May 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 6

P E R S P E C T I V E S A M E S S A G E F R O M N R P A' S L E A D E R S

Making the Case for
Parks and Recreation
The timing of this issue -
public relations and marketing
- is particularly great this
year. On March 11, NRPA
issued the report COVID-19
and Parks and Recreation:
Response and Recovery and the
companion communications
toolkit COVID-19 and Parks
and Recreation: Making the
Case for the Future (nrpa.org/
Coronavirus). This issue
provides me a chance to
remind our readers of these
resources and encourage
everyone to use them to
promote the essential work
of parks and recreation
professionals during the coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic. For more info on the resources, visit the We
Are Parks and Recreation section on page 12.
These resources are important, because it is stories
like those reflected in the report, and the many stories
you can share, that serve as the foundation of strategic
communications. They are a case for support. If there
is one thing that is true about marketing and public relations, it's that you need a strong story - a reason why
your audience should care. Marketing and public relations efforts are helpful, certainly, but it is when they
are tied to a clear goal - a compelling mission - that
they become more than just ads or outreach emails.
They become strategic tools to advance your goals.
I invite all our park and recreation colleagues to think
about your two to three most important goals each year.
For most, it includes making a strong case for budget
investment to show why your programs, facilities and
spaces are critical community infrastructure. Another
frequently cited goal is expanding the reach into and
engagement with your community through things like
increasing participation in health and wellness programs. Another goal often talked about is increasing
park and recreation access to vulnerable members of
the community. Whatever your goals may be, consider

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how you can incorporate language into your social media outreach, your advertising, and your talking points
with community members and leaders that support
those goals and help increase awareness.
I know that many of us don't like to " toot our own
horns " and feel uncomfortable asking for help. However, getting the word out on our successes and on our
strategic communications goals depends on us telling
our stories, celebrating our success and having our allies
celebrate them as well. I have seen far too many stories
of great programs and efforts happening in parks and
recreation spaces; however, far too many of them leave
the park and recreation professional and department
out completely. Let's change that - ask the reporter
or a community partner to remember to mention the
park and recreation team. It's also important to ask the
folks who participate in your programs and who visit
your parks to spread the word to others and to share
their positive experiences in your programs and spaces.
In fact, asking people to participate in making the case
is not just OK, it's a must. We need our community
members, our allies, to build our movement of support
for parks and recreation, to help make the case for why
parks and recreation is critical community infrastructure, and why well-funded, quality parks and recreation
is essential to healthy, strong and resilient communities.
In talking with park and recreation directors across
the country, it is clear that making the case for our essential services never ends. Each year and each budget
cycle require advocating for investment all over again.
Resources like the COVID-19 report and communications toolkit are designed to support that case making
and to help you turn your marketing and public relations into strategic, impactful communications.

KRISTINE STR AT TON
President and CEO
http://www.nrpa.org/coronavirus http://www.nrpa.org/coronavirus
May 2021 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021 - Parks & Recreation
