In 2021, Milwaukee Recreation joined the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies across the country by earning accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). In the fall of 2025, Milwaukee Recreation was reaccredited by CAPRA and the NRPA.
Less than three percent of park and recreation agencies in the country are accredited (231 out of more than 10,000 agencies). Milwaukee Recreation is one of just two accredited agencies in the state of Wisconsin, and is the nation’s only school district-run agency to have received CAPRA accreditation to date.
CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies, and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community. This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services.
“We are extremely honored to receive this prestigious accreditation,” Lynn Greb, Milwaukee Recreation's former senior director (2015-25), said upon the department's initial accreditation in 2021. “Our entire team remained committed to this effort from the beginning and has worked extremely hard to gather data, provide information, and implement new strategies that ultimately allowed us to meet all the CAPRA standards necessary for accreditation. This work has established a roadmap for our department and will ensure our operations and services continue to meet a high level of quality for the Milwaukee community. Thank you to the CAPRA commission and NPRA for this recognition, to our community for its continued support, and to our incredible staff that helped to make this accreditation possible.”
The process for accreditation involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained individuals (independent of Milwaukee Recreation) that results in a written report, and a hearing with the commission to grant accreditation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the visitations were held virtually.
After a highly scrutinized review of Milwaukee Recreation’s operations and programming, CAPRA accreditation was granted, as the department demonstrated compliance with all recognized standards. Once accredited, agencies must undergo a reaccreditation process in five years.
The Commission is comprised of representatives from NRPA, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the International City/County Management Association, the Academy for Leisure Sciences, the Armed Forces Recreation Network, and the Council of State Executive Directors.