In this special episode of The Foundation: A Parks People Podcast, former NAPF Board Chair Debbie Trueblood, CAE, sits down with Executive Director Kevin D. Korenthal, CAE, to explore leadership, philanthropy, and the personal experiences that shape a commitment to public parks and recreation.

Reflecting on five years leading the National Association of Park Foundations, Kevin discusses building a sustainable membership organization, expanding professional education and consulting services, and helping park foundations develop the governance, fundraising strategies, and public agency partnerships necessary for long-term success.

Kevin also shares his personal journey, from advocating for mountain biking access in Santa Clarita, California, to serving in parks and recreation leadership and becoming a passionate supporter of the Challenged Athletes Foundation following the loss of his leg in 2005.

Throughout the conversation, Kevin and Debbie explore the importance of trust between nonprofit executives and volunteer boards, the challenges of sustainable fundraising, and why professional development is essential to effective nonprofit leadership.

Whether you're a park foundation board member, parks and recreation professional, nonprofit executive, or community advocate, this episode offers practical insights and a personal perspective on the power of leadership, partnership, and philanthropy.

About The Foundation

The Foundation: A Parks People Podcast is presented by the National Association of Park Foundations (NAPF), connecting listeners with the people, ideas, and strategies helping park foundations and their public agency partners build stronger communities.

Learn more about NAPF, membership, educational programs, and consulting services at thenapf.org.

Subscribe and follow The Foundation wherever you listen to podcasts.

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What happens when a summer job in a state park turns into a career dedicated to parks, conservation and community?

In this episode of The Foundation: A Parks People Podcast, NAPF Executive Director Kevin D. Korenthal, CAE, sits down with Chad Smith, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Oxford, Ohio, and a member of the NAPF Board of Directors.

Chad shares the winding path that took him from Ohio State Parks to nonprofit conservation, county parks and ultimately back home to lead Parks and Recreation in Oxford. Along the way, he developed experience in park management, fundraising, public-private partnerships, sponsorships and launching a park foundation.

Kevin and Chad also discuss:

• Oxford's growing park system and 12-mile Oxford Area Trail System

• Plans for a new community recreation center

• The role of master planning in determining what's next for a park system

• Why professional networks and organizations like NAPF and NRPA matter

• What Chad learned from helping launch a park foundation

• Why park philanthropy is increasingly important as public budgets tighten

• How park foundations can help agencies turn major community projects into reality

Chad also shares why he believes having a resource like NAPF "in your corner" can make a difference, even for experienced park and recreation professionals.

If your community is considering starting or strengthening a park foundation, this conversation offers a park director's perspective on why the partnership matters.

Learn more about the National Association of Park Foundations at thenapf.org.

Subscribe to the NAPF YouTube channel and like, comment and share this episode to help more park and recreation professionals discover The Foundation: A Parks People Podcast.

#ParkFoundations #ParksAndRecreation #ParkPhilanthropy #PublicPrivatePartnerships #CommunityParks #NAPF

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What if your donor database could actually drive your fundraising instead of just storing names?

In this episode, Kevin Korenthal sits down with James Goalder, Partnership Manager at Bloomerang, to unpack what modern donor management should look like for park foundations and nonprofits that are serious about growth.

From simplifying CRM systems to unlocking hidden donor potential, this conversation is packed with practical insights you can put to work immediately.

• Why most nonprofit CRMs fail and how simplicity changes everything
• The power of combining donor and volunteer data into one strategy
• How to identify untapped major donors already in your database
• What a real donor experience looks like (and where most organizations fall short)
• How AI-powered reporting is changing the game for small teams
• Lessons from Bloomerang’s nationwide “secret shopper” donor test

Most organizations are sitting on far more fundraising potential than they realize. The difference comes down to how well you understand, track, and engage your supporters. As James explains, the right tools make that not only possible, but scalable.

James shares how Bloomerang evolved from a simple CRM into a full fundraising and engagement platform, including volunteer tracking, event management, and donor intelligence all in one place.

• Park foundations and “friends of” groups
• Nonprofit leaders and fundraisers
• Boards looking to grow donor engagement
• Anyone frustrated with clunky, underused databases

👉 Explore more from the National Association of Park Foundations (NAPF):

If you're looking to start or grow a park foundation, NAPF provides the tools, training, and guidance to help you succeed.

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