Resources

Resources for Park and Recreation Professionals

With help from our members and research partners, we make the following resources and tools available to equip parks and recreation departments, municipalities, urban design and landscape architecture firms, and advocacy organizations to enhance capacity and build equitable, healthy, and engaged communities.

Technical Tool
The Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership
Facilitating Power; Movement Strategy Center
Leaders across multiple sectors can use this spectrum to assess and revolutionize community engagement efforts to advance community-driven solutions.
Technical Tool
Community PARKnerships guidelines
Austin Parks and Recreation Department
Austin Parks and Recreation Department Community PARKnerships guide to naming, on-site dedication, and donor recognition of Austin parks.
Member Exclusive
Technical Tool
FireSmart BC Landscaping Guide
FireSmart BC/City of Vancouver
This guide from British Columbia includes an extensive list of fire-resistant plants, and tips on making your landscaping more wildfire resilient.
Technical Tool
Community First Toolkit
High Line Network
Toolkit to help park organizations address inequities and shape public spaces that bring social, environmental, and economic benefits to communities
Technical Tool
The Hospital Green Space Cost Savings Calculator
Nature Sacred
Estimate how much your institution could save costs associated with burnout among hospital staff by establishing a hospital biophilia intervention.
Member Exclusive
Technical Tool
Vancouver Park Board Best Management Practices Cutsheets
Vancouver Park Board
Contains BMPs for a variety of naturalized meadows, including no mow, low mow, enhanced low mow, and wildflower, as well as design and layout options.
Member Exclusive
Technical Tool
City of Olympia Park Ranger II position description
City of Olympia, WA
This position description for Olympia’s park ranger program outlines the essential duties, qualifications, and ideal candidate profile for the job.
Technical Tool
Inclusive Healthy Places Companion Guide for Park and Recreation Professionals
Gehl (gehlpeople.com);The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
Offers a comprehensive approach to leverage inclusion and health equity that inform the planning, design, development and evaluation of public spaces.
Technical Tool
Engage Protect Connect
Engage, Connect, Protect highlights the need to create opportunities to engage with diverse youth as the next generation of environmental stewards through cult…
Technical Tool
Groundwork Hudson Valley – Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application narrative
In this proposal, Groundwork Hudson Valley seeks support from CDBG to restore public green space on the Saw Mill River and in a park adjacent to the proposed Y…