Welcome to the Strategic Planning Center at the National Recreation and Park Association. The association has a long history of evaulating, developing and implementing strategic operations; however, since 2004, NRPA has provided laser-like focus on the collaborative development and execution of a three-year, rolling strategic plan for the association.
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Historically, NRPA had been soliciting strategy/tactic suggestions from branches, sections, regional councils, BOT committees, National Forum Committees, credentialing bodies and also the program committees/boards of regents of our schools and conferences during this time period. With the realignment of our strategic planning process last year, however, extensive feedback was already collected from these groups and the membership at large regarding the strategic plan (future environment survey, assumptions publication, mega issues discussion) from June to October in order to have that feedback prior to Congress. This was done earlier in the process so that the Goals and Objectives approved at Congress for the FY10 – 12 plan would be inclusive of feedback at a higher level.
At this later stage, as staff work on the strategies and tactics that will drive their work plans and be a companion to the recommended budget put forth in May, we would still like to hear from our membership. To assist in collecting this final input, please use the survey linked below.
This week, NRPA staff will be working with component leaders to communicate with their board/commission, council, etc. to solicit input and ultimately consolidate any suggestions that may impact FY10 tactics. Staff will collect the input and use it as one of several tools to draft a set of recommended tactics. If you have any questions about this process, please contact your staff liaison or you can contact Lauren Yost at lyost@nrpa.org. Please provide your feedback by January 30, 2009.
http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/TakeSurvey?id=535639
During its annual meeting on October 18, 2008 the National Recreation and Park Association Board of Trustees approved a revised strategic plan for the period beginning July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2012.
A copy of the plan is attached below.
In the coming weeks more information will be provided on the development of strategies, tactics and a supporting budget to achieve the first year of the plan.
STRATEGIC PLANNING BRIEFING SESSION
Friday, October 17, 2008, 2:00 - 3:30 PM
Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel, Room Key - 5
While attending the Annual Congress and Exhibition, you are cordially invited to a briefing session on the proposed FY2010 - FY2012 NRPA Strategic Plan. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the NRPA leadership and members of the NRPA Strategic Planning Committee ... and learn more about the current draft of the plan. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to ask questions and comment on the plan during this interactive session.
The Draft Strategic Plan will be considered for approval by the NRPA Board of Trustees during their Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 18, 2008.
The current draft of the plan is posted below. In support of NRPA's Go-Green initiatives, paper copies will not be provided.
Dear Fellow NRPA Leader:
Thank you for all of the supportive feedback and input related to the draft of the FY10 – FY12 Strategic Plan. It was quite rewarding to have the hard work validated by your praise and little to no comments related to the Goals and Objectives. The Strategic Planning Committee met on October 8 via conference call to discuss the limited suggestions and as a result, the committee made no revisions to the draft distributed on September 20, 2008.
On October 17, 2008, the committee will be conducting a public forum from 2-3:30 pm in Room Key-5 of the Hilton at the NRPA Congress in Baltimore, Maryland. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the NRPA leadership and members of the NRPA Strategic Planning Committee and learn more about the current draft of the plan. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to ask questions and comment on the plan during this interactive session.
In years past, NRPA has supplied paper copies of the Draft Strategic Plan at the public forum for attendees to review during the briefing. This year, in conjunction with many of the other Go-Green paperless practices at the 2008 NRPA Congress, we will not have paper copies available. The full content of Goals and Objectives for the FY10 – 12 draft Plan will be on the presentation screen. If you feel you will need a paper copy, please print the attachment to bring with you.
As referenced in the September 20th distribution of the draft, there are two companion documents (Assumptions & Mega Issues) at the Strategic Planning Center accessed via “quick links” at www.nrpa.org . Please be sure to visit the site to review this information as it will provide background information that may be helpful.
You can follow the Strategic Plan’s progress and provide feedback via the Strategic Planning blog. Also, if at any time you have ideas to share with the committee, please provide them via the blog or directly to me at jadams@springfieldmo.gov.
