NRPA's Online Grant Opportunities Portal

Current NRPA Grant Opportunites: 

Sustainability in Practice Program 

Rural and suburban park and recreation professionals are invited to apply for this dynamic 16-week, cohort-style program alongside a community-based organization (CBO) partner for technical support and peer learning towards implementing community-driven environmental sustainability planning and practices at parks. CBO partners will receive a $10,000 stipend for their participation in the program and agency participants can receive up to 0.3CEU upon completion of the program. The application period for Cohort 3 of NRPA’s Sustainability in Practice program begins February 18 and will close on April 11, 2025.

Click here to Apply or email resilience@nrpa.org with questions.

2025 Workforce Development Community of Practice

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) seeks a future where the full power of parks and recreation is widely recognized for creating a better life for everyone by building strong, healthy, and resilient communities. Careers in parks and recreation can be a pathway to strengthen communities. Access to parks and recreation spaces, programs, and services is essential to community vitality and key to improving individual and community resilience.

The Workforce Development Community of Practice (CoP) is a funded opportunity for rural (population less than 50,000) agencies that currently provide workforce development programming through their out-of-school time (OST) services to youth (ages 14-21). The CoP will allow agencies to connect and learn from peers, problem-solve challenges, and receive assistance from cohort peers and industry experts. From May 2025 – May 2026, the CoP will guide a small cohort through community engagement and workforce development expansion journeys, while centering dignity within strategies and approaches to ensure programming benefits a broad network of rural youth. Upon selection, NRPA will work with CoP participants to incorporate discussion topics and structures that reflect the cohort's needs. The CoP will explore the best practices, lessons learned, and shared challenges around securing local and community support, access to funding resources, authentic relationship building, and marketing and promotion strategies for OST workforce programs. This will include the soon-to-be-published NRPA Workforce Development Framework. 

Click Here to Apply or email resilience@nrpa.org for questions.