January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 15

Exploring NRPA's Grant and
Fundraising Resources
By Bret Gaither
F
or communities across the country, park and recreation departments
are vital centers of connection, activity and well-being.
They offer places for people of all ages to play, learn and celebrate
nature. However, limited budgets can often prevent these
communities from reaching their full potential. Fortunately, our team at
NRPA has tools to connect agencies with a suite of grants and fundraising
resources to help these communities achieve their goals. With one of
the goals of our new strategic plan being to advocate for durable funding
for the field of parks and recreation, we hope to continue to grow the opportunities
that we offer. Here's a closer look at what we at NRPA offer
and how park and recreation professionals can take advantage of these
valuable resources.
Grants
NRPA provides various funding
opportunities
through
targeted
grant programs designed to address
community needs. NRPA's
grants focus on specific areas, such
as improving access to healthy
foods, promoting physical activity,
enhancing environmental resiliency
and supporting programs
for under-resourced populations.
These grants are a lifeline for agencies
that want to launch or improve
initiatives but lack the necessary
resources to do so. Past grants
have funded everything from urban
green spaces to community gardens
and youth sports programs.
Fundraising
Beyond direct grants, NRPA offers
a wealth of fundraising resources.
We provide workshops, webinars
and educational materials on effective
fundraising practices, from
building relationships with donors
to writing compelling grant proposals.
These resources are invaluable
for park and recreation professionals
who may have limited experience
with fundraising but need to
secure additional funding to support
their department's projects.
Education
The NRPA Annual Conference often
includes dedicated sessions on
grants and fundraising strategies.
The conference
opportunity
for professionals
offers a unique
to
network, learn best practices from
successful case studies, and even
receive one-on-one advice from experts
in the field. These education
sessions cover a range of topics,
including
leveraging community
partnerships, writing grants, engaging
corporate sponsors and creating
fundraising campaigns that resonate
with community members.
In a time when park and recreation
departments are increasingly
recognized for their role in promoting
public health and well-being,
NRPA's grant and fundraising resources
are essential. They not only
provide the funding needed to create
vibrant, safe and accessible pubNRPA
has tools to connect agencies with a
suite of grants and fundraising resources to
help communities achieve their goals.
lic spaces, but they also empower local
leaders with the skills and tools
to maintain and grow these spaces
sustainably. By taking advantage of
NRPA's programs, park and recreation
departments can ensure they
continue to serve as vital resources
for their communities, now and for
generations to come.
To learn more about NRPA's
grants, our equitable grantmaking
policy, or to learn about other
possible funding for the field,
visit our website at nrpa.org/
Grant-Fundraising-Resources.
Bret Gaither is Senior Director of
Development at NRPA (bgaither@nrpa.org).
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | J ANUAR Y 2 0 2 5 | Parks & Recreation
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http://nrpa.org/Grant-Fundraising-Resources http://nrpa.org/Grant-Fundraising-Resources
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation

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