving populations of 50,000 to 99,999 people, and declines further to $57.61 per capita for those agencies serving more than 250,000 people. To further quantify the annual operating expenditures of park and recreation agencies, one can examine operating expenditures per acre of park and non-park sites. It is important to note that non-park sites refer to public areas and facilities, such as city halls and lawns, that are not considered parks but are maintained by agencies using a percentage of their annual operating budget. The typical park and recreation agency spends $8,260 of its annual operating budget per acre of park and non-park sites. The larger the population served, the lower operating expenditures are per acre. Park and recreation agencies serving populations of fewer than 250,000 residents have similar per-acre operating expenditures ranging between $8,000 to $9,800 per acre of park and non-park sites. This figure declines to a median of $4,421 per acre for those agencies in jurisdictions of more than a quarter of a million people. Full-time equivalent (FTE) employees are critical to daily park operations, and therefore must be factored into the annual operating budget of each agency. The median operating expenditure per FTE employee is $110,912. At agencies serving fewer than 20,000 people, the operating budget per FTE employee is $101,304. At agencies serving 20,000 to 49,999 people, this amount increases to $112,366 per FTE employee. At agencies serving 50,000 to 99,999 people, the amount decreases to $106,642 per FTE employee. For agencies serving larger populations of 100,000 to 250,000 people, the median operating expenditure per FTE employee is $119,116, and for agencies serving more than 250,000 people in their jurisdiction, the median operating expenditure per FTE employee is $116,836. $160 $140 $120 $100 $80 $60 $40 $20 $0 OPERATING EXPENDITURES PER CAPITA FIGURE 15: OPERATING EXPENDITURES PER CAPITA (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $99.47 $135.53 $114.81 $120.72 $87.10 $57.61 Lower Quartile $53.44 $74.22 $62.32 $74.14 $39.69 $24.47 Upper Quartile $183.96 $263.21 $226.13 $196.53 $160.76 $97.91 $12,000 $10,000 $8,000 $6,000 $4,000 $2,000 0 OPERATING EXPENDITURES PER ACRE OF PARK AND NON-PARK SITES FIGURE 16: OPERATING EXPENDITURES PER ACRE OF PARK AND NON-PARK SITES (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $8,260 $9,777 $9,013 $9,176 $8,002 $4,421 Lower Quartile $3,564 $3,856 $4,383 $5,633 $3,066 $2,046 Upper Quartile $18,491 $27,711 $20,346 $18,636 $15,009 $10,609

22 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association The distribution of operating expenditures varies. Agencies dedicate an average 54 percent of their annual budgets to personnel services. Operating expenses account for 38 percent of the typical agency’s annual budget and capital expenses not in a capital improvement plan (CIP) account for 6 percent of an agency’s annual budget. The remaining 2 percent is allocated to other expenses. One also can measure park and recreation agencies’ median operating expenditures dedicated to parks, recreation and staff serving in all/both capacities. Thirty- nine percent of operating expenditures at an agency are dedicated to parks, 35 percent to recreation, 17 percent to administration and the remaining 9 percent to other related endeavors. Personnel services Operating expenses Capital expense not in capital improvement plan (CIP) Other 54% 38% 2% 6% FIGURE 18: DISTRIBUTION OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $110,912 $101,304 $112,366 $106,642 $119,166 $116,836 Lower Quartile $82,569 $73,418 $79,713 $83,421 $84,296 $93,944 Upper Quartile $146,913 $146,913 $144,907 $140,613 $147,964 $155,431 FIGURE 17: OPERATING EXPENDITURES PER FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYEE (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) $140,000 $120,000 $100,000 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $20,000 0 OPERATING EXPENDITURES PER FTE EMPLOYEE Parks Recreation Administration Other 39% 35% 17% 9% FIGURE 19: DEDICATED OPERATING EXPENDITURES (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES) Two people flex their muscles after a game in Virginia. PHOTO COURTESY OF PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY (VIRGINIA) DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 23 AGENCY FUNDING The amount of funding varies by agency, and so do funding sources. However, general fund tax support is the most common source of available funding for agencies, accounting for 62 percent. Earned revenue is the second most common source of funding (21 percent), and special taxes/levies that are voter-approved account for 8 percent. Other less common sources of operating expenditures for agencies are operating grants from a public agency and sponsorships, in-kind donations or private operating grants/donations. One way to look at revenue is by analyzing park and recreation revenue per capita. The typical park and recreation agency generates $22.58 of revenue per jurisdiction resident. Park and recreation revenue per capita tends to decrease the larger the population. At FIGURE 20: SOURCES OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES) General fund/ Appropriations Earned revenue Special taxes/Levies (voter approved) Special taxes/Levies (non-voter approved) Other Operating grants from public agency Sponsorships, in-kind donations or private operating grants/donations 62% 21% 8% 3% 2% 2% 1% FIGURE 21: PARK AND RECREATION REVENUE PER CAPITA (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) $60 $50 $40 $30 $20 $10 0 PARK AND RECREATION REVENUE PER CAPITA All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $22.58 $47.71 $25.84 $33.17 $18.01 $9.70 Lower Quartile $7.57 $13.22 $11.72 $12.34 $6.67 $2.75 Upper Quartile $63.07 $109.72 $85.29 $80.43 $47.19 $23.09 A group of swimmers participate in water aerobics. PHOTO COURTESY OF ADOBE STOCK

