| Coming Soon: 2012 Benchmarking Report | |
 After two years of hard work, the much-anticipated Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report will be released this month -- and you can be involved.
The public release of this report is a great opportunity for you to connect with local media and decision makers, and let them know where your city or state is leading and where you fall behind.
The report contains data on biking and walking in the 50 states and 51 largest U.S. cities, including participation, safety, funding, policies, advocacy, and programs. This report will provide the information and evidence you need to make the case for greater investment in biking and walking in your community.
If you're a bike-ped advocate and you're interested in working with us on the coordinated national release of the report, we invite you to sign up for an information call on January 11th. Those who sign up will receive a sneak-preview of the report. On the call we'll cover report highlights, media talking points, and answer questions. If you're unable to attend but want to get involved, e-mail Kristen@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.
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Join or Renew your Alliance Membership
| THANK YOU to the many organizations that have already joined or renewed their Alliance membership for 2012. If your organization hasn't take that important step yet, take a moment to consider two questions:
- What can your organization accomplish alone?
- How much MORE can your organization accomplish with the support, inspiration and wisdom of a People Powered Movement - the Alliance for Biking & Walking?
Invest in your organization's future by joining the Alliance today!
The Alliance is the only national organization that provides training, coaching, networking and resources that help bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations transform their communities into great places to walk and bike.
Join the Alliance today to take advantage of our unique offerings in 2012, like our Winning Campaigns Trainings, the 2012 Leadership Retreat, our Advocacy Advance initiative with the League of American Bicyclists, more than 20 Mutual Aid Calls, coaching, strategic planning assistance and more!
You know there's strength in numbers. Since 1996, the Alliance has grown from just 12 to nearly 200 member organizations across North America. Together, we've grown biking and walking advocacy from a few scattered voices to a large, credible, professional movement.
Make your organization -- and the movement -- even stronger in 2012! Join or renew your membership TODAY!
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Thank you, Alliance Supporters!
| To all of our generous supporters who made a gift to the Alliance over the past two months: THANK YOU. Your support makes our critical work, building the bicycle and pedestrian movement, possible!
And a special thanks to cdmCyclist and Rickshaw Bagworks for leading a $4,000 match challenge that allowed dozens of donaors to DOUBLE their impact. Join these supporters from across North America and make a gift to the Alliance today!
Gregory Abille || Melissa Balmer || Leslie Bohm || Steve Buchtel
|| Noah Budnick || Kenneth Coburn || Michael Deme ||
Laura Dierenfield || Paul Frenz || Peter Girard || Dan Grunig
|| Adolfo Hernandez || Bob Hoel || Michael Huber || Eva Inbar ||
Darla Letourneau || Amanda Lipsey || Carl Little || Valerie Marcil
|| Ron Milam || Jeffrey Miller || Scott Mullen || Brighid O'Keane ||
Erin O'Melinn || Charlie Pace || Frank Peters || Dean and Penny Read
|| Becka Roolf || Richard Sassman || Tobin Scipione || Kara Sergile || Jennifer Smith || Ryan Snyder || Dorie Stolley || Marian Szczepanski
|| Hans Van Naerssen || Mark and Kitty Wheeler || Mark Wyatt
* This list represents only individual end-of-year donations through December 22nd from donors willing to be recognized publicly. Thank you to ALL our donors. We look forward to recognizing you in our 2011 Annual Report.
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| 2012 Winning Campaigns Trainings Kick Off in Tucson Next Week
 | Boost your campaigns -
and have fun! |
You've got big goals to boost biking and walking in 2012. But do you have a plan to make it happen? Register now for the first Winning Campaigns Training of the year, January 13-15th, and you'll have a Campaign Blueprint to guide you to victory.
Join the Alliance and local host Living Streets Alliance in Tucson, Arizona!
The Alliance's signature Winning Campaigns Training uses proven curriculum targeted specifically to the unique needs and experience of bicycle and pedestrian advocates.
This interactive training provides key organizing tactics in strategizing, funding and conducting campaigns that transform communities into better places to walk and bike. This is your opportunity to step away from the office bustle and dedicate three days to thinking deeply and strategically about your most important campaign -- with the advice of national facilitators and insight of fellow advocates.
Don't miss the chance to make your campaigns more powerful!
2012 Winning Campaigns Trainings:
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Open Streets Project Going Strong
 It may be cold outside, but now is the time to start planning your open streets initiatives for 2012. And the best place to start is the Open Streets Project website -- a collaboration of the Alliance and the Street Plans Collaborative.
