The National Recreation and Park Foundation:

Who Are We and What Is It That We Do?

Who?

The Foundation's current theme is to support research and public awareness of the economic, social and physical value of parks and recreation in creating healthy families and communities for all populations to include educating and reaching the underserved. The Foundation will achieve this through the building of an endowment fund. In addition, NRPF will provide a limited amount of funding for current year projects earmarked for immediate needs.

Governance
The NRPF is a wholly separate organization from the National Recreation and Park Association with its own governance and bylaws. The Foundation's leadership represents a balance of professionals with extensive park and recreation movement experience as well as community and business leaders who intersect with parks and recreation in some way.

NRPF Current Board of Governors
Fran Mainella, Chair. Visiting Scholar, Clemson University's Parks, Recreation
and Tourism Management Department.
Joe Crookham. President, Musco Lighting
Pat Faust. President, Landscape Structures
Lois G. Finkelman. NRPA Chair
Bob Johnson. Senior Vice President, Willis of Greater Kansas City, INC.
Ronald D. Lehman. NRPA Past Chair, Commissioner, Channahon Community
Park District.
Eric W. O'Brien. Chairman, O'Brien & Sons.
Doug Youngblood, CPA. Partners for Parks, Inc.

What?

The National Recreation and Park Foundation will primarily raise endowment money to ensure the longevity of the movement but will also allocate a small percentage of resources for specific current year projects through grants to NRPA. Since its inception a year and a half ago, the Foundation has made commitments to initiatives that fit its purpose by supporting the National Summit on Environmental Stewardship and the upcoming Summit on the Value of Play. It is through these grants that supporters will see their donations put to use.

National Summit on Environmental Stewardship (click here)

Summit on the Value of Play (click here)

How to Get Involved?

Participate!
As a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, the National Recreation and Park Foundation relies on the generosity of its donors to further its mission. The Foundation offers a number of ways to get involved through its comprehensive planned giving program.

Individual Donor Opportunities (click here)

Corporate Donor Opportunities ( click here)

Planned Giving
Planned giving options include outright cash, charitable bequests, wills, securities, retirement plan assets, life insurance, and other gifts.

Outright Cash Gifts
A gift of cash is a simple and straightforward way to support the Foundation. Cash gifts include personal checks, currency, money orders, and electronic fund transfers. Cash gifts may be deductible up to 50 percent of a donor’s adjusted gross income for the taxable year, with any excess being deductible over the next five years.

Gifts of Securities
A gift of appreciated securities held for more than one year may entitle a donor to a charitable deduction for the fair market value of the gifted securities and eliminate capital gains tax that would ordinarily become due if the appreciated securities had been sold outright and the proceeds donated to the charity. Donors who have securities that have declined in value over the years, and who are interested in donating them to the Foundation, may find it more advantageous to sell the securities first and contribute the proceeds as opposed to donating the securities outright. This strategy should allow donors to claim a deduction for both the loss from the sale of the securities as well as the charitable gift.

Charitable Bequests
Next to writing a check, perhaps the best known vehicle for philanthropy is the bequest. A bequest establishes a donor’s wishes today without relinquishing needed assets during his or her lifetime. The following language may be used to make gifts through wills or living trusts:

I give, devise and bequeath to National Recreation and Park Foundation, a nonprofit corporation located in McLean, Virginia, [_____ percentage of my estate, or the sum of $_________, or the remainder of my estate], to be used for its general charitable purposes.

Gifts of Retirement Plan Assets
Gifts of retirement plan assets are becoming more popular as IRAs, 401(k)s, and other retirement plans become more numerous. In most cases, the donor would simply designate the Foundation as a beneficiary of his/her IRA, 401(k) or other retirement plan to receive the funds remaining at the end of his/her lifetime.

Gifts of Life Insurance
Donors may make gifts of life insurance to the Foundation by irrevocably designating the Foundation as the owner of an existing, fully-paid whole-life policy; designating the Foundation as beneficiary or percentage beneficiary on an existing policy; or purchasing a new policy and naming the Foundation as the irrevocable owner. For policies in which premiums are still being paid, donors may either pay the premium directly or donate an amount equivalent to the premium payment to the Foundation. Donors should determine the best method for payment in consultation with their legal or tax counsel.

Other Gifts
In addition to the gifts mentioned in this brochure, there may be additional planned giving options that would be appropriate to meet a donor’s philanthropic goals, such as gifts of real estate or a variety of charitable trusts. Many have significant tax advantages.

Events and Galas
We are also planning an annual gala and regional events in conjunction with NRPA’s Congress and other meetings.

How to Give
Those wishing to make a contribution to the Foundation, should make checks payable to The National Recreation and Park Foundation and mail them to:

263 Lehotsky Hall
Clemson, SC 29634
Attn: Jeremy M. Culpepper (click here)