Oregon Recreation and Park Association Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OREGON RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION (OPRA) MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE RECREATION AND PARK PROFESSION IN OREGON THROUGH LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND MEMBER SERVICES.
- Income
- $636,589
- Spending
- $600,915
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 6.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 55%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 130
- Highest pay
- $95,189, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 25% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 86 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $273,371 spent. ORPA EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING: AS A TRADE ASSOCIATION DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSION, ORPA'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IS CENTRAL TO ITS EXEMPT PURPOSE. THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERS A COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DESIGNED TO BUILD PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES, SUPPORT CERTIFICATION, AND STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE CAPACITY ACROSS OREGON.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. IN 2025, ORPA HOSTED NINE IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS SERVING 413 PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING THE LAUNCH OF THREE NEW PROGRAMS: MAINTENANCE INSTITUTE, PARKCORE: ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP, AND THE AQUATICS PROFESSIONALS SUMMIT. THESE OFFERINGS PROVIDED TARGETED, ROLE-SPECIFIC TRAINING AND HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ADDRESSED CRITICAL OPERATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP NEEDS WITHIN THE FIELD.ORPA ALSO EXPANDED ITS VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, DELIVERING 22 WEBINARS AND ONLINE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS TO 459 PROFESSIONALS. NEW CONTENT AREAS INCLUDED A BOARD DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR SERIES, SUPPORTING GOVERNANCE EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS AMONG AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS.ADDITIONALLY, ORPA ENHANCED LEARNING WITHIN ITS SECTION MEETINGS BY INTEGRATING STRUCTURED PEER-TO-PEER EDUCATION WITH NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASING ACCESSIBILITY TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOSTERING STRONGER CONNECTIONS AMONG PRACTITIONERS.COLLECTIVELY, THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED MEASURABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT, KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS), DIRECTLY SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF PARK AND RECREATION SERVICES DELIVERED TO COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE.
- $167,997 spent. ORPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: THE ORPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE IS THE ORGANIZATION'S LARGEST ANNUAL PROGRAM, CONVENING HUNDREDS OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS OREGON FOR THREE DAYS OF EDUCATION, NETWORKING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN 2025, THE CONFERENCE WAS RELOCATED TO EUGENE, OREGON, ENABLING EXPANDED USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED VENUES AND SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCING PLACE-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. THE CONFERENCE DELIVERED MORE THAN 40 EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, 13 FIELD-BASED SESSIONS, AND MULTIPLE GENERAL PLENARY EXPERIENCES. THE INCREASE IN FIELD SESSIONS FROM PRIOR YEARS PROVIDED PARTICIPANTS WITH HANDS-ON, PEER-LED LEARNING IN REAL-WORLD PARK AND RECREATION SETTINGS, STRENGTHENING PRACTICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE. ATTENDEES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUS) TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT.THIS PROGRAM DIRECTLY ADVANCED THE ORGANIZATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSE BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS STATEWIDE, FOSTERING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS, AND PROMOTING THE EXCHANGE OF INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
- $24,878 spent. ORPA LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES: ORPA MONITORED STATE LEGISLATION RELATED TO PARK AND RECREATION POLICY, FUNDING, AND REGULATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTED LIMITED GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES.
- $9,547 spent. ORPA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: THE ORPA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IS AN INTENSIVE, COHORT-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO CULTIVATE EMERGING LEADERS WITHIN THE PARK AND RECREATION FIELD. NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR, THE PROGRAM IS DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY AND SPANS EIGHT MONTHS, RUNNING ANNUALLY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH APRIL.THE 2025-2026 COHORT INCLUDES 17 PARTICIPANTS, INTENTIONALLY MAINTAINING A SMALL COHORT SIZE TO FOSTER MEANINGFUL PEER CONNECTIONS, INDIVIDUALIZED MENTORSHIP, AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING. PARTICIPANTS ENGAGE IN STRUCTURED COURSEWORK, MONTHLY MENTOR MEETINGS, AND APPLIED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES. EACH PARTICIPANT IS REQUIRED TO DESIGN, COMPLETE, AND PRESENT A CAPSTONE PROJECT THAT CONTRIBUTES A MEASURABLE IMPACT TO THEIR AGENCY OR ORGANIZATION.IN 2025, THE PROGRAM WAS ENHANCED THROUGH THE ADDITION OF KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AT BOTH THE PROGRAM KICKOFF AND THE CULMINATING GRADUATION EVENT. THE GRADUATION, WHICH IS OPEN TO ORPA MEMBERSHIP, PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR PARTICIPANTS TO PRESENT THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS, FACILITATING KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND ELEVATING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES ACROSS THE PROFESSION.THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, ORPA DIRECTLY ADVANCES ITS EXEMPT PURPOSE BY DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY, STRENGTHENING PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS ACROSS AGENCIES, AND EQUIPPING PARTICIPANTS WITH THE SKILLS AND APPLIED EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO LEAD AND INNOVATE WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1990.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.