Page 66 - Illinois Association of Park Districts Benefits of Membership 2017 - 2018

POSITION OF THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF PARK DISTRICTS
Partnerships: Leveraging the resources of park districts, forest preserves, conservation and recreation agencies
The issue
Park districts, forest preserves, conservation and recreation agencies – perhaps more than any other forms of local government – have been able to seize upon their considerable goodwill to attract partners or sponsors from the public, private and nonprofit sectors in ways that not only help the agencies, but also the communities they serve. Oftentimes the motive for partnering is to pool resources with like-minded government or civic organizations to serve an unmet community need. But even when an agency enters into a partnership in hopes of deriving a new revenue stream, the result is not profit, but a de facto reduction in user fees or taxes. Every dollar earned from a partnership is one less dollar that needs to come from tax revenues.
As particularly responsible and capable units of local government, park districts, forest preserves, conservation and recreation agencies must explore all avenues for partnerships that can result in better service to their communities.
Partnership principles and objectives
Illinois park districts, forest preserves, recreation and conservation agencies partner with other organizations for a variety of locally determined motives, which typically include:
 Providing more non-tax revenue for the agency,
 Preserving natural resources or historic sites,
 Creating new educational opportunities for the community,
 Building better recreation facilities for the public, and
 Working for more effective local government.
The common threads in all successful partnerships are the principles of financial responsibility, increased capacity, greater efficiency and civic responsibility.
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