Counties rely on parks and recreation funding to build new facilities, expand programs, and maintain the public spaces residents use every day. With limited dollars available, partnerships and long-term planning can help counties make those investments go further. At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, The Funding of Fun focused on how counties pay for parks and recreation projects, from building partnerships and finding new resources to covering long-term operating and maintenance costs. Senator Mary Beth…

At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference, county leaders will explore how public-private partnerships and other innovative guidelines are helping expand parks, recreation facilities, and community amenities while managing long-term costs. As demand for parks, trails, athletic fields, and recreational programming continues to grow, counties are finding new ways to leverage private investment, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and other partners. These partnerships can create opportunities to deliver projects and services that might otherwise be out of…