Institutional readiness and grant success among public recreation agencies

Abstract

The financing of public recreation is diversifying. In the past, recreation agencies have used numerous strategies to address financial issues, with varying degrees of success. Such strategies have included retrenching programmes, implementing user fees, reducing staff and relying on volunteers. In North America, recreation managers have also begun to engage in fund raising efforts, including grant seeking. In 2003, recreation, sport, art and culture agencies combined received 14.7% or $2,102,824.00 of foundation grants in the United States, excluding federal and state grants. In order for the field of recreation to be successful at securing foundation grants, empirical research is needed to establish a sound knowledge base. The purpose of this study was two-fold: to validate hypothesized measures of institutional readiness, a concept originating from philanthropic studies, and to determine the strength of institutional readiness in predicting the number of foundation grants received by park and recreation agencies. Contrary to the literature, only two measures of institutional readiness (working with a board of directors and using a case statement) were found to predict success in receiving foundation grants. None the less, fund raising strategies, in particular soliciting foundation grants, represent a strategy for recreation managers to consider when faced with financial dilemmas. © 2006 Taylor & Francis.