July 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 63

PRORAGIS

Filtering the Data

Oh, the stuff you can do...
By Maureen Hannan

ompare your facilities with those of similar agencies. Conduct feasibility studies.
Share best practices. These are just a few of the infinite options available to agencies using NRPA's PRORAGIS management tool. In the last two issues, we walked
through user experiences with the PRORAGIS survey and introduced several memberrequested upgrades. The database continues to grow, and users are moving from survey completion to research and report generation. This month we'll outline the benefits
and offer guidance on getting the most out of the system. Below is a list of PRORAGIS's
chief functions and utilities.

Benchmarking
PRORAGIS allows for benchmarking of
systems and operations against other departments. Using the system's benchmarking functions, agencies can compare their
facilities, parks, programs, staffing levels,
and budgets to other departments. And,
just as importantly, users can create custom reports from the benchmarking research they conduct.

present information, but it also allows for
straightforward comparison with other
similar departments.

Master Planning
PRORAGIS offers the park planner a bird's
eye view of the distribution of facilities in
relationship to populations and demographic variables. The spatial analysis
options are one of the most powerful com-

Sharing Best Practices
Every agency completing a profile
gets a good picture of its own numbers and circumstances. With that
information in hand, it is then natural to
want to understand the situations of other
departments of similar size, demographic,
location, or budget. PRORAGIS allows users to search the database to look for like
departments. Connecting agencies with
similar profiles encourages efficiency and
streamlining of business operations.

Justifying Funding Requests
Perhaps you are curious whether your
agency's spending on maintenance is inefficient. Or maybe you simply want to appeal to a foundation or nonprofit group for
support. Whatever the nature of your appeals for funding, PRORAGIS provides a
simple way to collect and organize data
about revenues and expenditures, number
of full-time and part-time employees, personnel expenses, and other critical budget-related information. Not only does
it help your own agency to gather and

ponents of the system-and the ability to
visualize managed facilities and park lands
makes for wise and insightful planning.

Feasibility Studies & Market Research
What type of facility will your market support? How much will it cost to construct?
And at what price should fees be set?
PRORAGIS offers a data mine for helping
determine the potential for a given site location-as well as making the myriad decisions that go with building and launching
a new facility.
Along with the facility planning aspects
of PRORAGIS, the database can help with
knowledge of a market you are already
trying to serve. Who the users are within the trade area of the facility-as well as
how to reach and involve them in your programs. In addition to understanding your
own demographic better, the custom reporting options can help you evaluate

Free to NRPA members are PRORAGIS's custom-report-generating options. These options constitute the
research powerhouse of the system-allowing users to target and analyze comparable agencies. Filters for custom
reports include the following:
■■ Budget
■■ Jurisdiction type
■■ Jurisdiction population
■■ Number of parks/sites maintained
■■ Number of full-time-equivalent
employees
■■ Jurisdiction population per sq. mile
■■ State
Visit www.nrpa.org/PRORAGIS

competing facilities in the area-and to
learn from their successes and failures.

Revenue Enhancement
How can a research and mapping application affect your agency's bottom line?
The possibilities are endless. Obviously, the data users have access
to can help make new fee-based
facilities successful. But beyond
those kinds of planning functions,
PRORAGIS allows agencies to research
the revenue-generating successes of other departments' programs. And to weigh
options for introducing new recreational
activities that may even bolster the local
economy. Finally, the demographic data
available can help you target and recruit
qualified staff cost-effectively.

Events Promotion
PRORAGIS is designed to work in conjunction with a soon-to-be-released smart
phone application called " NRPA Park Locator. " Imagine the potential for increasing the attendance and economic impact
of events by having them flash on the
phone screens of both in-town and out-oftown visitors. An outdoor summer concert,
a parade, a 5K fun run, a town festival-
no matter what your event, the NRPA Park
Locator will help you promote it and reach
a nationwide audience.

www.NRPA .ORG

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Parks & Recreation

July 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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