Through the continuation of the Landscape Structures and Athco 2018 sponsorship of KRPA, a special offer is available for KRPA members. Purchase $30,000 in Landscape Structures equipment and receive a FREE FRIENDSHIP™ SWING. Click here for more information.

Contact ATHCO at 800.255.1102 or athco@athcollc.com for more information.

Healthy Hometown Grant Opportunity for KRPA Members KRPA is award $15,000 to selected agencies through Healthy Hometown Grants. Awards will be given based on need with the maximum amount not to exceed $5,000. Learn More Here > Healthy Hometown is a community health improvement grant provided by Kansas Recreation and Park Association (KRPA) and the Powercat Health Partnership (Kansas State University, Kansas Health Foundation, and Stormont-Vail Hospital) to provide enhancement dollars to Kansas recreation and park agencies who support healthy lifestyles through programs and initiatives that promote healthy communities. Click here to apply. Thank you to the Powercat Health Partnership for their support of health and wellness in Kansas!

The Young Professional’s Committee aims to attract and retain young professionals and students in Kansas by providing them with opportunities to enhance their personal and professional skill set through a variety of networking, educational and professional development opportunities.  The committee members will serve a 3-year term that begins in 2018.  Some responsibilities of the Young Professionals Committee are planning of the KRPA Young Professionals Summit, administration of the KRPA Mentor Program, and networking lunches and events.

This is a great way to enhance the future of the Parks and Recreation fields in Kansas! It only takes a short time to apply!

DEADLINE is April 16, 2018.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The 2018 KRPA-MRPA Executive Forum will be held on October 17-18 at the JCPRD Arts and Heritage Center. This dynamic leadership conference targets upper-level management professionals in key decision making positions within public agencies in Missouri and Kansas providing parks, recreation and similar community services. Registration will open later this summer.

A new report issued by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) demonstrates the vast economic impact of our nation’s local parks, plus a state-level analysis of local state parks and recreation agencies' operations and capital spendings in 2015. 

Kansas local parks generated over $812 million in economic activity in 2015, and local park and recreation spending in Kansas supports 7870 jobs.  These a just a few findings from research conducted by NRPA and the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University for their Economic Impact of Local Parks Report. Policymakers and elected officials at all levels of government should take notice. Investments made to local and regional parks not only raise the standard of living in our neighborhoods, towns and cities, but they also spark activity that can ripple throughout the economy.

Manhattan, KS: Kansas Recreation and Park Association received a donation on Saturday, March 3, 2018 for the Powercat Health Initiative. Thank you to K-State Sports, Kansas Health Foundation and Stormont Vail Health for your support of Health and Wellness in Kansas. This is a great partnership to encourage a healthier Kansas, and KRPA is privileged to be apart of it. Visit here to learn more about this partnership.

Could your department use an additional $500 to assist in promoting your programs or event? Sunflower State Games is offering you the opportunity to apply for the 2018 Parks and Recreation Marketing Grant.

By taking part in this new program offered by the Sunflower State Games, your department will not only earn the opportunity to compete for a $500 Grant, but you will be assisting SSG by promoting their Olympic style sports festival. Creating awareness and reaching our target audience across the state is one of our greatest challenges. Educating your patrons about the Kansas' largest amateur sports festival will greatly aid SSG's cause!

HOW TO APPLY?

Easy! Just fill our the application form and submit it to our office by April 1st. All applicants must be KRPA members. Only one application may be submitted per department/community. 

INSTRUCTIONS

Items 1 - 3 listed below are required to be considered eligible. A minimum of four additional items (4 - 9 listed below) must be completed to be considered eligible. Documentation and proof of inclusion for your selected items must be submitted to the SSG office by July 1, 2018.

