NRPA Advocacy & Policy Development 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A parks department is developing a master plan and wants to ensure equitable park access. Which policy analysis approach is MOST appropriate?
- Evaluate only the number of parks per capita citywide
- Conduct a spatial equity analysis mapping park access by income, race, and age demographics (Correct answer)
- Survey only current park users about satisfaction
- Compare total park acreage to the city's general plan targets
Correct answer: Conduct a spatial equity analysis mapping park access by income, race, and age demographics
A spatial equity analysis overlays park access data with demographic information to identify underserved communities and inform equitable resource allocation.
Question 2: What is 'astroturfing' in the context of public policy advocacy, and why is it problematic for park professionals?
- Installing artificial turf in parks without public input
- Creating the false appearance of grassroots support through organized, non-genuine campaigns (Correct answer)
- Lobbying directly for budget increases without board approval
- Outsourcing advocacy to a third-party consulting firm
Correct answer: Creating the false appearance of grassroots support through organized, non-genuine campaigns
Astroturfing fabricates the appearance of organic public support, which is ethically problematic and can undermine the credibility of legitimate park advocacy efforts.
Question 3: Which federal agency administers the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which can be used to fund park improvements in low-income communities?
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (Correct answer)
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
Correct answer: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD administers CDBG, which provides flexible grants to communities for a wide range of activities including park and recreation improvements that principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons.
Question 4: When testifying before a legislative committee about a parks funding bill, a parks professional should structure remarks by:
- Reading the entire agency budget aloud to establish context
- Opening with a compelling human story, presenting key data points, and closing with a clear call to action (Correct answer)
- Listing all parks projects completed in the past decade
- Deferring entirely to written testimony and avoiding verbal remarks
Correct answer: Opening with a compelling human story, presenting key data points, and closing with a clear call to action
Effective legislative testimony uses a narrative hook, data to support the argument, and a specific, actionable ask within the allotted time.
Question 5: The NRPA position statement on 'Parks for Inclusion' primarily addresses which advocacy priority?
- Funding for new park construction in suburban areas
- Ensuring park and recreation opportunities are accessible and welcoming to people of all abilities and backgrounds (Correct answer)
- Expanding park hours of operation nationwide
- Standardizing park ranger training requirements
Correct answer: Ensuring park and recreation opportunities are accessible and welcoming to people of all abilities and backgrounds
NRPA's Parks for Inclusion initiative advocates for removing barriers so that parks and recreation serve every community member equitably, regardless of ability, background, or identity.
Question 6: A park agency is opposing a proposed development that would eliminate a public green space. Which strategy is LEAST effective in a public comment process?
- Submitting data on the park's environmental and health benefits
- Organizing community members to submit individual comments
- Filing a single agency comment without public mobilization (Correct answer)
- Presenting economic data on property values near the green space
Correct answer: Filing a single agency comment without public mobilization
A single agency comment carries less weight than a coordinated effort that combines professional testimony with broad community participation in the public comment process.
Question 7: The term 'park equity gap' most accurately refers to:
- The difference in park maintenance budgets between wealthy and low-income neighborhoods
- The disparity in access to quality parks and recreation between advantaged and underserved communities (Correct answer)
- The funding shortfall between what parks need and what they receive
- The gap between parks staff salaries and comparable private sector wages
Correct answer: The disparity in access to quality parks and recreation between advantaged and underserved communities
The park equity gap describes the documented disparity where low-income communities and communities of color often have less access to quality parks and green space than more affluent areas.
NRPA Advocacy & Policy Development 3
A parks department is developing a master plan and wants to ensure equitable park access.
Which policy analysis approach is MOST appropriate?