Programming Flashcards

What does programming for the whole community mean in parks and recreation practice?

Answer: Designing a portfolio of programs that intentionally serves all ages, abilities, income levels, cultural backgrounds, and interests within the community

Programming for the whole community means ensuring the agency's portfolio is diverse enough to be relevant to all demographic groups, including underserved populations, rather than focusing only on traditional majority audiences.

In what way does a parks and recreation agency use benchmark data from NRPA's PRORAGIS system?

Answer: To compare the agency's staffing levels, expenditures, acreage, and program offerings against national and peer agency averages

PRORAGIS (Parks and Recreation Operating Ratio and Geographic Information System) is NRPA's database that allows agencies to benchmark themselves against national averages and peer agencies on key operational and financial metrics.

What is the experience economy concept and how does it apply to parks and recreation programming?

Answer: People increasingly pay for memorable, engaging experiences rather than just commodities or services, so recreation agencies should design programs as transformative experiences

Pine and Gilmore's experience economy concept holds that value increasingly comes from crafting memorable experiences. Parks and recreation agencies can differentiate by designing programs that are personally meaningful and transformative, not just serviceable.

What role do partnerships with schools play in strengthening parks and recreation programming?

Answer: School partnerships expand facility access, reach youth during and after school hours, and co-leverage resources for broader program delivery

Partnerships with schools allow parks and recreation agencies to extend their reach into youth populations during school hours, access school facilities, co-develop curriculum-aligned programs, and share costs and staff.

What is a tiered subsidy model in parks and recreation fee policy?

Answer: A framework where programs are categorized by public benefit, with those serving essential community needs receiving higher subsidies and specialty programs expected to recover most or all costs through fees

A tiered subsidy model categorizes programs by their community benefit and ability-to-pay characteristics, with essential public services receiving the most agency subsidy and specialty or luxury programs expected to recover costs through participant fees.

How should a parks and recreation executive evaluate whether to continue, modify, or eliminate a declining program?

Answer: By analyzing participation trends, cost recovery, community need, strategic alignment, and alternative provider availability before making a data-driven decision

Program discontinuation decisions require systematic analysis of multiple factors — trends, finances, community need, mission alignment, and whether alternatives exist — to make an objective, defensible recommendation.