Register for the 2012 Alliance Leadership Retreat in Long Beach, California
Don't forget to register for the 2012 Leadership Retreat from September 7-10 in Long Beach, CA. Continuing the royal-nautical theme of the 2010 retreat, this year's retreat will be held on the Queen Mary. This Alliance signature event will inspire and connect our member organizations' leaders with:
- Sharing of best practices and techniques;
- Discussion of cutting-edge campaigns;
- Tools to increase leadership and improve organization efficiency;
- Ways to conquer internal and external challenges; and,
- Opportunities to increase and diversify the pedestrian and bicycling movement.
This must-attend event for advocacy leaders is a biennial favorite with workshops covering advocate-focused and peer-led sessions, including some advanced sessions. Focusing on best practices and innovative new ideas, we'll concentrate on your needs.
Register by June 15 to take advantage of the reduced rate of just $425, which includes all meals (except Friday night), lodging for three nights, and all retreat materials and programming. Additionally, retreat participants will receive some valuable swag from our sponsors (nearly $300 worth each!). A limited number of scholarships are available for the Leadership Retreat and ProWalk/ProBike. The scholarship application deadline is April 30. See the website for details and application instructions.
What would you like to see in the upcoming retreat? E-mail Jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org with your thoughts by April 15 to ensure your ideas are incorporated into the agenda. For the latest information, be sure to visit PeoplePoweredMovement.org/retreat.
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| Congratulations to the 2012 Alliance Advocacy Award Winners |
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Bike Delaware shows off their award.
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Since 2009, the annual Alliance Advocacy Awards have recognized outstanding leaders, organizations and businesses for the victories they have achieved in our people powered movement.
After a competitive nomination and selection process, we announced the winners of the 2012 Alliance Advocacy Awards during our reception last month at the National Bike Summit. Congratulations to the following winners, and thank you to all who submitted nominations!
- Advocacy Organization of the Year: WalkBoston
- Advocate of the Year: Eric Rogers, BikeWalkKC
- Business Advocate of the Year: Clif Bar
- Winning Campaign of the Year: Bike Delaware
- Best Practices Award: League of Illinois Bicyclists
- Susie Stephens Joyful Enthusiasm Award: Julia Field, Undriving
- Innovation Award: Bike Texas
Read more about these amazing individuals and organizations in the full press release. You can also check out photos from the Advocacy Awards Reception on Flickr. Congratulations to Dwayne Stuteman for winning the shiny new Breezer Uptown EX commuter bike we raffled off at the reception. Carolyn Szczepanski was also recognized for her work helping tell the stories of Alliance leaders and organizations and all her great communications work for the Alliance over the past two years.
The 2012 Alliance Advocacy Awards were made possible by our outstanding sponsors New Belgium Brewing, Transportation Alternatives, Planet Bike, San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Breezer, Bike Pittsburgh, and SRAM.
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| Women Cycling Forum a Huge Success |
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From right: Elysa Walk, Cornelia Neal, Andrea Garland, Marla Streb (Photo: Chris Eichler)
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More than 200 attendees packed the house at the first-ever National Women Cycling Forum at the start of the 2012 National Bike Summit last month to hear a wide-ranging conversation on how to close the gender gap in American cycling.
Hosted by the Alliance and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, the Forum included a keynote address from Sue Macy, author of Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) and a diverse panel discussion featuring women from bicycle advocacy, engineering, and industry.
Read coverage of the event from:
The event was recorded and will be posted soon on the Women Cycling Project website. This is intended to be the first (successful!) step in a continuing conversation, so contact Carolyn Szczepanski at carolyn@bikeleague.org
if you'd like to get involved, share your ideas or provide sponsorship.
The Forum wouldn't have been possible without the generous assistance of the following sponsors: Giant Bicycles Inc, CLIF Bar, League of American Bicyclists, Velojoy.com, National Center for Bicycling and Walking and Electra.
