September 2012 - In This Issue
Navigating MAP-21 Update
This Week: The Alliance Leadership Retreat
Advocacy Advance Trainings and New Reports
Fundraising Guide Part Two
Planet Bike Donates Products
Winning Campaigns Training in the Midwest
Upcoming Mutual Aid Calls
Congratulations to Our VBT Vacation Winner
Alliance Seeking Interns and Fellow
Thank You, Katie!
Navigating MAP-21 Update
  

As of today, we know of 35 states who have confirmed they will fund the Recreational Trails Fund and only two states (Florida and Kansas) who have opted out. Congratulations to advocates in states whose governors and DOTs have already committed to retaining Recreational Trails Program funding. 

 

This is a promising indication of states' commitments to maximizing funding for biking and walking and fully implementing Transportation Alternatives under MAP-21. This was a first important test. Thanks to a lot of outreach and coordination by local advocacy organizations and some of our national partners, we are off to a good start. Thank you!

 

To date, the Advocacy Advance Team, a partnership of the Alliance and the League of American Bicyclists, has hosted two webinars on the details of MAP-21. The third webinar Winning Funding under Transportation Alternatives is set to take place TODAY at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. Up to the beginning of the call, you can still register here.


Ready to get involved? Please email the state lead listed in the contact list first. They are informed about the most up-to-date information, your state's unique circumstances, the advocacy campaign priorities and how you can plug in. They are your conduits for action.

 

Visit AdvocacyAdvance.org/MAP21 to review current resources and learn more about what you can do to make sure your state fully implements Transportation Alternatives and maximizes other sources of MAP-21 funds.
This Week: The Alliance Leadership Retreat

 

Over 100 leaders from advocacy organizations across the continent will come together at the Alliance Leadership Retreat this week. 

 

Over the three days in Long Beach, we'll be networking and sharing experiences and best practices. At workshops and sessions on over thirty different topics, Alliance leaders will be inspired by ideas from their peers and tips from experts.

Special thanks to our 2012 Leadership Retreat Sponsors:

SRAM, Planet Bike, Bikes Belong, VBT, Primal Wear, CamelBak, Trek, Giant, the League of American Bicyclists, America Walks and Cascade Bicycle Club

In addition to the activities the retreat has to offer, many advocates from Alliance member organizations will attend the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference, also in Long Beach immediately following the retreat. And we are proud to sponsor
 the National Women's Bicycling Summit, which will bring together leaders seeking to close the gender gap among bicycle riders. The Summit takes place on Sept. 13, so be sure to register!

Advocacy Advance Trainings and Resources

The Advocacy Advance team traveled to Missouri in August to conduct two new MAP-21 Action 2020 workshops in Jefferson City and Concordia. 

 

Building on the Action 2020 curriculum with new additions that focus on maximizing funding sources under the new federal transportation law, the model MAP-21 Action 2020 workshop in Missouri included a focus on rural communities as well as a training for trainers looking to continue progress across the state. 

 

Read more about the training on the Advocacy Advance blog, and view the schedule of upcoming trainings.

 

In addition to the latest trainings, Advocacy Advance has been busy producing two new resources: "Best Practices in Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees" and "An Advocate's Guide to Elections: Making Campaigns Work for Bicycling & Walking." 

 

With these two new guides, advocates can increase their political power during election season and influence officials by working with bike/ped advisory committees.


View these and other Advocacy Advance resources and publications at AdvocacyAdvance.org.

Fundraising Guide Part Two: Winning Proposals

We know you have good ideas for programs and projects, but raising funds for biking and walking projects is challenging in today's climate. Sometimes even the best ideas don't receive funding.  
 
To help you leverage new funding opportunities, the Alliance is releasing its Guide to Fundraising online throughout this year. To follow up our first installment on Creating and Implementing an Effective Fundraising Plan, we've just released part two, Anatomy of a Winning Proposal
 
This new resource discusses the characteristics of good grant proposals, and it includes a six-step process that will guide you through crafting a strong proposal to match that great project or program idea. As in the first part of the guide, Anatomy of a Winning Proposal contains plenty of examples and tips.
 
Download the first two parts of the Guide to Fundraising in the Alliance Resource Library.
Planet Bike Donates Products

 

Planet Bike logo

With summer waning, community bike shops will be preparing for a busy fall with a little extra product to give to participants in their youth programs.  Planet Bike, working with the Alliance, has donated over $10,000 worth of gear to community bike shops across North America to support their important work.

 

"These products will be so amazingly helpful for our programs!" said Ren Barger, of Tulsa Hub. "And perfect timing, since we are about to kick-off the youth activities again now that school is starting."

 

Through their working in teaching the fundamentals of bike maintenance, community bike shops have shown that they are an important part of getting people on bikes and empowering communities to take control of their transportation needs.  

 

In recognition of this, Planet Bike offered a selection of lights, fenders, pumps and more to community bike shops.  Planet Bike was particularly interested in the work that community bike shops do to help children, including youth earn-a-bike programs and education.

 

"Our country is hurting right now and helping every child find that right bike to ride, no matter their parent's economic circumstances, is one small way to get things going in the right direction," said Jay Ferm, Advocacy Director for Planet Bike.

 

This is the second time in the last year that the Alliance has helped to facilitate a donation of merchandise from one of our sponsors.  Last December, Specialized donated product to community bike shops just in time for Christmas.

 

"We are so excited to work with Planet Bike, one of the Alliance's strongest supporters over the years, to donate product to these deserving shops," said Jeff Miller, Alliance President/CEO. "The Alliance is continuing to develop new ways we can serve community bike shops."

 

In-kind donations to nonprofit community bike shops are tax-deductible. If your business has product it would like to donate to these community programs, please contact Mike Samuelson at [email protected].