1.	Distribute 2018 SSG Event Brochures to patrons and general public. Event Brochures will be mailed to your department in March.
2.	Display 2018 SSG Event Posters at Community Centers and Sports Venues. Event Posters will be mailed to your department in March.
3.	Link to SSG web site from organizational web site using the SSG Logo, Ad or Article provided below.
4.	Ad placement or article in printed Seasonal Program (Ad or article provided below).
5.	Ad placement or article in monthly Newsletter (Ad or article provided below).
6.	Event Calendar Listing on web site or printed materials.
7.	Social Media Mentions tagging SSG on at least two platforms (Facebook & Twitter).
8.	Inclusion in Team or League schedules.
9.	OTHER: Please include on a separate sheet to be submitted with your application additional resources that you plan to utilize in promoting the 2018 Sunflower State Games.

 

SELECTION PROCESS 

Recipient of the $500 grant will be selected by the SSG Staff and Board of Directors based on the above criteria. Additional consideration will be given to organizations that exceed the minimum requirements listed above. Grant recipient will be notified in August. A formal presentation will be made at the 2018 SSG VIP Reception on September 25th in Topeka. Expense report to be submitted to SSG upon use of Grant Funds.

All participating organizations will receive one complimentary entry into the 2018 Sunflower State Games. Entry may be used by staff member or participant of your programs. Entry certificates will be mailed in April.

Questions? Call the SSG office at 785-235-2295 or email mgross@sunflowergames.com.

Click here to download and print the 2018 Marketing Grant Application

You’re Invited to Apply for an Exciting Grant Opportunity for Rural Communities!

We are pleased to announce that Kansas is 1 of 3 states chosen to receive grant funds from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the Walmart Foundation to support children’s health through park and recreation out-of-school time programs in rural communities.Grantees will receive funding to support their efforts around increasing nutritious meals served to youth through the USDA federal nutrition programs, as well as implementing nutrition education and implementing healthy eating and physical activity standards at their sites to ensure continued impacts. NRPA anticipates funding 3-4 rural communities in Kansas with $35,000 in grant funding to support programmatic expenses like marketing, transportation, large equipment purchases, nutrition education materials, staff training and more!

This grant can help propel your park and recreation agency into the Healthy Out-of-School Time movement! Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Click here to view a list of sites that meet NRPA's rural criteria. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, March 16, 2018.

Click Here to Apply Today!

Eligibility  Requirements

 Applicants must:

• Be a local government agency (e.g., municipal park and recreation department, tribal recreation department, park district, community services department, etc.)
• Provide meals/snacks through the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program or the National School Lunch Program in 2018 (you can work with the school district or another food provider/sponsor to serve meals at your park sites)

If you have questions about this grant opportunity please email outofschoolrfa@nrpa.org.

The City of Yankton, SD, will host the Midwest Regional Parks and Recreation Conference on April 22-24, 2018. Registration is now open. Click here to download registration form. The preliminary agenda and conference information is also available here. Park and recreation professionals from the six state area (South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota) will attend. The Conference will be held in the world’s premier indoor archery training and competition facility, the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center (NEYAC). The NEYAC is currently a 47,550 square foot facility which houses a 90-meter indoor archery range. The facility also has three outdoor archery field ranges along with two Olympic ranges. An additional 20,000 square foot addition is completed and will host the World Archery Indoor Championships. The facility is an easy walk from the Yankton Best Western Kelly Inn, 605-665-2906, where attendees will stay. 2018 Midwest Conference Preview 2018 Midwest Regional Conference Delegate Registration

Enthusiasm is growing as the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea will begin February 9, 2018. Athletes from around the world will compete in 15 different sports over the course of 17 days.

Parks and recreation has its own Gold Medal Award Program which will kick off Wednesday, February 7, 2018, with a Live Web Chat. The Gold Medal Awards Program team (representing the American Academy for Park & Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Park Association) will be available to answer any and all questions you have about entering the prestigious award program which is proudly sponsored by Musco Lighting. The Live Chat will be presented at 1:00 pm EST; 12 pm CST; 11 am MT; and 10 am PST. To participate in the Live Chat click HERE.

Information about the 2018 Gold Medal Awards Program is now available on the NRPA website.

Information available on the website include a list of the 2017 recipients, a transcript of the 2017 Live Chat, Before You Get Started, the Judging Criteria, and Innovative Program Ideas.