Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$24,296,620

Total expenses

$23,142,963

Contributions and grants received

$7,988,995

Grants paid

$1,789,925

Program service revenue

$11,624,279

Investment income

$2,553,582

Other revenue

$2,129,764

Total assets, end of year

$27,806,818

Total liabilities, end of year

$8,754,746

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$19,052,072

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$19,561,524

Management and general expenses

$2,544,230

Fundraising expenses

$1,037,209

Program service expenses (Part III)

$19,561,524

Program services were 84.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS - NRPA LEVERAGES ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT KEY CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING GREATER RESOURCES TO LOCAL PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES. FOCUSING ON ADVANCING OUR STRATEGIC GOAL OF MAXIMIZING COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, NRPA MANAGES COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AND PROVIDES TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, RESOURCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND GRANT FUNDS TO LOCAL PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND CREATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. IN SUPPORT OF THESE GOALS, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED OVER $1.7 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING, IMPACTING MORE THAN 3.2 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS.

  Expenses $5,822,372 · Grants $1,789,925

• ANNUAL CONFERENCE - THE NRPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS THE LARGEST GATHERING OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES. EACH YEAR, THIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EVENT ATTRACTS 8,400+ PARTICIPANTS, WHICH INCLUDES 225+ EDUCATION SESSIONS AND 500+ EXHIBITING COMPANIES ON THE TRADESHOW FLOOR. EDUCATION SESSIONS COVER TOPICS SUCH LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PLANNING, DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE, RECREATION PROGRAMMING, AND MORE. BOOTH DISPLAYS IN THE EXHIBIT HALL FEATURE A VARIETY OF PARK AND RECREATION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDING PLAYGROUND AND MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT, LIGHTING, FLOORING AND ATHLETIC SURFACES, UNIFORMS, SCORE BOARDS, SHELTERS, PUBLIC RESTROOMS, SPLASH PADS, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE AND ARTS AND CRAFTS. THE NRPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE CONNECTS PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS WITH PEERS, CONTACTS FOR PURCHASING THE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THEIR AGENCIES, AND PROVIDES LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT INSPIRE IDEAS AND CONCEPTS TO HELP PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS LEARN, GROW AND IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

  Expenses $4,539,117 · Revenue $7,430,271

• CERTIFICATION AND ACCREDITATION - NRPA HAS OVER 25,000 CERTIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN THE AREAS OF AQUATIC FACILITIES, PLAYGROUND SAFETY, GENERAL PARKS AND RECREATION, AND EXECUTIVE PARKS AND RECREATION. THE NRPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATION BOARD TO ADMINISTER THE NRPA PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOALS AND VALUES OF THE ASSOCIATION. EACH PROGRAM REVIEWS BEST PRACTICES THROUGH A JOB ANALYSIS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 5 YEARS AND EXAMINATIONS ARE UPDATED ACCORDINGLY. NRPA ALSO HAS 222 ACCREDITED PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES (INCLUDING MUNICIPAL THROUGH STATE AND MILITARY). THE NRPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHED THE COMMISSION FOR ACCREDITATION OF PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES (CAPRA) TO ADMINISTER THE ACCREDITATION PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOALS AND VALUES OF THE ASSOCIATION. THE CAPRA ACCREDITATION STANDARDS ARE REVIEWED APPROXIMATELY EVERY 5 YEARS, AND THE ACCREDITATION PROGRAM IS UPDATED ACCORDINGLY. ACCREDITATION STANDARDS INCLUDE FOCUS AREAS SUCH AS AGENCY MISSION AND PURPOSE, COMMUNITY AND PARK PLANNING, HUMAN RESOURCES, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT AND MORE.PUBLICATIONS AND ADVERTISING - NRPA REACHES ITS MEMBERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING ITS AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE, PARKS & RECREATION, WHICH IS READ BY APPROXIMATELY 207,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. NRPA ALSO WORKS WITH ADVERTISERS TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS TO MEMBERS VIA TOOLS SUCH AS PRINT ADS IN NRPA'S MAGAZINE, DIGITAL ADS ON THE WEBSITE, AND DIGITAL ADS INCLUDED IN EMAIL MARKETING CONTENT. ADDITIONAL PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE; COMPREHENSIVE TOOLKITS, AN ANNUAL REPORT, RESEARCH AND EVALUATION REPORTS, EMAIL MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, A DEDICATED BLOG, NRPA PODCAST, AND A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.

