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Leadership Retreat: Sign Up Today!
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John Luton wasn't a newcomer to the Alliance Leadership Retreat. When he traveled to Washington state in 2008, it was his seventh time attending the biennial event.
But each retreat has its own magic. The executive director of the Capital Bike and Walk Society left informed, inspired and awed by the experience.
"I never tire of attending," Luton said of the 2008 retreat (pictured above). "I always meet new, great people and exchange lots of ideas on how to grow and prosper... Those that attended can attest to the incredible value of the workshops and networking opportunities."
Scott Bricker, Campaign Manager for America Walks and previous Executive Director of Bicycle Transportation Alliance, seconded that testimony. "The energy I got from being around other cycling and walking advocates
alone was worth every penny," he said. "Add the beautiful setting and the fantastic
workshops on top of that, and it made for a weekend I won't forget any
time soon."
Well, it's time to make some new memories.
Join us in Chattanooga, Tennessee, September 10-13th, for the 2010 Leadership Retreat.
Registrations for this year's retreat are rolling in. Leaders from the Active Transportation Alliance, Alabama Bikes, St. Paul Smart Trips, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Bicycle Transportation Alliance, and a host of other organizations have already signed up.
Have you?
We're finalizing the panels and workshops now and we know you'll want to send more than one representative from your organization.
Your development director will get advice from the movement's best fundraisers. Your membership coordinator will get schooled by their most-respected peers in the field. Your advocacy director will get priceless pointers from national leaders on Open Streets, Safe Routes to School, and Complete Streets. Even your executive staff will benefit from the leadership and staffing discussions.
But what if your organization doesn't have staff yet? There's no better opportunity to learn how to grow your organization. After all, our own Alliance president transformed the Bicycle Coalition of Maine into a thriving, statewide powerhouse and it all started with the Alliance Leadership Retreat. (If you haven't heard this story already, there's another reason to attend!)
All the details, including the draft agenda and registration
are available at www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org/Retreat.
Stay tuned for the final agenda and workshop descriptions by the
middle of July.
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New Jersey Training Gets Rave Reviews
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On Saturday afternoon, Eric Boerer brought his fellow advocates to the brink of tears. It was day two of the Winning Campaigns Training and the new advocacy director for Bike Pittsburgh (on the far left in the photo above) crafted a narrative that perfectly highlighted the urgency of his campaign to make the Steel City safer for cyclists. In just a few sentences, he retold the story of a recent immigrant, killed on his bicycle as he traveled to the bank to deposit the final check on a down payment for his family's first house. The anecdote was so powerful the rest of the group was momentarily speechless. Boerer was among the nearly 20 advocates who came to Edison, New Jersey, the first weekend in June for the Alliance's proven three-day workshop that teaches local organizers how to create and win bicycle and pedestrian campaigns in their communities. Over the course of the weekend, Dave Snyder - the entertaining and eminently knowledgeable organizing veteran, who led the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for many years - schooled advocates on how to identify a winnable campaign and, among other tactics, harness the attention of the media. Boerer nailed the media hook with a personal narrative that would surely soften the heart and open the mind of any politician or reporter. But that was just one of the sections in his information-packed Campaign Workbook. It was just one aspect of the detailed Campaign Blue Print that Boerer and his colleague Lolly Watson, membership director for Bike Pittsburgh, took back to Pennsylvania to kick-start their next campaign. "Personally, this is the second time I took [the training], but the
first time in my new advocacy director position," Boerer said. "It really helped me to sharpen my skills and be able to focus on what
we're trying to accomplish." Read more about the event and check out participants' reactions on our People Powered Blog. To browse photos from the weekend, visit our Flickr page. |
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Vermont Training Rescheduled
