Florida Recreation and Park Association
FRPA is a Florida-based nonprofit professional association, founded in 1942, that provides membership, certification, advocacy, and event-based education services to the state's parks and recreation leaders, agencies, and commercial vendors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersTallahassee, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Florida Recreation and Park Association does
The Florida Recreation and Park Association (FRPA) is a private nonprofit professional association founded in 1942 and headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida. It serves Florida's parks and recreation leaders — individual professionals, government agencies at the city, county, and state level, and commercial vendors — through a portfolio that combines membership subscriptions, professional development, certification (CPSI), an annual conference with 100+ educational sessions and a seven-hour trade show, regional and virtual education events, the eConnect online community, the Park Spark podcast, an Impact Calculator, an FRPA Career Map, a Young Professionals program with mentorship (PODS), an Awards Program, and the FRPA Foundation for scholarships. The association is also an active legislative advocate, tracking state-level issues including property tax reform and Amendment 3 and convening a coalition of 25+ organizations around voter education.
The organization's underlying technology stack is conventional association-software infrastructure rather than a custom platform: Higher Logic powers the eConnect community, Novi AMS handles membership management and event registration, and Zoom is used for virtual education sessions. The Impact Calculator is the most differentiated member-facing asset, built and powered in partnership with Sports Facilities Advisory to help agencies quantify and communicate parks' value to decision-makers. The affiliated FRPA Foundation operates as a wholly-owned nonprofit subsidiary for scholarships and charitable activity.
FRPA's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack built on three primary streams: recurring annual membership dues across Individual, Agency, and Commercial categories (pricing not publicly disclosed), event-based revenue from registrations and tiered corporate sponsorships (disclosed tiers ranging from $150 to $3,000 across at least seven event types), and advertising income from AdMail email broadcasts, the monthly Covering the Bases newsletter, the Conference Onsite program booklet, and the FRPA Journal. Commercial-vendor access to the membership base is the principal monetization lever beyond dues, executed through a self-serve member portal (members.frpa.org), in-person events, and inside sales via phone and email at the Tallahassee headquarters.
Florida Recreation and Park Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Florida Recreation and Park Association
- Legal name
- Florida Recreation and Park Association
- Website
- https://frpa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FRPA is a Florida-based nonprofit professional association, founded in 1942, that provides membership, certification, advocacy, and event-based education services to the state's parks and recreation leaders, agencies, and commercial vendors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Florida Recreation and Park Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tallahassee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Florida Recreation and Park Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership dues from Individual, Agency, and Commercial members providing access to professional development, networking, and resources.
- Event Registrations and Sponsorships: Revenue from annual conference, regional events, Turf Rodeos, Park Management Institute, Agency Summit, and other professional development events through registration fees and corporate sponsorships.
- AdMail and Advertising: One-time exclusive email broadcasts to members featuring commercial vendors, newsletter ad placements, and conference program advertising.
- Event Sponsorships: Tiered sponsorship opportunities ranging from $150 to $3,000 for Regional Education Events, Summer Camp Staff Training, Virtual Education Series, Southeast Holiday Lunch, Park Management Institute, Agency Summit, and Annual Conference.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Regional Education Events Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Turf Rodeo Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Summer Camp Staff Training Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Virtual Education Series Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Southeast Holiday Lunch Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Park Management Institute Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Agency Summit Sponsorship Tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Florida Recreation and Park Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FRPA is a nonprofit professional association that delivers membership services, professional development, certification (CPSI), events, legislative advocacy, and community resources to Florida's park and recreation leaders. Core paid offerings include Individual, Agency, and Commercial memberships; the Annual Conference; Regional Education Events; Park Management Institute; Agency Summit; Virtual Education Series; Summer Camp Staff Training; AdMail advertising; and tiered event sponsorships. Supporting resources include the eConnect online community, Impact Calculator, Career Map, Awards Program, FRPA Journal, and FRPA Foundation scholarships.
