Peer Learning Opportunity for Environmental Sustainability

Parks across the country are striving to meet the needs of their local communities while navigating unique and ever-changing environmental circumstances. NRPA is offering a 16-week immersive, cohort-style program for park professionals with a vested interest in equitable environmental resilience that are ready to take the next step or not sure where to begin.

Park agencies are invited to apply alongside a partner community-based organization to increase their knowledge, understanding and implementation of environmental sustainability planning and practices through technical assistance, practical application, and peer networking opportunities to support them as they develop and implement community-driven sustainability practices at parks. 

Benefits at a Glance
# of Participants 10 park agencies and their community-based partner	Dates January 22 - April 30, 2025 Bi-weekly sessions	Benefits 0.3 CEU for Park Agencies $10,000 stipend to the park agency’s participating community-based organization
Level Introductory to Intermediate	Who Should Apply Rural and suburban park agencies at early stage of sustainability planning or implementation	What to Expect Peer cohort learning and personalized support from experts

Value

There is no cost to participate. NRPA will offer 25 hours of technical assistance through group incubator-style workshops and individual support, as well as access to tools, resources and a strong peer network. 

What To Expect

• Eight live, 3-hour virtual workshop sessions hosted bi-weekly over four months.
• One 1:1 coaching session for park agencies and their CBO partner.
• Additional asynchronous trainings, including NRPA's Green Stormwater Infrastructure Certificate, professional development, one Field Marketing Report, peer-to-peer support and networking opportunities.
• $10,000 stipend for each participating Community-based Organization (CBO) partner to support their time in the program and collaboration with park agency.
• Opportunities for national visibility through NRPA and partner publications.

Key Topics Covered
Attainable park-specific sustainability actions	Equitable planning frameworks and sustainability assessment principles	Best practices for strategic partnerships and capacity building
Collaborative evaluation tools	Integrating adaptability into plans and supporting staff	Authentic storytelling techniques for environmental sustainability

Opportunities to Join

There will be two cohorts of the Sustainability in Practice program in 2025. Space is limited in each session — we welcome you to apply.

• Cohort 2: Application opens September 23, 2024, and closes November 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PST. Program runs from January 22 to April 30, 2025.
• Cohort 3: Application launches February 2025 and program will run June 11 to September 17, 2025.

How to Apply

Apply to the upcoming cohort of the Sustainability in Practice program using this link here. Application period begins on Monday, September 23, and closes on Friday, November 15, at 11:59 p.m. PST. 

Click here for more information about the program, or visit our FAQ page here.

 

Apply Here

 

Have Questions?

Watch our quick 10-minute Informational Webinar.

For more information or questions, please contact NRPA’s Resilience Team at resilience@nrpa.org.