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 Mark your calendars: The Winning Campaigns Training in Burlington, Vermont, has been rescheduled. The date of the three-day training, hosted by Local Motion, has been changed from July 10-12th to October 22-24th, 2010. So plan to spend a gorgeous autumn weekend basking in the fall foliage, cycling along Lake Champlain and - most importantly - learning the proven techniques to win your next campaign. Sign up today! |
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Winning Campaigns Comes to Columbus
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Bicycling magazine recently named Columbus, Ohio, one of its "Future Best Cities for Cycling." With a vibrant downtown, a biking mayor and some hardworking advocates who have earned the support of area CEOs, the city is indeed charging in the right direction. Catch some of that energy by attending the Alliance's next Winning Campaigns Training, August 6-8, 2010, hosted by Consider Biking and Bike, Walk Ohio. In just three days you'll zero in on a strategic campaign for your community and outline the step-by-step tactics that will drive you to victory. In one weekend, you'll learn how to be an effective strategist, a confident fundraiser, and a go-to source for your local reporters. It's a weekend you won't regret: Just ask the folks who attended the New Jersey training! Click here to learn more and register for the Columbus event. Busy that weekend? Sign up for another upcoming training: |
Help Us Win the 2 Mile Challenge and Score a Prize for your Organization
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 The competition is heating up and the Alliance needs your help to pull away from the pack. Last month, we announced that CLIF BAR had chosen the Alliance as one of three nonprofits competing for $25,000 in the 2 Mile Challenge. The 2 Mile Challenge aims to replace short car trips with bicycle travel by creating a little friendly competition. There are three nonprofits vying for the prize and the Alliance is heading the Gold Team. To take the challenge, you simply sign up for a team (go for the Gold!) and log each time you hop on a bicycle instead of using an automobile. The team that accumulates the most bike trips by the end of October wins a $25,000 grant. Many of you already have stepped up. As of this month, the Alliance's Gold Team has pedaled its way to more than 22,000 points. But that's only good enough for second place. We need you to shift into high gear and recruit all your friends, colleagues and organization members now!So we're sweetening your incentive by adding a friendly internal competition
of our own. Here's the deal: If the Alliance wins the 2 Mile Challenge, we'll reward the member organization that's recruited the most participants for the Gold Team. Stay tuned to next month's Streetside, when we'll reveal the prize. But don't wait until then to start recruiting your members for the 2 Mile Challenge. Sign up now! |
Advance DOT's Policy in your Community
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 We all cheered this winter when U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (pictured right) released a policy statement declaring biking and walking to be legitimate forms of
transportation that should be treated as equal and viable alternatives to
automobiles.
This landmark statement from the U.S. Department of Transportation signaled a new and strengthened relationship between the
federal government and bike-ped advocacy organizations. It also
encouraged local governments, professional associations, public transportation agencies, and other government agencies to
adopt similar policy statements on bicycle and pedestrian accommodation.
In late March, we circulated a link to the policy statement and
asked advocates to show their support by getting state and local endorsements.
Advocates in Tupelo, Mississippi, and Lee County, Florida, answered
our call to action.
With support from a city staffer, the mayor of Tupelo
signed a proclamation in support of the policy statement. Thanks to
BikeWalkLee, the municipal planning organization (MPO) of Lee County
passed a resolution endorsing the policy, too. The Advocacy Advance Team - the partnership between the Alliance and the League of American Bicyclists - want
to build on those key successes in Mississippi and Florida with endorsements and
statements from local governments across the country.
We still need your help!
We've extended this action alert until July 20th and we hope that, over the
next few weeks, you'll continue to promote the DOT policy
statement and send us an update on progress in your community. We encourage you to refer to the examples provided by Tupelo and
Lee County, but, if you need further assistance, please contact Chanda Causer
at chanda@peoplepoweredmovement.org.
And don't forget to e-mail your progress to Adam Levine at adam@peoplepoweredmovement.org by July 20th.
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Join the Joyride!