24 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association agencies serving a population of fewer than 20,000 people, park and recreation revenue per capita is $47.71; at agencies serving 50,000 to 99,999 people it is $33.17 per capita; and at agencies in jurisdictions of more than 250,000 people it is $9.70 per capita. Another way to examine revenue is through cost recovery — revenue as a percentage of operating expenditures. The typical agency recovers a quarter of its operating expenditures from non-tax revenue. Median cost recovery varies with population size; agencies serving a population of fewer than 20,000 people recover 29.5 percent of their operating expenditures, but this figure is lower for agencies serving populations of more than 250,000 people for which recovering 17.9 percent of operating expenditures is typical. The median five-year capital budget spending across agencies of all sizes is $12 million. But the median amount depends on population size: the larger the population, the larger the five-year capital spending budget. For agencies serving fewer than 20,000 people, the median five-year capital budget spending is $1.81 million. This figure is 8 times higher for those agencies serving between 50,000 and 99,999 residents at a median of $15 million, and then reaches a median of $49 million for agencies serving more than 250,000 residents. The goal of park and recreation agencies is not only to maintain their facilities, programming and other FIGURE 22: REVENUE AS A PERCENTAGE OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES (COST RECOVERY) (PERCENTAGE OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0 REVENUE AS A PERCENTAGE OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median 25.2% 29.5% 25.9% 28.8% 22.0% 17.9% Lower Quartile 12.8 13.5 15.4 13.7 12.2 9.7 Upper Quartile 47.0 56.0 51.8 53.4 38.1 36.2 $60,000,000 $50,000,000 $40,000,000 $30,000,000 $20,000,000 $10,000,000 $0 FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL BUDGET SPENDING All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $12,000,000 $1,814,200 $6,500,000 $15,000,000 $24,284,312 $49,097,334 Lower Quartile $2,456,700 $509,192 $1,582,756 $5,355,630 $9,912,750 $18,345,000 Upper Quartile $36,058,000 $5,611,874 $15,733,740 $28,785,600 $58,187,649 $147,718,705 FIGURE 23: FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL BUDGET SPENDING (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Improvements Acquisition Other FIGURE 24: TARGETS FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES) 88% 7% 5%

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 25 offerings, but also to continue growing and improving to better serve their communities. The typical agency designates 88 percent of its capital budget to improvements, 7 percent to acquisition and the remaining 5 percent to other endeavors. Capital expenditures designated to improvements typically fall under renovations and/or new development. Two-thirds of the improvement expenditures are designated to renovation (67 percent) while a third is new development (33 percent). Further, the average percentage of improvement dollars split between buildings and parks is 30 percent (buildings) and 70 percent (parks). Jurisdiction population size influences the value of deferred maintenance projects per agency. The typical agency has nearly $700,000 in deferred maintenance projects. This overall figure drops for smaller agencies serving fewer than 20,000 people and increases to a median more than $17 million for agencies in jurisdictions of more than 250,000 people. Deferred maintenance balances rise at agencies that: • Serve larger populations • Have a higher operating budget • Have more full-time equivalent employees • Maintain more acres of parkland • Have more parks FIGURE 25: IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS SPLIT BETWEEN RENOVATION AND NEW DEVELOPMENT (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS) Renovation New development 67% 33% FIGURE 26: IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS SPLIT BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND PARKS (AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS) Parks Buildings 70% 30% $20,000,000 $18,000,000 $16,000,000 $14,000,000 $12,000,000 $10,000,000 $8,000,000 $6,000,000 $4,000,000 $2,000,000 $0 VALUE OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS PER AGENCY FIGURE 27: VALUE OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS PER AGENCY (BY JURISDICTION POPULATION) All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000 Median $698,000 $80,000 $500,000 $813,561 $3,688,462 $17,337,000 Lower Quartile $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Upper Quartile $10,000,000 $1,000,000 $5,000,000 $8,448,908 $14,301,710 $70,414,250 All Agencies Less Than 20,000 20,000 to 49,999 50,000 to 99,999 100,000 to 250,000 More Than 250,000

