Welcome to IPRA.
Let's build your membership around your goals.
Hi, I'm Vince. I put this page together because every new member I meet has different goals, and a one-size-fits-all handbook can't do justice to that. Answer five quick questions and I'll surface the sections, programs, and connections that actually match what you want. Not interested in the quiz? Skip it and browse the full list of benefits. Either way, you'll leave here with specific next steps you can take today.
Start my personalized plan Or skip to all benefitsBuild your personalized plan
Five questions, about a minute total. I use your answers to surface the programs, sections, and connections that match your goals instead of handing you a generic list. Everything saves to this browser, so you can close the page and come back later. Nothing gets sent anywhere.
Which best describes you?
What's your primary goal this year?
Which areas interest you most? (pick any)
How experienced are you in parks & recreation?
What do you want to do first?
🎯 Your personalized IPRA plan
Your first 90 days
These are the things I wish more new members knew to tackle in their first few months. Each takes under 15 minutes. Check items off as you go and your progress saves to this browser automatically.
Complete your member profile in GrowthZone
Upload a photo, add your title, certifications, and a two-line bio. Makes you findable in CommUnity and on section rosters. 2-min video walkthrough →
Join 1 or 2 professional sections
Free with membership. Aquatics, Athletics, Administration, Therapeutic Rec, and more. Pick where your work lives.
Log into CommUnity
Our online community for discussions, peer Q&A, and resource sharing. Set your notification preferences so you only get what's relevant. See the walkthrough video →
Register for a Lunch & Learn webinar
Free to all members. One hour, live, practical topics. Register once and you'll see future sessions on the calendar.
Subscribe to IPRA News & publications
Monthly newsletter and quarterly ILLINOIS Parks & Recreation magazine. Case studies, peer profiles, and what's new across the field.
Attend an upcoming IPRA event
Training sessions, section meetings, networking mixers, institutes. Pick one that matches your focus and block the time now.
Connect with a mentor or mentee
Ask your section chair to pair you with someone 5 years ahead (or behind). 30 minutes a month changes careers.
Attend a Safe Zone Conversation
Monthly moderated discussions on tough workplace topics. Confidential, peer-led, CEU-eligible.
Explore the Professional Development School
Cohort-based, in-depth training on budgeting, leadership, marketing, or operations. Starts twice a year.
Check your CEU tracker
Log what you've already earned this year. If you hold CPRP/CPRE, IPRA auto-credits most of our training.
Register for the Annual IPRA Conference
January in Chicago. 3,000+ attendees, 150+ sessions, the single highest-ROI event of your year. Early-bird rates close in October.
Volunteer for a committee or task force
Biggest professional growth lever inside IPRA. 2–4 hours a month, builds visibility fast.
Nominate a colleague for an award
Agency awards, professional awards, volunteer awards. Nominations open in fall and a full submission takes under an hour.
Plan for CPRP or agency accreditation
Certified Park & Recreation Professional (CPRP) boosts pay nationally. Distinguished Agency accreditation raises your whole team.
Support the IPRA Foundation
Scholarships for emerging pros, disaster relief for member agencies, community parks grants. Even $25 compounds.
Your membership at a glance
Every benefit included in your IPRA membership. Click any card to jump to the details or sign up.
Lunch & Learn Webinars
Free to all members. Live, one-hour sessions on practical parks & rec topics.
Next webinarSkills Development Webinar Series
Deeper-dive webinars, live + on-demand library. Additional fee.
Browse seriesConference discount
Hundreds off the annual conference. One event pays for your whole membership.
ConferenceIPRA University (PathLMS)
Advanced certification tracks and recorded sessions hosted on PathLMS, built by senior practitioners.
Browse tracksILLINOIS Parks & Rec magazine
Quarterly print + digital. Case studies, peer profiles, agency spotlights, and what's new across the field.
PublicationsCommUnity platform
Our members-only community hub (Juno Live). Discussion threads, peer Q&A, member directory, private messaging.
Open CommUnityEvents Calendar
Every IPRA training, section meeting, mixer, and institute in one feed. RSVP with one click.
Open calendarTips & Tricks videos
Short how-to videos on joining a committee, using CommUnity, registering for conference, and more.
Watch videosDistinguished Agency
The accreditation that raises your whole team's standard of practice.