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 In 1993, when Mia Birk became the Bicycle Coordinator for the City of Portland, her Texas parents were baffled. "Why don't you get a real job, like your brothers?" they asked her. Little did they - or she - know how transformational that job would be. The girl from the car-centric Lone Star State fell in love with her bike and helped turn Portland into a cycling mecca. The Alliance is excited to announce the September release of Mia Birk's new book, Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet. Joyride tells the inspiring story of Mia's 20-year crusade to integrate bicycling into daily life and the important role of bicycle advocacy is front and center throughout. With a table scrap of funding, Mia led a revolution that grew Portland, Oregon, into the #1 American cycling city. Mia then hit the road, helping make communities across the nation - even her hometown, Dallas TX - more human, healthy, safe, and livable. While many books today extol the pain of our world's problems, Mia's funny, touching Joyride is the antidote, offering hope to any and everyone interested in changing our world for the better, one pedal stroke at a time. Obviously, Joyride is right on for bicycle advocates far and wide. Because Birk knows, firsthand, the importance of grassroots advocates, like you, she's donating $2 to the Alliance when you pre-order the book using our code. Surf over to her site to learn more about Birk and read excerpts from the book. Once you're hooked, click on the link to purchase Joyride. On the check-out screen, type " ALLIANCE-JOYRIDE" in the comments field. Then, as you wait for the book to arrive in your mailbox this fall, stay tuned to the People Powered Blog for more information about Birk and her upcoming Joyride events. |
New Slideshow of Grant Successes
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The completion of three rounds of Advocacy Advance Grants has created great strides in biking and walking across North America. To date, the Alliance has awarded 20 grant proposals totaling more than $350,000 for startup/capacity building and innovative projects. We're excited to give you a glimpse of some of those grantees' successes. Roads in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, will be more accessible, thanks to the LivableStreets Alliance. And the Better Blocks initiative, led by the Active Transportation Alliance, is making Chicago neighborhoods more vibrant and engaged (pictured above). Take a moment to be inspired by our new slideshow, which showcases a variety of these campaigns and projects. The announcement of the next round of grant recipients is just around the corner: August 24. |
| New Grant Funding Available for Sustainable Communities |  Last week, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $100 million
Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program. The first of
its kind, the funds are designed to help regions "integrate
economic development, land use, and transportation investments" in an environmentally
sustainable and socially inclusive manner. In awarding the money, HUD is interested in multi-jurisdictional and multi-sector partnerships, including both government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Do you have a vision for biking and walking in your region? Read more about the grant guidelines and process here. |
Welcome to our Resources Library Intern
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 Brittany Bonnette joined the Alliance in June 2010, as the Resources Library Intern. A Philadelphia native, Brittany is a University of Pennsylvania graduate with a passion for sustainable transportation - specifically bike sharing and bicycle commuting. A recent transplant to Washington, DC, Brittany enjoys exploring the city, visiting free museums, and swimming in the Potomac. We're lucky to have her knowledgeable assistance in updating, improving and adding new items to the Alliance's online Resource Library in the coming months. Look for fall Alliance internship opportunities after July 15 on the Alliance Job Board. |
| Alliance Member News |
Be sure to check out what Alliance members have been up to in the right column of this e-newsletter and on our People Powered Blog. | |
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BikeTexas gets $1.4 million for Safe Routes
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In late May, the Texas DOT announced the recipients of
more than $50 million in Safe Routes to School grants.
BikeTexas got a
bundle: $1.4 million. According to Robin Stallings, the group's executive director, that money will not only enhance the current bicycle safety education program, which reaches more than 200,000 kids each year. It will also fund an innovative online resource that teaches both physical activity and state history. Read more here.
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Complete Streets Victory in Minnesota
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The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota is still growing into its own, but last month it celebrated a big victory. As a member of the Minnesota Complete Streets Coalition, which included heavy-hitters like Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Bicycle Alliance helped press for a statewide Complete Streets law. With 65 organizations in the convincing coalition,
Minnesota policymakers took notice. Both chambers passed a measure that
requires Mn/DOT consider community needs and all likely users in future road projects. In May, Minnesota Governor Tim
Pawlenty signed the bill into law. Read more here.
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Important Resources on Safe Routes to School
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In June, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership released a new report exploring the unique circumstances low-income communities face in implementing SRTS and
investigating how organizations across the nation are addressing these
challenges. A handful of Alliance member organizations are included in Implementing Safe Routes to School in Low-Income Schools and
Communities: A Resource Guide for Volunteers and Professionals. The Partnership also released an equally compelling report aimed at a different audience - Getting Students Active through Safe Routes to School: Policies and
Action Steps for Education Policymakers and Professionals. Download the documents here. |
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"I Share the Road" Plates Approved in Indiana
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It took four attempts, but the advocates at Bicycle Indiana were determined to get their message on car bumpers and tap
into a helpful pot of money. Last month, they succeeded.