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| Alliance Meets with Members of Community Bike Shops |
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The group discusses the life cycle of community bike shops. (Photo courtesy of Bike Portland)
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Community bike shops (also called co-ops, collectives, or bike projects) already play an important role in direct advocacy, that is, putting more people on bicycles. Community bike shops of different stripes go about this in different ways. Whether they are run by staff or volunteers, these shops are often fixtures of the communities and serve under-represented groups in the bike-ped movement.
During the National Bike Summit, over 20 leaders from community shops from across the country met with each other and Alliance staff. The discussion centered on the evolving role of community bike shops in the advocacy movement and how the Alliance might further promote the work of community bike shops. Participants discussed the relationship between community bike shops and traditional advocacy groups, the life-cycle of community bike shops, and how to quantify achievements and successes. A recurring theme emerged: community bike shops serve as incubators for advocacy.
"Community bike shops can act as an engine for growth for advocacy organizations," said Ed France, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, which runs its own community bike shop. "The shop provides an informal conduit for cyclists to voice grievances and ideas, and provides the potential for a much broader base for advocacy campaigns. Supporting a resource offering to the community like a community bike shop has given our Coalition increased credibility and a higher public profile."
During the meeting, the group also discussed a potential partnership between the Bike Collective Network, an online forum that fosters communication and resource sharing among community bike shops. The goal of this partnership is to bring more voices and ideas into the discussion of advocacy approaches, as well as to provide access to some of the resources that the Alliance offers.
Click here to read excellent coverage of the event by Bike Portland. For information about the Alliance's work with community bike shops or if you would like to get involved with shops near you, contact Mike Samuelson at mike@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.
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Advocacy Advance Grants
 Advocacy Advance would like to thank organizations who submitted inquiry applications for Capacity Building Grants. We received over $560,000 in grant requests from 47 Alliance member organizations. These matching grants, funded by Planet Bike, support the development of state and local advocacy organizations to increase rates of biking and walking.
Although the 2012 cycle for Capacity Building Grants has come to a close, we also have $35,000 available in Rapid Response Grants to help state and local organizations take advantage of unexpected opportunities to win, increase, or preserve funding for biking and walking in 2012. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information and to apply, visit the Advocacy Advance grants page.
If you have questions about the Advocacy Advance program, contact Brighid O'Keane, Advocacy Advance Program Manager, at brighid@PeoplePoweredMovement.org. |
Join Team Alliance on the 2012 Climate Ride
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Former Alliance Communications Coordinator Carolyn Szczepanski (right) at the 2011 California Climate Ride
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There are still a few spots left for the 2012 NYC-DC Climate Ride. Join Alliance president Jeff Miller for this epic ride to support bicycle advocacy! As of today, 17 riders have signed up to support the Alliance for Biking & Walking in the New York City to Washington, DC, Climate Ride from May 19-23, 2012. Register for the ride today! The Climate Ride is the nation's largest environmental cycling event and promotes awareness about and action to address climate change. On this fully supported tour, you can ride with fellow advocates and enjoy great food. During the evening, you can take a load off for events featuring top-notch speakers on topics like green energy and sustainable transportation.
Instead of a registration fee, riders fundraise to support their chosen organization(s). Each rider pledges to collect $2,400 to cover the costs of the ride and, collectively, direct thousands of dollars to groups that work to protect the climate and promote sustainable initiatives -- like the Alliance. |
April Winning Campaigns Training in Boston
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It's not too late to register for the next Alliance Winning Campaigns Training, April 27-29, 2012, in Boston. Attend this training, and learn how to plan and execute a focused campaign to increase biking and walking in your community.
Alliance Winning Campaigns Trainings are designed to give you the skills, strategies and advice you need to turn ideas into results. Led by longtime advocates and national experts, the training will teach you how to focus in on a winnable campaign, identify key decision makers, rally community members and the media, fundraise for the effort and much more. With guidance from facilitators and your peers -- including our host organization, LivableStreets Alliance -- you'll leave the training with a detailed Campaign Blueprint that outlines each step to your ultimate victory.
