April 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 73

Reasons to Consider Supporting the
National Recreation and Park Foundation
Fran P. Mainella, NRPF Chair, and
Jeremy M. Culpepper, NRPF Administrator

ith tax season nearing an
end, we reflect on how this
time of year can be filled
with mixed emotions. While some of us
are excited about the tax refund we received, others are agitated over the
amount of taxes we had to pay. Still others are frantically running around trying
to get our tax return forms filed before
the deadline. It is common for many individuals and corporations to spend several
weeks preparing state and federal tax return forms. Since an increase in itemized
and standardized deductions often results in a decrease in taxes owed, a good
portion of this preparation time is spent
trying to identify as many of these deductions as possible.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (2010), charitable donations were
third on a list of most commonly overlooked tax deductions. While individuals
and corporations have little problem understanding the impact of big charitable
gifts made during the year, most do not
realize that the little things add up too. If
you made a contribution to the National
Recreation and Park Foundation, regardless of the gift amount, remember not to
overlook your contribution as a tax deduction. In addition, please continue to consider the National Recreation and Park
Foundation as we move forward through
a new tax year.
The National Recreation and Park Foundation and its Board of Governors believe
that all gift sizes are important in reaching their fundraising goals. To date, generous gifts from individual and corporate
Foundation supporters have accounted
for over $500,000 in endowment funds.
While much of the funds raised have come
in as large corporate gifts, the Foundation

would not have achieved the $500,000
milestone if it weren't for the many individual and corporate gifts of all sizes.
By contributing to the National Recreation and Park Foundation, you join nearly
100 other corporate and individual supporters who have given to the Foundation
since its inception in 2006. In addition,
your gift will help support the Foundation's areas of focus, which help 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, including the underserved.
There are as many reasons to support
the National Recreation and Park Foundation as there are parks in the world. Here
are a few ways your contributions are
making change possible through commitments to initiatives that align with the
Foundation's mission and areas of focus.
Environmental Conservation Efforts.
In 2008, the Foundation supported
the National Summit on Environmental

Stewardship, which resulted in action
items that participants could take back to
their communities.
The Importance of Play on Quality of
Life. In 2009, the Foundation supported
the Summit on the Value of Play, which
" addressed our nation's problem with the
erosion of the value of play. " The US Play
Coalition, which recently held a very successful Conference on the Value of Play at
Clemson University, was created as a result
of this summit.
Public Policy and Awareness. In 2010,
the Foundation supported NRPA's efforts
to the Marvin Gay Park project in Washington, DC, which highlighted the importance of such facilities to an audience of
Congressional leaders from across the
country who live in the District of Columbia. The Marvin Gaye Park project is
part of the Parks Build Community initiative, which is to design, implement, and
evaluate programs in parks that promote
healthy lifestyles.
The Foundation and its Board of Governors share your belief in the parks and
recreation movement and the benefits it
provides those we collectively serve. We'd
like to thank our corporate donors, Musco
Lighting, Playcore, Inc., Landscape Structures, Inc., O'Brien and Sons, Inc., and BCI
Burke Company, LLC. We also appreciate
and call upon the generosity of those of
you individuals who have already made a
financial contribution and invite those of
you who have not yet contributed to do
so. Thank you all for your contributed support!

Jeremy M. Culpepper
NRPF Administrator
864.634.0412
admin@nrpfoundation.org
www.myparkandreclegacy.com

www.NRPA .ORG

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Parks & Recreation

April 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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