On June 1, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced that it had
approved a new "I Share the Road" license plate that will be available
in 2011. A portion of the $40 fee will go directly to Bicycle Indiana. "We are more than a little excited for this win and thankful that our
supporters hung with us for the journey," says Nancy Tibbet, executive
director of Bicycle Indiana. Read more here.
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Iowa Advocates Launch Helmet Campaign |
Aside from the automobile, bicycles are the source of more childhood
injuries than any other consumer product.
But making cycling safe for kids is a no-brainer: at least 75 percent of
bike-related fatalities could be avoided if the rider were simply
wearing a helmet.
This month, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition announced a
new partnership with the Iowa Civil Justice Foundation, an association
of attorneys, called Safe Cycling. The initiative will protect Iowa kids
by providing free helmets at community events across the state. Read more here.
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San Francisco Advocates Promotes Gas-Free Fridays
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At the 2008 National Bike Summit, advocacy leaders from across the
country came up with a campaign that could raise the visibility of
cycling in cities from coast to coast: Gas-Free Fridays.
Jumping on the concept, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition quickly
launched the program, setting up Energizer Stations on major
thoroughfares on consecutive Fridays to give residents an incentive to
abandon the gas pump and pedal to work. With the oil spill in the Gulf, SFBC hopes
Gas-Free Fridays will spread to other cities this summer. So they're
making it easy for advocacy leaders to start a campaign in their
community by sharing SFBC resources. Download the materials from our Resource Library.
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| Los Angeles Gets its First Sharrows |
After nearly six years of delays, Los Angeles finally has its first
sharrows.
This month, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition celebrated
the painting of the white icons that alert motorists of cyclists' rights
to the shared lane. "For LACBC this marks a very important victory and we're hoping today
will be turning point for Los Angeles," the LABC blog noted on June 11,
the day city workers put paint to pavement. "Sharrows have been used in
cities all across the U.S., in Canada and even in Australia. Los
Angeles however had still not seen a single official shared lane
marking. But today we can say that LA has sharrows and they are here to
stay." Read more.
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Bicycle Colorado Fights Absurd Bike Ban
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Since the start of June, the city of Black Hawk has issued at least
eight traffic citations to cyclists passing through the Colorado town.
The crime: simply pedaling down the street. In January, the tiny city passed an ordinance banning bicycles from virtually
every street.
Officials argue that it's too dangerous for cyclists to share the narrow
roads that carry a heavy flow of tour buses bound for area casinos. Bicycle Colorado knows the real danger is
that this absurd measure could spread across the Centennial State - and
beyond. "Bicycle Colorado is very concerned about it, because we don't
want it to set a precedent that other cities would follow," Dan Grunig,
the group's executive director, told a local news reporter. Read more about Bicycle Colorado's effort to overturn the ban here.
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Cycle Tracks Debut
in Vancouver
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On June 15, the city of Vancouver celebrated the opening of
its first two-way cycle track through downtown. Separated from pedestrians and
traffic by planters, paint, and concrete dividers, the new bike lanes offer
riders a safe, comfortable way to get around the city. After years of advocacy, the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition was excited to participate in the opening ceremonies for the new
cycle tracks. For the inaugural ride, more than 100
cyclists and advocates took to the streets to highlight the ease and
convenience of the new lanes. Read more here.
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North Carolina
Advocates Defeat Single-File Bike Law
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The North Carolina Active Transportation Alliance has been
working to stop a bill that would prevent cyclists from riding side-by-side. The
bill, which was misleadingly advertised as promoting safety for cyclists, would
strip bicyclists of the right to ride next to each other on the road during
group rides. Led by the NCATT, cyclists from across the state contacted their
legislators to voice their opposition to the bill. So far, their efforts seem
to be working, as the bill has not resurfaced since its initial introduction. Read more here.
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Are you on Facebook?
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The Alliance is and we want to be friends with you! Facebook is an easy way to keep track of all our updates on our People Powered Blog and get a heads-up about our Mutual Aid calls, Action Alerts and grant deadlines.
Click here to become our Fan!
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