Product overview
FRPA is a membership-based professional association offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services to Florida's park and recreation leaders. The core offerings include the annual FRPA Annual Conference (featuring over 100 educational sessions and a trade show exhibit hall), the FRPA eConnect online community platform for member networking, and the Regional Education Events and Park Management Institute for professional development. The association provides certification programs (CPSI), the Virtual Education Series via Zoom, and the Young Professionals Program with mentorship (PODS) and networking chats. Additional offerings include the Impact Calculator tool for demonstrating parks value, the Park Spark podcast, FRPA Journal publication with Facility Showcase, Awards Program, Career Map resource, FRPA Foundation scholarships, Legislative services, and AdMail advertising service for commercial members.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Park Spark: A podcast brought to FRPA members featuring guests in the park and recreation field discussing various topics relevant and timely to the profession.
- Young Professionals
- FRPA Foundation
- Impact Calculator
Products and services
- FRPA Annual Conference Annual conference and trade show hosting over 100 educational sessions and a seven-hour exhibit hall for park and recreation professionals across Florida, held annually in August.
- FRPA eConnect Online Community Online community platform enabling member networking, discussion forums, resource sharing, and direct messaging among park and recreation professionals, powered by Higher Logic.
- Regional Education Events Regional education events across Florida (Southeast, Southwest, Central, and North) offering half to full day educational sessions and networking opportunities for professionals, with 25-100 registrants per event.
- Park Management Institute Intensive learning journey for senior-level parks leadership, featuring presenting and vendor sponsorship opportunities with workshop sessions.
- Agency Summit Premier educational experience for Directors, Assistant Directors and Superintendents in decision-making positions within public agencies providing parks and recreation services.
- Virtual Education Series One to two hour online education programs via Zoom for frontline employees to department directors, with sponsorship opportunities and nation-wide audience reach.
- Summer Camp Staff Training Training for camp leaders, counselors, and directors focusing on games, activities, crafts, behavior modification, and working with children and parents across multiple Florida regions.
- CPSI Certification Program Certification program for park and recreation professionals conferring the Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPSI) credential.
- Individual Membership Annual membership tier for individual park and recreation professionals providing access to professional development, networking, certification, and advocacy resources.
- Agency Membership Annual membership tier for parks, recreation, and leisure service agencies providing department-wide access to professional development, training, and representation in legislative advocacy.
- Commercial Membership Annual membership tier for vendors, suppliers, and service providers serving the parks and recreation industry, providing direct access to Florida park and recreation decision-makers via eConnect and advertising channels.
- AdMail Service One-time exclusive email service to FRPA members featuring commercial vendor products and services, available to commercial members for direct member outreach.
- Event Sponsorship Program Tiered sponsorship opportunities for commercial members across all FRPA events, providing sponsor tables, recognition, marketing materials, and speaking opportunities.
- FRPA Legislative Advocacy Services Legislative advocacy representing member interests at the state level, including a legislative handbook, legislative principles, tracking of legislative items, and property tax reform education.
- FRPA Foundation Scholarships Scholarship programs, administered through the affiliated FRPA Foundation, supporting education and professional development in the parks and recreation field.
- Young Professionals Program Networking events and professional development including 'Hey Young Professional!' chats and the PODS mentorship program connecting new professionals with experienced leaders.
- Park Spark Podcast Podcast featuring guests from the park and recreation field discussing topics relevant and timely to the profession.
- FRPA Awards Program State awards program recognizing individuals and organizations contributing to parks and recreation success in Florida, including Achievement, Distinguished Service, Golden Shovel, Lifetime, Rising Star, Agency Excellence, and Innovative Programming awards.
- FRPA Journal Association publication featuring the annual Facility Showcase highlighting newly designed or renovated park and recreation facilities, plus award winners and industry articles.
- Recreation and Parks Impact Calculator Tool, powered by Sports Facilities Advisory, to help parks and recreation professionals communicate their value to communities and decision makers.