The Winning Campaigns Training is not just a workshop. It's a fun, interactive, inspiring experience that fosters collaboration and connection among your region's advocates.
Register for the Boston training, and gear up for the opportunity to take your advocacy efforts to a new level. Registration is $100 for Alliance members and $150 for non-members. Sign up today!
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Upcoming Mutual Aid Calls
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Our Mutual Aid conference calls are a great 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:
- April 4: Bike to Work Events: Successes and Innovations Are you organizing a Bike to Work Day event in your state, region, city, or neighborhood? Do you want to know how to work most effectively with local government agencies, businesses and other partners to make your Bike to Work Day event a success? Looking for fresh ideas and examples of how to promote your event to get more people to participate? Come hear how some Alliance leaders have made Bike to Work Day a successful annual event in their community. Bring your questions and ideas to the call to share. Register here.
- April 18: The Business of Community Bike Shops Running a successful community bike shop entails both the programming of an advocacy group and the logistical and business concerns of a for-profit bike shop. This call will look at how community bike shops of varying scopes and sizes have managed to serve their community without breaking the bank. Join this call to hear about and share best practices that will help stabilize your community bike shop financially, while better serving your customers. Register here.
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April 25: Vision Zero Campaigns
Vision Zero isn't just a campaign slogan. It's a dramatic and critical shift in public perception. It's a push to reframe traffic fatalities, not as accidents over which we have no control, but as preventable tragedies that can - and must - be eliminated. In 2011, advocates at Transportation Alternatives in New York City published a milestone report and kicked off an innovative Vision Zero initiative - and they aren't alone. Learn more about Vision Zero efforts from around the country on this important call. Register here.
Upcoming calls:
- Our May Mutual Aid call will bring together advocates from walking organizations. Be sure to check in for up-to-date information on upcoming Mutual Aid calls.
What would you like to discuss on a Mutual Aid call? Contact jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org with your ideas!
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May 1: Federal Policy Webinar
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 Save the date and tune in Tuesday May 1 for our next Federal Policy Webinar to learn what the latest deliberations over the federal transportation bill mean for dedicated bike-ped funding. The Alliance and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals are hosting this free webinar.
Our partners at America Bikes will share the latest developments on Capitol Hill, and we will discuss the impact of the current legislation on bicycle and pedestrian programs. Stay tuned! We will provide a registration link in the coming weeks.
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| Thank You, Carolyn! |
In May 2010, Carolyn Szczepanski came to the Alliance from her post as a professional journalist in Missouri to fill an important role in the Alliance's communication work. From a fellow to Communications Coordinator, Carolyn has served the Alliance, our member organizations, and the movement on many levels.
A valuable member of our team, Carolyn took our online publications--from Streetside and the People Powered Blog to instructional guides--to a new level. She has boosted the attendance on Mutual Aid Calls and has played a key role in getting the Women Cycling Project rolling. She has truly earned the title of Communications Rockstar we bestowed upon her at the 2012 Alliance Advocacy Awards reception.
In March she moved to the League of American Bicyclists to be their new Communications Director, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Carolyn. Congrats and thank you Carolyn for all you have done, and best wishes as we all work together to a better future for bicycling and walking!
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Thanks, Lisa!
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Please join us in thanking Lisa Seyfried, our Winter/Spring Communications Intern. Lisa played a significant role in the development and success of the National Women Cycling Forum. Lisa also made huge contributions to the 2011 Photo Contest and 2012 Advocacy Awards. Additionally, she regularly contributed to the Alliance blog and assisted in the publication of our online media.
We wish her luck as she continues her job search. Thanks for all that you've done, Lisa!
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Welcome Back, Jake!
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 Please welcome Jake Knight, our new Communications Fellow, back to the Alliance! Jake was an intern with the Alliance during the summer of 2010 and participated in the 2010 Alliance Leadership Retreat. After finishing up grad school in Indiana, he's back and ready to publicize your successes.