AccreditationDiscounts on events & learning
Member-only pricing on training, conferences, and professional development events across Illinois.
Browse eventsLearning & certification
IPRA runs learning across five tiers — from free one-hour Lunch & Learns to formal national certifications. Start wherever you are and build from there. See the full programs catalog →
Lunch & Learn Webinars
Free to every IPRA member. Live, one-hour sessions on practical topics for parks & rec pros. Recordings posted after each session — miss nothing.
Register for the next oneSkills Development Webinar Series (SDWS)
11 monthly webinars per year on deeper professional topics. Each session earns 0.1 CEU. Live and on demand. Additional fee applies.
Browse the seriesProfessional Development School (PDS)
A three-year leadership retreat program covering leadership, operations, and strategic management. In-person cohort sessions. New cohorts start each fall.
See this season's cohortsIPRA University on PathLMS
50+ on-demand courses built by senior practitioners. Covers leadership, budgeting, operations, marketing, and more. Great for CEU credit and certification prep.
Browse IPRA UniversityCPRP, CPRE, AFO & CPSI
IPRA supports all four NRPA-recognized credentials: CPRP, CPRE, AFO, and CPSI. Most IPRA training earns auto-credited CEUs toward renewal.
CEU & certification infoProConnect Mentoring Program
IPRA's structured mentoring program connects early-career members with experienced pros for one-on-one guidance. Matches are based on goals, discipline, and interests.
Request a mentor matchConnect with peers
If you take one thing from this page, take this: the fastest ROI on your membership is joining one section and showing up to one in-person event. That's almost always where the job offers, vendor intros, and program ideas come from.
Join a professional section
11+ sections organized by discipline: Aquatics, Administration, Therapeutic Rec, Environmental, HR, and more. Each section runs its own calls, training, and conference track. Free with membership. Athletics is a special interest committee under Recreation — join through the member portal.
Browse all sectionsEvents Calendar
Every training, section meeting, institute, and mixer IPRA hosts. Filter by focus, RSVP in a click.
Browse upcoming eventsCommUnity
Our members-only platform (Juno Live) for peer discussions, Q&A, the member directory, and resource sharing.
Log into CommUnitySafe Zone Conversations
A separate, confidential program for moderated peer conversations on workplace challenges. Not part of CommUnity.
See Safe Zone scheduleGet involved
Members who volunteer inside IPRA consistently report the fastest career growth. Pick one lane, whether it's a committee, the Foundation, or a board run, and you'll be surprised how quickly your name travels.
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01How to join a committee
Join a committee or task force
Committees, task forces, conference planning, awards review. Two to four hours a month. Low entry, high visibility. The fastest way to get your name known across the state. You join through the member portal — step-by-step instructions below.
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02Support IPRF
Support the IPRA Foundation
Scholarships for students and emerging pros, agency disaster grants, and community park improvements. Donate, apply for funding, or serve on a review panel.
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03See elections
Run for the Board or a Section chair seat
Board and section elections run each winter. Even nominating a peer is impactful. Governance shapes the next 5 years of the association, and members with board experience consistently move up the fastest.
Key dates for your year
Put these on your calendar right now. Conference registration and award nominations are the two things members most wish they'd caught sooner.
Annual IPRA Conference
Jan 21–23 · Chicago · Early-bird closes October 15, 2025
Spring PDS cohorts open
Registration opens for spring Professional Development School programs
Spring networking mixers
Section-hosted mixers across the state each April and May. See the full list on the events calendar.
Aquatics Institute
Specialty training for pool operators & aquatics directors
Awards nominations open
Individual, team, and agency awards, all due in November.
Conference early-bird closes
Last day for early-bird pricing on Annual Conference 2027
Board and section elections
Candidacies open in November and voting runs through December.
Annual CEU cycle closes
Log all CEUs by year-end for your CPRP / CPRE renewal
Who to ask
Skip the general inbox. Email the person who handles your question directly. Typical response time is under 24 business hours. If you're not sure who to ask, email me and I'll route it.
Save your personalized plan
Download a clean, printable copy of your quiz answers, recommendations, and 90-day checklist.
Vince Davis, CPRP · Membership Strategy & Digital Transformation · IPRA
Vince@ilipra.org · ilipra.org