December 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 23

short- and long-term goals of its programming plan. For example, the data provided insight into a few programs that were
experiencing significant growth and that
would benefit from additional resource
support. It also identified programs that
were plateauing and in need of revitalization, as well as those that were approaching the retirement phase. Taken
collectively, this information assisted the
agency in the strategic repurposing of resources, from retiring programs to areas
of growth or revitalization.
As an indirect benefit, the data was
also used in several promotion and marketing campaigns. For example, the district discovered that it provided an (annual) average of 6,289 hours of recreation
programming per year, which equated to
approximately 17 hours of programming
per day; obtained more than $1.6 million
from fees and charges; and had successfully managed its operational budgets,
while experiencing a 21 percent decrease
in sponsorship/donation revenue over a
three-year period.
The comprehensive programming
performance evaluation allows agencies
to study their programming operations
in a standardized manner, assess individual program performance over time
and compare programs across the entire
agency on similar criteria to promote
a more strategic approach to program
management. Drawing from this data,
agencies can more effectively plan and
deliver programs that promote a stronger
sense of community identity, improve
the quality of life for their residents and
create a positive social impact!
Detailed references for this article are
available at www.parksandrecreation.
org/2017/December/thinking-strategically-about-your-agencys-recreation-programming.
Michael Mulvaney is an Associate Professor at
Illinois State University (mamulva@ilstu.edu).

Tips for Implementing a Programming
Performance Evaluation
Work smarter not harder. Completing a comprehen-

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sive program performance evaluation is a time-intensive process. To avoid creating an overly burdensome process, consider
ways to use existing infrastructure to support the process. For example, by linking data from its management software to content
for its programming performance evaluation matrix, the Decatur
Park District reduced the staff hours required to track down information.

Remain committed. If the data is to be useful, the agen-

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cy must remain committed to the process. One method to formalize this commitment is the establishment of a long-range
work plan. For example, an agency that is performing this process for the first time might plan to complete the evaluation on
an annual basis to collect five years of data. Once the five-yeartrend data has been established, the agency could consider
completing the evaluation process on a two-year cycle to avoid
overtaxing staff.

Importance of staff buy-in. It is not uncommon for
programming staff to be skeptical of the process, with some
staff members assuming their programs are being cut. Agencies should anticipate these concerns through transparent and
open communication, and provide regular updates throughout
the process. They may also consider establishing a committee
of staff from various levels within the organization to assist
with the evaluation processes. Another recommended strategy involves developing a formal statement acknowledging the
importance of the evaluation and how the data can assist the
agency in successfully achieving its mission.
Use the data - even if, or when, it is time
to retire a program. Retiring a program is one of the

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most difficult tasks for a programmer. The data obtained from
this process can help the agency better identify a program's life
stage (i.e., development, maturity, decline, retirement). If it is
time to retire the program, consider a " final send-off " to allow
those faithful participants and staff an opportunity to celebrate
the program and its achievements. For the program's authors,
who have likely poured their heart and soul into its creation,
this can be an equally difficult process. The agency should
make sure the creators of the program are assured that program retirement is natural and does not equal personal failure.

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