After studying English literature at St. Louis University, Jake joined the Peace Corps and taught English in Mongolia for two years. Upon returning home, he spent a good deal of time on two wheels, and he enrolled in a master's program in public policy at Indiana University. While in grad school, he worked on bike-ped issues at the Bloomington Planning Department and volunteered regularly at the Bloomington Community Bike Project.
Jake is excited to take on a new role at the Alliance. Be sure to send him your updates and put him on your newsletter and email lists so that he can share the work you are doing with the rest of our Alliance members. You can reach him at jake@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.
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Alliance Seeking Member Services Intern
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Alliance for Biking & Walking is seeking an intern to join us in creating, strengthening and uniting state and local advocacy organizations. The Member Services Intern will gain valuable firsthand knowledge and experience working with the member organizations of our international coalition.
Work includes assisting with membership outreach, prospect acquisition, website updates, member resource development, event coordination, and appeals. This internship offers a flexible schedule with a fifteen-hour-a-week minimum commitment for three months. This position is based in Washington, DC. A modest stipend up to $1,500 will be available.
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National Walk to Work Day This Friday:
Join Alliance member organizations for National Walk to Work Day on Friday, April 6. This annual event encourages everyone to enjoy the fresh air, sensory pleasures, and exercise offered by commuting on foot. Not sure about walking to work, school or play? You can still participate in Walk to Work Day. Instead of taking your bike, your car, or public transit, go to lunch or run an errand on foot, or walk a longer segment of your whole trip than you usually do.
Boston Advocates Complete the Streets: Boston Cyclists Union is partnering with local advocates in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood to ensure that the redevelopment of a major thoroughfare considers the needs of cyclists and pedestrians. Instead of rebuilding the aging Casey Overpass above-grade, preliminary plans to construct an at-grade network will reconnect the neighborhood,
increase greenspace, provide economic opportunities, and improve access for bicycles, foot traffic, and transit. Read more.
Chicagoans Push for Better Transit:
Advocates in Chicago are ramping up their efforts to improve and expand Chicagoland transit service. Riders for Better Transit, of the Active Transportation Alliance, supports a new proposal that would increase the dedicated funding source for transit. Riders for Better Transit has mobilized advocates to support the Transit Fast Forward bill that will keep their public transportation system on the right track and serve the needs of a growing population of users.
Minnesota DOT Reconsiders Bridge Design: You would think that a bridge connecting two states with Complete Streets policies would be friendly to bicyclists and pedestrians. If not for the action of local advocates, however, plans to replace the Interstate 90 bridge from La Crescent, MN to La Crosse, WI would have posed a barrier to the bike-ped community. With the support of an Advocacy Advance Rapid Response Grant, the organization Active Living La Crescent has partnered with the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota in a campaign to ensure that the bridge considers the needs of all road users. Prompted by action at the national, state and local level, MnDOT will reassess the current bridge design, and advocates will have the opportunity to push for bike-ped accommodations. Read more.
Velo-Talk Advocacy Session in Vancouver:
will host the Velo-talk Bike Advocacy Workshop, a forum for bicycle advocates from around the world to come together to talk specifically about moving bicycling into the mainstream. For more information about this one-day event and to register, click here.
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Hundreds Rally in Washington
to Save Cycling:
Over 800 advocates from 49 states convened in Washington to push elected officials to save bicycling and walking programs in their communities.
This year boasted the largest Summit to date, with representatives from across the spectrum of bicycle advocacy. Highlights included informative workshops, Hill visits, and opportunities to connect with other advocates in the movement.
Read more on the League's blog.
Register for Velo-City: Velo-city Global is the world's premier international cycling planning conference- and it's coming to Vancouver, Canada, June 26-29, 2012. The conference provides delegates from around the world an opportunity to share best practices for planning, creating, and sustaining cycling-friendly cities. Velo-city will serve to not only promote cycling as a viable, and efficient, mode of transport, but as an integral component in fostering greener, healthier communities, and more liveable urban centers overall. This year's keynote speaker is Gil Penalosa from Toronto's 8-80 Cities. Click here to register!
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