• We rolled out our innovative Action 2020 Workshops, which bring together advocates, agency staff, and elected officials to explore underutilized federal funding programs for bicycling and walking, develop a list of local and regional priorities, and strategize policy changes to make bike/ped more competitive for limited transportation dollars.

• We awarded more than $115,000 in Advocacy Advance Grants and introduced two new grant categories: Model Grants and Rapid Response Grants. In addition, 11 organizations completed or made tremendous progress on innovative campaigns previously funded by Advocacy Advance grants. All together, 2011 saw over $1 million in public funding, government contracts, foundation grants and private donations leveraged through the Advocdacy Advance grant program.

• The Advocacy Advance team supported -- and continues to support -- advocates around the country with technical and campaign assistance. To add to those efforts, the team welcomed its newest member, Matt Wempe, a transportation planner and Safe Routes to School Coordinator from Fort Collins, CO, in September.

The Advocacy Advance partnership looks forward to continuing our work in 2012 and collaborating with the advocacy movement and agency staff around the country to meet our ambitious goal of doubling federal funding for bicycling and walking. With a new transportation bill on the horizon, we will continue to be your resource for opportunities and strategies to compete with other transportation projects and tap into underutilized funding programs.

Capacity Building Grants support the development and professionalization of state and local advocacy organizations to increase rates of biking and walking. These matching grants, funded by Planet Bike, can be used for organizational development, hiring staff, building membership, and for other organizational tools to foster a sustainable advocacy organization.  

Inquiry applications are available online and are due March 9.

In addition, Advocacy Advance is pleased to offer $35,000 of Rapid Response Grants in 2012 to help state and local organizations take advantage of unexpected opportunities to win, increase, or preserve funding for biking and walking. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.  

Read more on the Advocacy Advance website.

The Action 2020 Workshop in Tucson drew more than 60 participants. Apply to host a workshop in your community.

Advocacy Advance is now accepting host applications for its 2012 Action 2020 Workshops.

These workshops bring together advocates, agency staff, and elected officials and are designed to ensure that participants have the knowledge, skills and resources to access untapped or under-utilized federal funding sources at the state, regional and local level to build bicycling and walking infrastructure and programs. Thanks to the generous support of SRAM, these workshops are offered for free.  

According to past participants:

• "The Action 2020 workshop gave me specific information on safety funding and the need for specific bicycle and pedestrian language in our State Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). I am now pushing for explicit bicycle and pedestrian sections to the Arizona SHSP in the current update of the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan to make it easier to obtain safety funding for bike/ped projects." Ann Chanecka, Pima Association of Governments (Tucson, AZ)

• "This workshop provided excellent resources, and most importantly, empowered the attendees to take action to imp -- Sandy Fry, Capital Region Council of Governments (Hartford, CT)

• "The knowledgeable and approachable workshop instructors introduced topics in a way that the industry's most inexperienced to most tenured experts could understand and apply to their day-to-day work. I frequently reference the materials and website links in my current work." -- Chelsea Young, Houston-Galveston Area Council  

Apply to bring this unique and transformative training to your community. Advocates, agency staff, and/or elected officials are required submit a workshop application and host the workshop together. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 24.

The Advocacy Advance Team researches issues vital to the bicycling community and creates reports and resources that give advocates the data and knowledge they need to effectively access federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects.  

Reports summarize transportation funding programs and how some areas have effectively tapped into them for state, local and regional projects. Resources include bicycle statistics and case studies.  

Additionally, the Advocacy Advance staff aids grassroots organizations through their advocacy campaigns. We're on-hand to provide technical assistance and action alerts for urgent funding campaigns. Contact darren@advocacyadvance.org for more information or assistance.  

After months and months of stops and starts, the federal transportation bill is moving in earnest in the House and Senate. We're entering a truly critical period in coming weeks, and the Alliance 2012 Benchmarking Report can be a great tool to earn media coverage and urge your members of Congress to preserve dedicated funding for biking and walking. 

One of the key conclusions of Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report is that, while biking and walking represent more than 12 percent of trips and 14 percent of fatalities, these modes get less than 2 percent of federal transportation dollars.  

We invite you to download the report and use it to make the case for biking and walking as the debate heats up on Capitol Hill in coming days. If you need any assistance or ideas in using the Benchmarking Report for local press releases, meetings with elected officials, action alerts to your members, please email Carolyn@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.    

We need you more than ever at the 2012 National Bike Summit this March 20-22 in Washington, D.C.  

The proposed federal transportation bill threatens to reverse all progress bicycle advocates have made over the past 20 years. We won't let Congress turn back the clock on decades of hard-fought work towards creating a more bicycle-friendly America.  

Because of these urgent new developments, and the vital importance of a HUGE turnout on Capitol Hill in March,the National Bike Summit early bird registration deadline has been extended to February 20 (save $100!).  

Register today -- and please share the link with your fellow bicyclists. Let's keep America rolling on two wheels. If you have any questions, please e-mail at katie@bikeleague.org.