NACPRO - The National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials

NACPRO Awards

Nominations will open in February 1, 2010 for the NACPRO 2010 Awards.  Check Back in January 2010 for details.  Presentation of the awards will be made at the NACO meeting to be held mid - July 2010 in Reno, NV.  The annual event recognizes and honors excellence in county Park and Recreation endeavors throughout the nation. Use this national recognition to promote your agency’s successes with county officials and citizens and share your great achievements with others.

Awards Application.  Please note that applications must be postmarked by (Check Back).. If there are any questions, please contact the Awards Committee Chair: John VonDeLinde (763) 757-3920 or john.vondelinde@co.anoka.mn.us The awards committee also encourages park and recreation professionals and public officials to visit the NACPRO website and experience the many great ideas and best practices shared by previous award winners.

Check the NACPRO web site for membership information and applications. NACPRO is dedicated to the promotion and betterment of county and regional parks and recreation and open space and is an affiliate of both the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Park and Recreation Association (NRPA.)

Award Categories

1. Individual Awards

Outstanding Public Official is presented to an elected or appointed federal, state, or local official (including commissioner or boardmember) who has contributed significantly to the benefit of county level parks, recreation, leisure services and open space programs.

Outstanding Professional

1. Lifetime: to recognize professionals who are retiring or leaving county level park service.
2. Fellow: to recognize an exemplary professional currently employed in county level park and recreation fields.

Friends of Parks and Recreation

1. Outstanding Contributor: presented to a lay individual who has made a significant contribution of land or fiscal resources to county parks and recreation.
2. Outstanding Volunteer: presented to a lay individual who has made a significant contribution of personal time and talent to county parks and recreation.
3. Outstanding Support Organization: presented to an organization that has responded in an exceptional manner by making a major contribution to benefit park and recreation programs or facilities.

2. Program, Area and Facility Awards

NACPRO offers the following awards for agencies depending upon population: Class I - counties with a county population under 500,000 and Class II - counties with a population over 500,000.

1. Park and Recreation Program Awards: to recognize a county park and recreation agency that has provided a unique or exceptional program, activity, or event which provides an outstanding example that other agencies could adopt or emulate.
2. Park and Recreation Areas or Facilities: to recognize and honor excellence in recreation and park facilities; to focus national attention (both public and professional) on the very best of facility design; to encourage outstanding efforts in planning, design, construction, and benefits to the community; and to be a resource of information for the highest quality of facility development.
3. Operational Facilities: to recognize a support facility of unique design. Examples include but are not limited to maintenance shops, administrative offices, service centers, etc.
4. Historical/Cultural Facility Award: to recognize a unique facility development dedicated to historical or cultural preservation, recreation, and/or interpretation.

3. Special Awards

1. Environmental/Conservation Award: to recognize an exceptional effort to reclaim, restore, preserve, acquire, or develop unique and natural areas and programs.
2. Removing Barriers Initiative: to recognize a unique program or facility that enables and encourages greater participation in parks and recreation by persons with disabilities.
3. Planning Initiative:  to recognize an agency that conducts a research or planning intitiative that has provided the agency with important data to aid in decision-making and which contributes to a body of knowledge that will be valuable to other agencies.