26 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association POLICIES It is the responsibility of park and recreation agencies to create safe and inclusive spaces for all community members. Collecting data about agencies’ commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is critical to understanding the policies and efforts underway to make park and recreation spaces available for all and identifying areas that would benefit from further DEI implementation. One of the primary policies that park and recreation agencies implement is including a written commitment to DEI in their foundational documents. More than three-quarters (77 percent) of agencies express commitment to DEI at all locations; 21 percent of agencies do not have an expressed commitment to DEI; and two percent have an expressed commitment to DEI at least some of their locations. Parks and recreation continue to be leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion when it comes to hiring staff. Nine in 10 (91 percent) agencies have hiring practices in place that promote a diverse agency workforce at all locations. Agency has an expressed commitment to DEI at all locations Agency does not have an expressed commitment to DEI Agency has an expressed commitment to DEI at select locations FIGURE 28: PERCENT OF AGENCIES WITH AN EXPRESSED COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI) IN THEIR FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS (PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION) 77% 21% 2% Agency has hiring practices and policies promoting a diverse agency workforce at all locations Agency does not have hiring practices and policies promoting a diverse agency workforce FIGURE 29: PERCENT OF AGENCIES WITH HIRING PRACTICES AND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE A DIVERSE WORKFORCE (PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION) 91% 9% A group of soccer players celebrate with their coach. PHOTO COURTESY OF ADOBE STOCK

2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review | 27 CONCLUSIONS Park and recreation agencies are integral to the quality of life in communities. To sustain and continuously improve this beneficial relationship between parks and recreation and the public it serves, NRPA encourages park and recreational professionals to remain up to date on how their agencies compare to peer agencies. The 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review provides the opportunity to analyze agency performance in relation to other agencies of similar size across the United States. The resources provided in this report give park and recreation professionals, stakeholders and others who are interested in the success of parks and recreation further insight into agency operations across the country by providing: 1. Up-to-date data to compare agency performance – With relevant data and metrics, park and recreation professionals can see where their agencies stand regarding funding, programming, budgeting and other key areas compared to agencies with similar population sizes. These data allow agencies to make informed decisions about their future operations that influence overall performance. 2. Resource and operation guidance – To encourage optimal operations across park and recreation agencies, the data and metrics offered give agency leaders a better understanding of how to successfully run their agencies and manage their operations. 3. Comprehensive data to better understand operations and responsibilities – The comprehensive data and information provided in this report further demonstrate the importance of offering adequate programming, facilities and other resources in communities. The responsibilities of park and recreation professionals vary by agency, but the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Report provides an in-depth understanding of these responsibilities, highlighting the important role agencies play in communities across the United States. NRPA encourages park and recreation professionals to use the 2024 NRPA Agency Performance Review in conjunction with other internal and external tools and resources — including those found on the NRPA website (nrpa. org/APR and nrpa.org/ParkMetrics) — to better understand how their agencies can provide their communities with the best amenities and services possible, and make the case for increased personnel and funding.

28 | 2024 National Recreation and Park Association ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A HUGE thank you to the thousands of park and recreation professionals who participated in the annual NRPA Park Metrics campaign and completed their Agency Performance Survey. Thank you to Melissa May, Dianne Palladino, Danielle Doll, Lindsay Collins, Alexandra Reynolds, Vitisia Paynich, Kim Mabon and Kate Anderson for making this report possible. ABOUT NRPA 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. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. NRPA brings strength to our message by partnering with like-minded organizations, including those in the federal government, nonprofits and commercial enterprises. Funded through dues, grants, registrations and charitable contributions, NRPA produces research, education and policy initiatives for our members that ultimately enrich the communities they serve. NRPA places immense importance on research and data to raise the status of parks and recreation and conducts research with two goals. First, NRPA creates and analyzes data to help park and recreation agencies make optimal decisions on operations, programming and spending. Second, NRPA develops data and insights that support park and recreation professionals making the case for greater and more stable funding to policymakers, key stakeholders, the media and the general public. The NRPA Research team works closely with internal subject matter experts, respected industry consultants and the academic community to develop its reports and data resources. Learn more at nrpa.org/Research.

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