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This October, it’s time to unlock the power of your park. As the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference approaches, consider stopping by a session with the Public Policy and Advocacy (PPA) team! Our two education sessions, “Federal Grants 101” and “‘Baby Come Back!’ How to Make Public Officials Visit Your Parks Over and Over Again,” will help you find and create winning federal grant applications and craft exciting site visits with your elected officials.
Federal Grants 101
Has your department ever needed more funding? Who’s hasn’t? But trying to navigate the choppy waters of federal grants can be dizzying. This session is here to guide you through the process and give you the confidence to apply for federal funding opportunities. Throughout the session, Kaitlyn Kaufman, NRPA’s government affairs specialist, will walk you through the federal grant search, application and implementation process based on her experience sharing federal grants with NRPA members. In addition, NRPA members will share how winning Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds have enriched their communities and how your park can do the same. Veronica “Roni” Taylor, superintendent of the division of parks and recreation in Plainfield, New Jersey, will focus on how to apply for CDBG in partnership with states, and Sue Wood, director of the Moore (Oklahoma) Parks and Recreation Department, will speak about successful CDBG projects in Oklahoma City and Moore. We encourage you to attend this informative session in Atlanta, which will be jam-packed with practical tips to take back home.
‘Baby Come Back!’ How to Make Public Officials Visit Your Parks Over and Over Again
So, you’ve invited your senator to see your parks — now what? How do you turn a once-in-a-lifetime visit into a lifetime partnership? Throughout the session, you will learn how to conduct a successful site visit with your member of Congress and other elected officials. Dan McCarthy, NRPA’s senior manager of advocacy, will teach you how to reach out to your member of Congress, how to structure a site visit and what to do to follow up on your visit. Katie Groke, director of community services for Apex Park and Recreation District, will share her real-life experience conducting site visits in Colorado to highlight the practical realities of hosting a successful event. Christian Miller, NRPA’s government affairs manager, will elaborate on the value of these visits for advancing policy change in Washington, D.C. After attending this session, you will have all the tools and knowledge needed to host anyone — including elected officials — at a park in your community.
We know you have a lot of choices when it comes to education sessions at this year’s conference. So, we hope you will consider stopping by the PPA team’s sessions! What could be better than winning federal funds and achieving policy change through site visits with elected officials? Do not miss this opportunity to unlock the full potential of your park. See you in Atlanta!
Kaitlyn Kaufman is Government Affairs Specialist at NRPA. Christian Miller is Government Affairs Manager at NRPA.