open and straightforward about how the funds will be utilized can assure voters that the money raised will be used for a project they consider an important community priority. Transparency is a critical element to the success of these ballot initiatives. While the full scope of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic remain to be seen, the ongoing occurrence of these local ballot initiatives provides a potential bright spot for the future of the field. The recent passage of the Great American Outdoors Act displayed strong bipartisan support for legislation that enhances outdoor recreation opportunities, local park improvement projects and sensible land conservation measures. Moreover, given the recent uptick in public appreciation for local parks, it will be interesting to see if that inclination translates to continued support for these local ballot initiatives in the voting booth. As we enter the next fiscal year, municipal budgetary constraints are severely impacting the economic resources available to the park and recreation field. These ballot initiatives appear to provide voters with a direct opportunity to make judgments on the amount and purposes of government spending for relevant park improvements and land conservation projects in their communities. As the economic reverberations of the pandemic further develop, we will be closely monitoring how it impacts the voters' appetite for these particular ballot initiatives. We are very interested to see if the aforementioned elements that have led to past success for these ballot initiatives remain intact or whether new aspects emerge that will affect the viability of these types of initiatives. NRPA will be attentively tracking these ballot initiatives across the country to enhance our understanding of them and determine how the voter engagement campaigns evolve during these challenging economic times. Ultimately, we believe that our future advocacy strategy must incorporate the effective public engagement techniques that can help our members continue to utilize these ballot initiatives as a relevant and sustainable funding option for their organizations. Elvis Cordova is Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at NRPA (ecordova@nrpa.org). PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N .O R G | O C TO B E R 2 02 0 | Parks & Recreation 33