The actual building of a nonprofit parks organization is our focus today, in the final posting of our series.
An excerpt.
Building a Nonprofit Parks Organization
Excerpted from Public Parks, Private Partners, published by Project for Public Spaces, 2000.
The people who run nonprofit parks organizations today have been an invaluable source of information for this book. We have taken some of their ideas and wisdom and have developed the following composite of the keys to success in building an effective nonprofit parks organization. These keys range from information on starting up and hands-on advice to insights from work in different parts of the country.
Understand the playing field before you begin.
Developing and shaping the role of a nonprofit organization usually starts with defining what is currently lacking in the park or greenway or municipality (probably the issues that brought a group together in the first place) within the context of other organizations involved in the area or park, the roles that these other groups play, and how well they perform them. Identifying who and what responsibilities the involved public agencies, community groups, and other nonprofits assume in the park or greenway helps pinpoint where, in these relationships, a particular organization might be most needed. This kind of analysis of other efforts should include an assessment of whether they are being done effectively or not.
Develop an effective, focused community process.
Agreeing on a participatory and formal process to involve neighborhood groups and key elected officials at the outset of a working relationship builds community involvement, stewardship, more responsive design or programming, and political support. One organization noted: ...outreach and inclusiveness in the plan development process.... increases trust and legitimacy in the surrounding communities.
Another group said: Good communication and the involvement and buy in of key players (the movers and shakers) to the importance of the project has enabled the partnership to achieve its goals.
Identify the assets of the community.
Well beyond the stakeholders described above the parks, planning and public works departments, for example - there are hundreds of groups and people in every city who could be associated with the park in some way, but aren't. Many of these are organizations that currently use the park, including sports leagues, exercise groups, dog walkers, bird watchers, chess clubs, and countless others. In addition there are probably many individual park users who know a great deal about what happens in the park because they use it every morning, when they walk their dog, or every evening, when they meet friends. These users exist in every park and are invaluable as a resource.
There are also many groups that would like to be able to use the park, but don't for any number of reasons, including complex city permitting, concern for safety, or simple lack of knowledge about the park and what it could offer them. All of these types of users, current and potential, need to become a part of the assets inventory so that they can be given an opportunity to become future users and supporters. Involving the community in the planning and implementation effort is not only wise, it is necessary for success, said Tupper Thomas, administrator of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.
Develop a vision.
A vision for the park or greenway that is flexible enough to change and realistic to the extent that it is feasible will, in the long run, facilitate a coordinated park strategy and build in support for park plans, programs, and projects. Many nonprofits noted that the development of a master plan was an important factor that enabled programs and projects to get underway. Whether or not a master plan exists, a vision that evolves from a community process is essential. The benefits and liabilities associated with master planning are discussed in Chapter 5.
