Indiana Rural Recreation Development Project

Recommendations for developing and sustaining your CAC

• Recruit and support a motivated, organized, and enthusiastic CAC Chairperson
• Have new CAC members commit for a minimum of two years
• Have your CAC meet at least once a month. 
• Use the Web Board on the InRRDP web site at least once a week.
• Attend the CAC Training Seminars.
• Start an e-mail list for your CAC.
• The InRRDP strives to help your community find the right organizational structure to foster long-term sustainability of your community's park and recreation programs and services. InRRDP will help your CAC explore and solidify an organizational structure for your CAC. Communities have the following options for institutionalizing a sustainable organizational structure: 
  • If your community has a park board, the appointed town park board members can (and should) serve as the CAC.
  • If no park board exists, your town, township, and/or county board can create a park board. To create a park board, please review the following resources: 1) town boards (IC 36-10-3, IC 36-10-4, and Sample Municipal Ordinance); township boards (IC 36-10-7); and county boards (IC 36-10-3 and Sample County Ordinance).
  • If the town board is not prepared to create an official park board, the town board can create an official committee under the Mayor, Town Board President, or a Town Board Member. 
  • If the town government does not have an interest in developing community park and recreation resources, an existing non-profit organization may serve as the central organization for delivering leisure services to the community (e.g., Lion's Club). 
  • Another organizational option is to create a separate non-profit organization through the Indiana Secretary of State's office and by gaining IRS 501 (c)(iii) status.  Every effort should be made to have the Mayor or a town board member on the Board of Directors.  This will create a critical linkage between the public sector (town government) and the community development work being planned and implemented by a non-profit community service organization.