Park Planners’ Toolbox

This toolbox contains documents and links to other resources for park and recreation providers. 

The documents are available in Adobe .pdf format. If it's not already installed on your computer, you can download  it for free by clicking on the following link>> Adobe Reader .

Resources, Tools & Publications

See our collection of resources, tools and publications below, organized into five sections: 
 Funding
 Trends/Demographics/Public Opinions
 Recreation
 Land Protection 
 Other Tools  

Funding

 The California Park Planner newsletter, May 2010 (8 pages, 765kb .pdf) features articles on maximizing park services when funds are tight.
  CPRS 2007 -Crafting a New Benefit Assessment (32 pages, power point, 2.53 mb, pdf)
  Crafting a New Benefit Assessment (6 pages, 47 kb .pdf, Nov. 2006)
  Here are some useful links for funding and grant information:
             Foundation Center           
             Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
  Sure Ways to Get Your Grant... And Other Words of Advice (74 kb .pdf, November 2005)
  Local Needs Assessment Report (104 pages, 1.2 mb .pdf, June 2004 )
  Directory of Grant Funding Sources for California Park and Recreation Providers, March 2004 (143 pages, 700 kb .pdf)
  Getting a Grip on Grants: A How-to Guide for Park and Recreation Providers, February 2004 (136 pages, 532 kb .pdf)  For your convenience, download sections separately:
            Front & Back Covers (4 pages, 81 kb .pdf)
            Getting a Grip Body of document (80 pages, 223 kb .pdf)  
            Grip Appendices Only (52 pages, 202 kb .pdf)
  Better than Chasing a Rainbow: Practical ways parks can find new fiscal resources (28 kb .pdf, January 2004)
  Paying for Parks: An Overview of Fiscal Resources for Local Park and Recreation Agencies, 2003 (57 pages, 1.2 mb .pdf)

Trends/Demographics/Public Opinion

  Recreation Opportunity Bulletin: Here Come the Millennials (8 pages, 5 mb .pdf) March 2010
 Survey on Public Opinions and Attitudes on Outdoor Recreation in California, 2009 Summary findings (12 pages, 1 mb .pdf) and  2009 Complete findings (300 pages, 2.6 mb .pdf)
  Recreation Trends Worth Talking About (6 pages, 64 kb .pdf, June 2006)
  Volunteers: What Park and Recreation Professionals Want to Know (6 pages, 50 kb .pdf, Nov. 2006)
  Newest Publications, Surveys, and Studies Highlight Current Recreation Trends, Local Needs, Health and Wellness (3 pages, 132 kb .pdf, May 2006)
  Trends Worth Talking About (2.7 mb .pdf) CPRS Conference, March 16-19, 2006
  Park and Recreation Trends in California (23 pages, 1 mb .pdf) May 2005
  Trends Worth Talking About (1.7 mb .pdf) CPRS Conference, March 9-12, 2005
  What School Superintendents Think about Recreation (109 kb .pdf) California Parks & Recreation Society Conference, March 12-13, 2004 
  Let My People Play: Opportunities for Cities (35 slides, 316 kb .pdf), League of California Cities Annual Meeting, September 9, 2003. 
  Business Leaders' Opinions of Parks and Recreation: California Chambers of Commerce Survey Results (3 pages, 81 kb .pdf, 2003)
  Education Leaders' Opinions of Parks and Recreation: A Survey of California School Superintendents, 2003 (85 pages, 327 kb .pdf)
  California Leaders' Opinions of Parks and Recreation (126 kb .pdf), Survey of County Board of Supervisors, County Executives, Legislators and Mayors, 2002 - Survey being updated June 2006
  Business Leaders' Opinions of Parks and Recreation: A Survey of California Chambers of Commerce, May 2002 (45 pages, 231 kb .pdf)

Recreation

  Recreation Opportunity Bulletin - Group Areas for Picnicking and Camping (6 pages, 6 mb, pdf, May 2009)
 California Recreation Trails Plan is a guide produced by California State Parks for California agencies and recreation providers that manage trails.
  Recreation Trends Worth Talking About (6 pages, 51 kb .pdf, May 2006)
  California's Recreation Policy (900 kb .pdf, 2005)
  Health and Social Benefits of Recreation (1.2 mb .pdf, March 2005)
  Alternative Camping for California State Parks (748 kb .pdf), 2005 California State Parks Conference / California State Park Rangers Association, March 7-10, 2005.
 Take a Look Under the Hat: Resources for Tourism Providers (31 slides, 2.9 mb .pdf), 2004 Rural Tourism Conference, California Travel Industry Association, October 15, 2004.
  Educating Trail Users: Advice for Planning Interpretive Trail Signs and Exhibits (126 kb .pdf, August 2002)
  Multi-use Trails: Ensuring Successful Regional Planning (145 kb .pdf, May 2002)
  Pilot Program for Unleashed Dog Areas (11 pages, 46 kb .pdf, December 2001)

Land Protection

  CPRS 2007 -Agricultural Conservation Easements for Public Use (35 pages, power point, 2.50 kb, pdf)
  Land Conservation Tools: the Effective Use of Agricultural Conservation Easements and the Williamson Act (5 pages, 59 kb .pdf, June 2006)

Other Tools

 Planning Handbook - April 2010
The Planning Handbook provides information and guidance to planning teams and others preparing planning documents (e.g., General Plans). This handbook will be updated periodically as revisions become necessary or additional guidelines are prepared.
  Tried and True Public Relations and Promotional Tools (73 pages, 684 kb, pdf)
 California History Plan: Telling the Stories of the Californians, published in 2009 by the Archaeology, History and Museums division, is for stewards of California’s cultural and historic resources.
 CPRS Crafting a New Benefit Assessment (32 pages, 2.53 mb, pdf, March 2007)
  CPRS Agricultural Conservation Easements for Public Use (35 pages, 2.50 kb, pdf, March 2007)
  The Gift of Time: Effective Volunteer Program Management for Local Park and Recreation Agencies (73 pages, 324 kb .pdf) is a guidebook developed by California State Parks to help local park and recreation agencies establish successful volunteer programs.
  Innovative Practices: Case Studies, Vol.1, October 2004 (157 pages, 3.6 mb .pdf), a compendium of innovative solutions and ideas submitted by park and recreation professionals, including topics highly relevant to today's rapidly changing profession.
  Park and Recreation Professional's Glossary (137 pages, 766 kb .pdf, July 2004)              
  Awesome Media Strategies: Tips from a Professional Reporter, Roy Stearns (63 kb .pdf, April 2003)
  Awesome Media Strategies for Park & Recreation Professionals (8 slides, 76 kb .pdf), 2003 CPRS Conference
  Quimby Act 101: An Abbreviated Overview (107 kb .pdf, May 2002)