- FRPA Career Map Resource highlighting the progression of responsibilities across key competencies in the parks and recreation field, helping members identify career paths and plan advancement.
Companies that use Florida Recreation and Park Association
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Florida Recreation and Park Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Florida Recreation and Park Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- REP Services, Inc.minorREP Services, Inc. sponsors the Park Spark podcast, FRPA's multimedia content platform featuring guests from the park and recreation field discussing industry topics.
- PLAYMORE (Park Management Institute Presenting Sponsor)minorPLAYMORE is the presenting sponsor for FRPA's Park Management Institute event taking place March 12-13, 2026 in Hollywood, FL.
- Sports Facilities AdvisorycoreSports Facilities Advisory powers the Recreation and Parks Impact Calculator, a tool helping professionals communicate the value of parks and recreation to communities and decision makers.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Florida Recreation and Park Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Virginia Recreation and Park Society: Virginia's statewide professional association for parks and recreation. Mirrors FRPA's member structure (Individual, Agency, Commercial) and offers comparable conferences, certification, and advocacy programming.
- National Recreation and Park Association: The national-level professional association for park and recreation professionals in the United States. Directly comparable to FRPA in mission (professional development, certification, advocacy) but operates at federation/national scale with state affiliates.
- Texas Recreation and Park Association: Texas's statewide association for park and recreation professionals offering certification, training, and advocacy analogous to FRPA's offerings, though operating in a larger state with broader membership base.
- North Carolina Recreation and Park Association: Statewide professional association for North Carolina's park and recreation leaders. Offers directly comparable programs including certification, conference, advocacy, and member resources — representing the same operating model in a different state.
- California Parks and Recreation Society: California's statewide professional association for parks, recreation, and human services professionals. Comparable to FRPA in offering certification, annual conference, advocacy, and member benefit programs at the state level.
- Georgia Recreation and Park Association: Georgia's statewide professional association for parks and recreation professionals. Closely mirrors FRPA's service model including certification, annual conference, advocacy, and member agency programs at the state level.
Regional players
- American Camp Association: National organization supporting the camp industry, including youth summer camps. FRPA's Summer Camp Staff Training program and Camp Resources overlap with ACA's mission, making it an adjacent peer in the camp and outdoor recreation training space.
Others
- National Association of Physical Activity: Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) — a national organization serving health and physical education professionals. Overlaps with FRPA in the recreation, fitness, and community wellness programming domain, though focused on education rather than parks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Florida Recreation and Park Association social profiles
Digital presenceFlorida Recreation and Park Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Florida Recreation and Park Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Florida Recreation and Park Association subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Florida Recreation and Park Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Florida Recreation and Park Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Florida Recreation and Park Association
What does Florida Recreation and Park Association do?
FRPA is a nonprofit professional association that delivers membership services, professional development, certification (CPSI), events, legislative advocacy, and community resources to Florida's park and recreation leaders. Core paid offerings include Individual, Agency, and Commercial memberships; the Annual Conference; Regional Education Events; Park Management Institute; Agency Summit; Virtual Education Series; Summer Camp Staff Training; AdMail advertising; and tiered event sponsorships. Supporting resources include the eConnect online community, Impact Calculator, Career Map, Awards Program, FRPA Journal, and FRPA Foundation scholarships.
Is Florida Recreation and Park Association a public or private company?
Florida Recreation and Park Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Florida Recreation and Park Association founded?
Florida Recreation and Park Association was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Florida Recreation and Park Association based?
Florida Recreation and Park Association is headquartered in Tallahassee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Florida Recreation and Park Association make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are event Registrations and Sponsorships, adMail and Advertising and event Sponsorships.
Who are Florida Recreation and Park Association's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Virginia Recreation and Park Society, National Recreation and Park Association, Texas Recreation and Park Association, North Carolina Recreation and Park Association, California Parks and Recreation Society and Georgia Recreation and Park Association. American Camp Association is listed as a regional player. National Association of Physical Activity is listed as an others.
Does Florida Recreation and Park Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for Florida Recreation and Park Association.