Thank you for your continued involvement in this process and for your commitment to NRPA and the park and recreation field.
Jodie Adams, CPRP
NRPA President-elect
Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
September 20, 2008
Dear Fellow NRPA Leader:
As you know, the annual direction, progress and accomplishments of the association are guided by our Strategic Plan. Your continued involvement in updating and implementing the plan is essential and I want to thank you for your commitment to NRPA toward ensuring that we are continually striving to accomplish our mission.
Attached for your review and input is the first draft of the FY 2010 - FY 2012 Strategic Plan that covers the period July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2012. Please share this with those you represent and provide your consolidated feedback to Lauren Yost at lyost@nrpa.org no later than October 3, 2008. Input will be compiled and shared with the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) prior to our October 8, 2008 conference call. The SPC will consider the input and determine any revisions to the plan.
The attached draft plan should not appear drastically different than last year’s Strategic Plan. As the plan structure has been refined to be more strategic and aligned to better support and achieve our mission, an annual review may not always result in change. The FY09-11 Strategic Plan was revised to be more outcome, rather than output, focused so the FY10-12 plan reflects the same, as would future years.
As a reminder, since the plan has taken on this more strategic approach, what some may remember as “objectives” are now “tactics” and therefore would be addressed in the tactic development process that begins in November for staff.
You will receive another draft of the FY 2010-2012 Strategic Plan on October 10, 2008 and will be asked to provide final input prior to the SPC’s October 15 meeting at the NRPA Congress in Baltimore. There is also a public forum at Congress on October 17 from 2-3:30 pm, location TBA.
You can follow the Strategic Plan’s progress and provide feedback via the Strategic Planning blog that can be accessed via “quick links” at www.nrpa.org. Also, if at any time you have ideas to share with the committee, please provide them via the blog.
Thank you for your continued involvement in this process.
Jodie Adams, CPRP
NRPA President-elect
Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
Download draft_fy1012_strategic_plan.pdf
The NRPA Strategic Planning Committee participated in its annual planning retreat at the Chicago O’Hare Hilton July 25 – 27, 2008.
During the retreat, the Committee reviewed and updated the Assumptions about the Relevant Future Environment, reviewed and made minor modifications to the strategic plan and explored two “mega issues” previously identified by leadership.
The retreat began with consideration of NRPA member input regarding Assumptions about the Relevant Future Environment. Critical to any on-going strategic planning effort, this exercise allowed the Committee to contemplate assumptions about the future environment in which parks and recreation, and more specifically, NRPA operates.
After a thorough review of the environmental assumptions, the Committee was well equipped to review and make recommendations on a handful of minor changes to the plan. Emphasis was placed on reviewing the mission, vision, values, goals and objectives included in the three year plan.
Finally, the Committee reviewed and discussed two “mega issues” – the first focused on NRPA performing as a national association while maintaining relevance at the local level and the second focused on the importance of raising awareness of parks and recreation.
The Committee will present the recommended changes to the strategic plan and the Assumptions about the Relevant Future Environment to the NRPA Executive Committee on September 15, 2008 and then distribute the proposed revised plan to NRPA leadership via email on September 19th.
At the annual Congress & Exposition in Baltimore, the Committee will host a public briefing on Friday, October 17 from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. The public briefing will include an overview of the recommended changes to the plan and provide for public comment.
The NRPA Board will consider and vote on the proposed revised plan on Saturday, October 18th.
The Committee’s discussion on the two mega issues will be captured and shared with the NRPA Executive Committee at their retreat in November 2008.
The 2007 Strategic Planning Committee drafted the recommended strategic plan for FY2009-2011 based upon a set of assumptions about what the relevant future environment would be like. In advance of their planning retreat, the Committee solicited input on the relevant future environment from a wide cross section of voices within NRPA. This input, coupled with Committee input, was used to draft a consolidated list of priority assumptions as identified by the Planning Committee. Please note, this assumption list represents notes captured on flip charts during the planning retreat and should be reviewed in that context – it is not intended to be complete or exhaustive.