  Expenses $3,109,169 · Revenue $3,445,436

• MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT - THE MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT TEAM DRIVES THE ORGANIZATION'S OVERALL COMMUNICATION, MARKETING, AND ADVOCACY STRATEGY. OUR GOAL IS TO RECRUIT, CONNECT AND ENGAGE PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS TO ADVANCE OUR MISSION AND TO LEVERAGE OUR RESEARCH, PROGRAM AND COMMUNICATION RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE FOR DURABLE INVESTMENT IN PARK AND RECREATION SYSTEMS. THROUGH OUR ANNUAL PARK AND RECREATION MONTH CAMPAIGN, WE PROVIDE TOOLS, RESOURCES AND TEMPLATES AND DRIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN OUR CORE MESSAGE THAT PARK AND RECREATION SYSTEMS ARE CRITICAL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

  Expenses $2,125,651

• MEMBERSHIP DUES - NRPA HAS OVER 65,000 MEMBERS, INCLUDING PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS AND ADVOCATES. NRPA ALSO OFFERS EXCLUSIVE MEMBER NETWORKS TO SUPPORT THEIR PROFESSIONAL NEEDS. THESE NETWORKS DELIVER ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATIVE EXCHANGES BETWEEN MEMBERS AND THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN MULTIPLE GROUPS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 50 NETWORK MEETINGS A YEAR. THEY ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS TO ENGAGE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AND GIVE BACK TO THE FIELD OF PARKS AND RECREATION. ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY IS THROUGH NRPA CONNECT, AN ONLINE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING TOOL THAT ALLOWS PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS TO CONNECT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. MEMBERS RECEIVE INFORMATION, ASK INDUSTRY QUESTIONS, AND GET INSIGHT INTO TRENDS IN THE FIELD FROM THEIR PEERS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS. NRPA CONNECT HOLDS OVER 4,000 MEMBER-SHARED RESOURCES.PUBLIC POLICY - NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN A RESOURCE FOR PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT BELONGING, WELL-BEING AND JOY IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. WE KNOW WHEN PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES ARE WELL-FUNDED AND ABLE TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY SERVICES, EVERYONE BENEFITS. THROUGH OUR PUBLIC POLICY WORK, WE SEEK TO DRIVE DURABLE INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND RECREATION AS CRITICAL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

  Expenses $2,024,357

• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - NRPA PROVIDES PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS WITH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND HELP THEIR PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENTS TO EFFECTIVELY MEET THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. WHAT'S MORE, NRPA CONSISTENTLY KEEPS THE FIELD UP TO DATE ON CONSERVATION AND RESILIENCY EFFORTS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS ACHIEVEMENTS IN ADVANCING ACCESS TO PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS FOR ALL. RESEARCH AND LEARNING - NRPA IS AN ULTIMATE RESOURCE FOR BEST PRACTICES, CASE STUDIES, AND COMPREHENSIVE DATA THAT ARE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITIES THEY SUPPORT. OUR SERVICE AND PUBLICATION OFFERINGS INCLUDE EVALUATIONS OF DIRECT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS (INCLUDING BOTH CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL INVESTMENTS BY PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES), NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SURVEYS OF PARK AGENCIES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO ENGAGES WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, WHITE PAPER REPORTS ON SPECIAL TOPICS (E.G., THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PARKS) OFTEN DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEADING SCHOLARS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, PEER-REVIEWED ACADEMIC JOURNALS ON PARK AND RECREATION TOPICS MANAGED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ROUTLEDGE TAYLOR FRANCIS GROUP, AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON INDUSTRY-LEADING DATA, RESEARCH, AND EVALUATION PRACTICES. FOR EXAMPLE, NRPA PARK METRICS IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SOURCE OF BENCHMARKS AND INSIGHTS FOR PARK AND RECREATION AGENCIES NATIONALLY SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN 2009, ALLOWING AGENCIES TO BUILD CUSTOM REPORTS AND COMPARE THEIR AGENCIES' CHARACTERISTICS TO OTHERS (E.G., NUMBERS OF RESIDENTS, ACREAGE OF PARKLAND, PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS, STAFF SIZE, REVENUE, AND MUCH MORE).

  Expenses $1,940,858 · Revenue $879,484

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• MOUNT AIRY PARKS AND RECREATION

  $84,515

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• CITY OF AUBURN

  $50,738

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• TOWN OF WARREN

  $47,362

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• CALVERT COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

  $45,554

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• CARTER COUNTY DRUG PREVENTION COALITION

  $42,905

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• TUALATIN HILLS PARK & RECREATION DISTRICT

  $41,568

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• NORTHEAST OPPORTUNITIES FOR WELLNESS INC

  $35,155

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• ASHEVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION

  $34,728

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• CITY OF MONROE

  $32,396

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

• WESTERN WELLNESS FOUNDATION

  $32,068

  PROGRAM SUPPORT

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK FOUNDATION INC

  501(C)(3) · SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION OF NRPA · VA · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

21 April 2026

IRS schema version

2024v5.5

Source object

202611139349301021

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.