Looking for examples and insight on logistics and funding? Our resource section has useful templates and information on topics like organizing volunteers, branding your event and acquiring sponsors. And the website is just the first step. We'll also be releasing the Open Streets Project Best Practices Guide soon, which will have even more examples of strong, sustainable initiatives across the continent. Plus, we'll be hosting a Mutual Aid Call on "Growing your Open Streets Initiative" on February 29th, so mark your calendars.
Since the launch of OpenStreetsProject.org in mid-November, we've already had several new initiatives pop up, and many others contact us about launching or growing their own initiative. If you have an initiative that isn't documented on the site, or have questions about the site, contact Mike Samuelson, the Alliance's Member Services and Open Streets Coordinator, at Mike@PeoplePoweredMovement.org. |
Strategic Planning Success in Cleveland
 "As a participant you did something mighty. You gave birth to an organization that will be a force for positive change for cycling in our region."
That's how the very first issue of the Bike Cleveland News began, thanking the more than 125 participants who attended a two-day Strategic Planning Summit.
Since December 2010, the Alliance has been working with Cleveland advocates to design a strategic planning summit that would engage and strengthen the cycling community and create a unified organization to promote and improve bicycling in the region. Jeremy Grandstaff, Alliance Members Services Coordinator, facilitated a series of meetings that culminated in the successful September summit.
"The Bike Cleveland Summit was a remarkable opportunity to bring together more than 120 Clevelanders who are not only passionate about cycling, but have a deep love of Cleveland and wish to express that through the establishment of our new advocacy organization," Chris Alvarado, Bike Cleveland Board President, said. "We believe that Bike Cleveland is becoming a force that not only advocates for cyclists, but does so with a heartfelt devotion to the assets that make Northeast Ohio special. Jeremy has been absolutely instrumental in bringing us together and focusing our efforts in creating Bike Cleveland. Already, we've attracted more than $70,000 in funds, tens of thousands of volunteer hours, and the attention of cyclists and change-agents throughout Northeast Ohio."
Read the full story on the Alliance blog.
Bike Cleveland is just one of the organizations that have received strategic planning assistance from the Alliance. Alliance members benefit from significantly reduced costs with strategic planning, organization development, board development, and other facilitation-related projects geared to strengthen your capacity and effectiveness. Bike Cleveland is an example that demonstrates a good strategic plan can help you get the funding you need to take your organization to the next level. Contact Jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org for a consultation and see how we can help you take that next step toward success. |
Action 2020 Workshop Empowers Advocates and Officials in Connecticut
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 More than 50 Connecticut advocates and officials from every single county in the state turned out for a successful Action 2020 Workshop in December.
Hosted by Bike Walk Connecticut and the Capitol Region Council of Governments, the workshop presented an overview of federal funding sources with best practices, insight into the state and local spending context and tips for integrating bicycle and pedestrian spending into local agency priorities.
"The workshop provided excellent resources, and most importantly, empowered the attendees to take action to improve the funding picture," Sandy Fry, CRCOG Principal Transportation Planner, said. "There will be new efforts and initiatives as a result of this workshop and with the broad cross section of attendees, the efforts have a very good chance for success." Read the full story on the Advocacy Advance blog.
Action 2020 Workshops are facilitated by Advocacy Advance -- a partnership of the Alliance and the League of American Bicyclists. These workshops are free, thanks to the generous support of SRAM. Advocates and agency staff are invited to register for an upcoming Action 2020 Workshop:
For more information about Advocacy Advance and the Action 2020 Workshops, or to apply to host future workshops, contact Brighid O'Keane at Brighid@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.
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Upcoming Mutual Aid Calls
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The 400+ attendees for our Mutual Aid Calls in 2011 can't be wrong: These conference calls are an ideal forum to gain insight from your Alliance peers on the specific issues and topics that are important to your organization. All calls begin at 2 p.m. Eastern and run for one hour.
This month:
Registration open:
Mark your calendars:
- February 29: Growing your Open Streets Initiative
- March 7: Commuter Challenges: Bikes and Beyond
- March 14: Adding Voices: Engaging Pedestrians in the Planning Process
Do you have a call idea? Contact Carolyn@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.
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Thank you, Tasia!
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 Last month, we said goodbye to our Fall Communications Intern, Tasia Poinsatte. Tasia was instrumental in the logistics, promotion and planning of our end-of-year appeal, the 2011 Photo Contest, the 2012 Advocacy Awards, and more. In addition, she helped to keep a steady stream of new entries pouring into our Online Resource Library, contributed stories to the People Powered Blog, and provided lightning-quick research assistance. Plus, Tasia had a special skill -- proficiency in Spanish -- and over the course of her internship translated a number of important Alliance materials. We're sad to see her go, but we wish her well in her next endeavors: a semester abroad in Senegal and an internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Seattle! Thank you Tasia for all your work! |
Welcome, Lisa!