Winning Campaigns Training in the Midwest
This October 19-21 in Kansas City, BikeWalkKC will host the last Winning Campaigns Training of 2012.

Come together with experts and your peers from organizations across the Midwest to plan campaigns that boost biking and walking in your community in 2013. Register today! 


Alliance 
Winning Campaigns Trainings consist of a proven curriculum that will help you plan a smart campaign and win improvements for active transportation and recreation -- as well as increase your organization's power, form new partnerships and recruit members and volunteers.   

Register for the training today! Early registration closes on Sept. 21. 

Questions about the training? Contact 
[email protected].
Upcoming Mutual Aid Calls

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:

Join the Alliance and our partner America Walks to learn how the Walking Action Network can help you and your organization improve the walkability of your community.

 

Panelists

Yolanda Savage-Narva, America Walks

 

Appeals to members, potential sponsors and new prospects provide an opportunity to shore up extra support and turn contacts into consistent donors. Developing a strategic approach to appeals -- from logistical details like scheduling and media used to crafting a message that resonates with your audience -- is crucial for organizations seeking to increase their membership and donor bases. On this call, come discuss what works in your appeal strategy and exchange ideas for improving your message to potential donors.

 

Panelists 

Mary Duffy, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Lisa Anguilla, Bicycle Transportation Alliance

October calls:

  • October 3: Building Blocks of Membership
  • October 17: Staffing Up: Who's First? Who's Next?

What would you like to discuss on a Mutual Aid call? Does your organization have expertise to share with peer organizations and others participating in the movement? Contact [email protected] with your ideas!

Congratulations to Our VBT Vacation Winner!

 

VBT

David Lamb of Rochester, N.Y., was the winner of the Alliance's drawing for a free VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations trip (worth up to $2,245).

 

David is currently selecting from U.S. destinations in the VBT catalog, and he's planning his trip with the support of VBT's fantastic Tour Consultants.

 

Congratulations, David, and thank you to VBT for contributing such an outstanding prize.

Alliance Seeking Interns and Fellow

 

The Alliance for Biking & Walking is seeking a Member Services Intern for Fall 2012. The intern will assist with membership outreach, prospect acquisition, website updates, member resource development, event coordination and appeals. 

 

The Alliance is also accepting applications for an Advocacy Advance Bike/Ped Research Intern to assist the Advocacy Advance team in measuring federal expenditures on bicycle and pedestrian projects by accessing and analyzing state and local records.

 

Additionally, the Alliance is seeking to hire a Technology Development Fellow to help develop and integrate Alliance Internet-based and internal technologies including web sites, listserves, forums, contact databases and other applications.

 

See the Alliance Job Board for more information and to apply.

Thank You, Katie!

Katie Saba
Katie Saba was our Member Services Intern for this past summer, and she did a great job reaching out to member organizations for the Alliance's What is Working Project for statewide organizations. Katie was also extremely helpful in contacting members about the Alliance Leadership Retreat.

 

Additionally, Katie used her marketing background to analyze the Alliance's website traffic and provide comprehensive recommendations for improving our online communications.

 

Thanks again, Katie, for all of your hard work, and good luck in your last year of school!

Quick Links
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Member News
New Complete Street in South Burlington:
Congratulations are in order for Local Motion, who won their campaign to create a permanent complete street in South Burlington, Vermont. With final approval from the South Burlington City Council, a 1.5-mile stretch of roadway is now safer for and more accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists. The new complete street gained traction through a two-month trial process, and public comment and local government support are not only making the trial stretch of road permanent, but are extending it. Read more from Local Motion.

Advocates are Champions of Change:
At a White House awards reception in late July, transit, biking and walking advocates featured prominently among the 14 selected Transportation Champions of Change.
Understanding and Addressing Barriers to Bicycling: 

Portland-based Community Cycling Center has just released Understanding Barriers to Bicycling, a report on their three-year effort to move from a role as direct service provider to representative voice for the community they serve.

Through surveys and focus groups, Community Cycling Center sought to answer the question, "If more people in our community are interested in bicycling, what are the barriers preventing them from getting on a bike?" Learn more about their work here. 

Partner News
Women's Bicycling Summit: Register for the National Women's Bicycling Summit, hosted by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and the League of American Bicyclists. This Alliance is proud to sponsor this important event. Be part of the first-ever national event aimed at closing the gender gap in American bicycling September 13 in Long Beach, Calif. Learn more and register here.

  

Pro Walk/Pro Bike Next Week: September 10-13 in Long Beach, advocates and other professionals in the biking and walking movement will come together for Pro Walk/Pro Bike. With 100+ presentations and panel sessions, this conference is sure to have something for everyone. Questions? Contact Mark Plotz at [email protected]. 

 

Complete Streets Policies on the Rise: This past month, our partners at the National Complete Streets Coalition (NCSC) released an updated 2011 Complete Streets Policy Analysis. This report documents progress in Complete Streets policies and implementation. To date, there are over 350 communities across the U.S. with Complete Streets policies on the books. Additionally, NCSC released their Complete Streets Local Policy Workbook as a resource for Complete Streets proponents. Read more here.

New Partners for Smart Growth Conference: Save the date for the 12th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, which will take place from February 7-9, 2013, in Kansas City, Missouri. With 95 sessions -- including plenaries, breakouts, trainings and workshops -- smart growth experts and interested advocates will have plenty of opportunities to learn how to make smart growth a success in their communities. For more information, visit NewPartners.org.

Thank you to our 2012 Leadership Retreat Sponsors!
 

Planet Bike logo   
 
VBT

Primal Cycling Apparel Logo
 
Trek logoCamelbak Logo
Giant logo Sponsor
league logotern logo
AW logo
cascade