As the Committee prepares to review the plan for updates based on changes which have occurred in the environment over the last 12 months, they invite member input.
To participate in this review of the assumptions, please click on this link and you will be re-directed to an on-line questionnaire.
http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/TakeSurvey?id=471083
There you will be asked to consider if any of the assumptions are no longer valid, if there are any missing assumptions and any updates to the implications.
Your input is requested by June 30, 2008.
All input will be consolidated and shared with the Committee during their July retreat.
On May 8, 2008 the NRPA Board of Trustees participated in an interactive round table discussion on two "mega issues" that the Strategic Planning Committee will wrestle with during their retreat this July 25-27.
The two mega issues (abbreviated) were:
§ How do we serve as a national organization and still maintain relevance to stakeholders at the local level and how do address both citizen and professional member needs?
§ How do we raise the level of public awareness of parks and recreation and lead to increased funding sources?
In exploring these two mega issues, the Board considered the following questions:
§ What key characteristics do you think differentiate a national association from local or regional groups?
§ Does NRPA meet all of the characteristics you identified?
§ What kinds of products, services or programs should NRPA undertake as a national association?
§ What kinds of programs is NRPA currently doing that it should not do as a national association?
§ How will NRPA balance being a social mission/advocacy organization with also being a professional association? What will the organization look like? Feel like? What constitutes relevance
§ What key issues do you think the Strategic Planning Committee should consider as they work on the mega issue questions in July?
The results of the round table discussion were captured and will be used by the Strategic Planning Committee during their retreat in July.
The NRPA Board of Trustees will participate in a facilitated roundtable discussion during their spring meetings in Portland on May 8.
Facilitated by NRPA Strategic Planning Consultant, Cate Bower, Board members will review the association’s strategic plan, the charge of the 2008 Strategic Planning Committee and will then engage in a participatory dialogue about the two “mega issues” posed for consideration by the Committee later this summer.
The Board will contemplate and provide the committee with input on the following two "Mega Issues."
1. How does NRPA become a national organization and still maintain relevance to the stakeholders who comprise NRPA at the local level? And how do we know this vision is congruent with the desires of members? How do we address both citizen and professional needs?
2. How do we raise the level of public awareness to seek park and recreation opportunities as essential to quality of life, leading to increased funding sources for the public and recreation opportunities?
Board members will contemplate the characteristics of a national association and how NRPA meets those characteristics….the types of programs and initiatives relevant to a national association…and balancing a portfolio of products and services that meet the needs of a social mission/advocacy association with those that are designed to serve professional members.
Input received from the Board will be provided to the Strategic Planning Committee for use in their summer work sessions.
Download FY08/09 Strategies and Tactics With Budget Implications 04-29-2008.pdf
The NRPA Board of Trustees will hold their Annual Spring Meeting May 7 - 9, 2008 in Portland, OR.
On Thursday, May 7, Board members will receive an informative briefing on Strategy, Performance, and Finances. This session will provide board members with a retrospective and future-looking overview of the association’s strategic and financial profile, including the proposed fiscal year 2008-2009 budget and corresponding strategies and tactics. The NRPA Finance and Executive Committees reviewed and endorsed the proposed budget and related strategies and tactics prior to it being sent to the full Board for consideration at their May meeting.
Strategies and tactics previously submitted to the NRPA National Forum and Executive Committee were considered, along with ongoing programs, products, services and initiatives in developing the proposed budget. In crafting a budget to support the strategic plan, careful evaluation was also given to a three year financial plan for the association that depicts incremental organization growth and an anticipated leveling off of the growth in 2011. Assuming an organizational stance to ensure continued growth and not settle with a “leveling off” in future years, the proposed budget emphasizes investment in key strategic areas that will leverage the association for sustainable growth in the future.
The attached document outlining the NRPA strategies and tactics also indicates if the proposed strategies and tactics are noted as funded, covered by staff time or not included for funding in the proposed FY08/09 budget. The Board will vote on the budget during their May 9 meeting. The strategies, tactics and budget will be implemented beginning July 1, 2008.