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 Please join us in welcoming Lisa Seyfried as our Winter/Spring Communications Intern. A Pennsylvania native, Lisa earned her Master's Degree in Women's Studies and Environmental Policy from the George Washington University in 2011. She served as the Global Environment Program Fellow at Americans for Informed Democracy for nine months, and has worked for several education non profits since then. She's an avid writer, and has blogged for several organizations - including the Alliance! She's excited to get back into the environmental world and we're excited to have her onboard to assist with communications. Welcome, Lisa! |
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Charleston Moves Helps Prevent "Monster" Road Redesign: By teaming up with a local conservation organization, advocates from Charleston Moves helped to turn a monster road for automobiles into a safer street for people who walk and bike. The project in question was Harborview Drive, a thoroughfare on James Island that backs up with cars and school buses during certain periods of the day. The City Council aimed to remedy the congestion with a redesign that would funnel traffic even faster. The advocates took a particularly keen interest in the stretch of pavement as it represents a key portion of the group's Battery2Beach corridor - a proposed 24-mile bicycle route that runs from the Isle of Palms to Folly Beach. Read more.
BikeTexas honored by NAACP: At it's 75th Annual State Convention, the Texas NAACP honored Bike Texas with a President Award -- "For going above and beyond the call of duty to develop interest in biking and green benefits from biking in the African American Community." According to Bike Texas: "This is the first time in the history of the NAACP that a bike advocacy group received an award for helping to create more diversity in the cycling culture. Bike Texas is honored to be a part of this historic moment." Read more.
WABA Packs the House for Women's Bicycling Forum: According to 2009 data, women account for just 24 percent of bicyclists in the U.S. But, in December, female cyclists of all ages and abilities packed the house for a new event hosted by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. An innovative evening of collective brainstorming, the Women's Bicycling Forum convened nine female panelists who shared their bicycle stories and discussed ideas to close the gender gap. Nearly 80 ladies showed up to observe the lively conversation among the diverse bicycling "experts" and toss in their two cents on the timely and important topic. Read more.Oakland Advocates Celebrate Banner Year for Bike Lanes: As public works employees put paint to pavement in December, advocates and officials celebrated Oakland's most successful year yet in biking and walking infrastructure.
Leaders from the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and Walk Oakland Bike Oakland joined Mayor Jean Quan to mark the installation of more than 18 miles of bike lanes and nearly 300 bike parking spots in 2011 alone. Though it didn't hit the organizations' target of 30 miles by the end of 2011, the uptick in infrastructure has been a major victory for the Oakland Bikeways Campaign, a joint effort of the EEBC and WOBO. And city officials promised the next wave of sharrows and bike lanes should be on the ground by mid 2012. Read more.
Major Bridge Victory in Boston: In last December, the daily commute for many Boston bicyclists became a whole lot safer and more comfortable -- thanks in large part to advocates at the LivableStreets Alliance. Three years ago, the advocates launched the initiative to ensure that a $3 billion investment from the state to shore up dilapidated bridges didn't bypass accommodations for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users. Last month, LivableStreets celebrated the completion of bike lanes and pedestrian crossing improvements to the BU Bridge over the Charles River. Read more.
Specialized Brightens the Holidays for Community Bike Shops: Thanks to our supporters at Specialized, this holiday season was particularly merry for more than two dozen community bike shops and Alliance members. Due to store remodeling, Specialized let us know in November that they were looking for new homes for a variety of shop equipment. Understanding the importance of advocacy, they wanted to put the high-end racks, benches and more in the hands of Alliance members. They even offered to ship the items for free. Read more.
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Attend the National Bike Summit: Register now for the 2012 National Bike Summit to be held March 20-22, 2012. Hosted by the League of American Bicyclists in Washington, DC, the summit is a key opportunity to meet with fellow advocates and members of Congress to defend critical federal funding programs and make America more bicycle-friendly. Registration for the Summit is now open.Register for New Partners for Smart Growth: The 11th annual event will be held in San Diego, CA, February 2-4, 2012. Registration ends January 13. Sign up at: www.newpartners.org.
Saris Seeks State Coordinators for Poster Contest: Saris is looking for volunteers to promote and coordinate it's annual poster contest that encourages 5th graders to think about the ways bicycles can be a positive part of their daily lives. The winning student gets a scholarship to the 2013 National Bike Summit and the coordinator from the winning state will receive $250. Interested? Contact Heather Fortune by January 15th at hfortune@saris.com.
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