Go Green on a Budget U .S. Communities is the leading national local government purchasing cooperative that offers contracts competitively solicited by and on behalf of public agencies nationwide. Cooperative purchasing combines the collective buying power of multiple agencies in order to provide a contract that can be utilized by other public agencies. A cooperative contract can improve the overall effectiveness of the purchasing process by providing volume discounts, administrative savings and other benefits. NRPA Premier Members can register with U.S. Communities to gain access to the thousands of quality products from multiple suppliers available through its contracts! U.S. Communities has made environmental purchasing easier with its Go Green Program. Now NRPA Premier Members can make budget-friendly purchases using competitively solicited contracts with suppliers offering a broad line of green solutions! Not only will you be able to shop a wide variety of green suppliers, but you will also find a wealth of information and resources that will help lower your community's carbon footprint. When purchasing through U.S. Communities, you can be confident you are making educated decisions about the products you purchase. Premier members can register with U.S. Communities today to have access to the thousands of quality products from multiple suppliers available through its contracts. By registering for the program, you are neither committing to participate nor binding your agency in any manner. Your agency will still have the ability to make choices outside of U.S. Communities. Compare the U.S. Communities contracts with the contracts your agency currently has in place. We believe you will be impressed with their offerings! Visit www.nrpa.org/Membership/ Endorsed-Business-Provider/U-S-Communities to get started today! Have questions? Contact Hayley Herzing at hherzing@nrpa.org. Test Your Park and Recreation Knowledge The following question is a sample Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) examination question: Which of the following is the best option to assess the areas and facilities of a public park and recreation agency? A. Benchmark against national norms B. Seek opinions of the professional staff C. Hire a professional planner D. Compare against community expectations Calling all beginning to midlevel professionals! The Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) is the national standard for all park and recreation professionals who want to be at the forefront of their profession. For more information on the CPRP certification program, visit www.nrpa.org/cprp. Answer: D W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 6 | Parks & Recreation 55