Since its inception in 2007 the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan has been managed by the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.  The first Plan was released in 2010, and it provided a comprehensive set of strategies and tactics for increasing physical activity in all segments of the U.S. population.  It included over 250 strategies organized across eight societal sectors. After the initial Plan’s release, a non-profit organization, the National Physical Activity Plan Alliance (NPAPA), was created to continue to nurture and promote the Plan.   In 2016, a thoroughly revised and updated Plan was released to the public. In addition to maintain the National Plan the NPAPA has undertaken a number of special projects including production of the US Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, a catalogue of state physical activity plans, publications on changes in physical education attendance and policies, a Report Card on Walking and Walkable Communities, recommendations for walkable communities, and a framework to evaluate communities of practice in physical activity and public health.

Beginning in June 2019 the leadership of NPAPA entered into discussion with two sister organizations regarding enhancement of efforts to advance policy related to physical activity in the U.S.  The other participating organizations were the National Coalition on Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) and the National Physical Activity Society (NPAS)  As the result discussions that extended over a period of several months NPAPA, NCPPA and NPAS  approved motions to merge their organizations. The new organization is named the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA) and its logo includes the tagline “Move With Us”. The American Heart Association will provide PAA with office space and infrastructure support in Washington, DC. A “hard launch” of the new organization is currently being planned and the date will be decided with COVID disruptions considered.