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Planning & Encouraging Non-motorized Transportation to Schools: Working with Advocacy Groups

This presentation explores the interrelationship between staff, elected officials, and advocates in community-based pedestrian/bicycle advocacy, with a focus on the Safe Routes to School program. It discusses how to build effective working relationships with existing advocacy organizations and provides tips on finding and nurturing advocates.

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Planning & Encouraging Non-motorized Transportation to Schools: Working with Advocacy Groups

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  1. GET TO CLASS! Planning and Encouraging Non-motorized Transportation to Schools: Working with Advocacy Groups

  2. A presentation for The CalACT 2008 Spring Conference and ExpoSquaw Creek ResortApril 21 – 23, 2008on…

  3. The interrelationship of staff, elected officials, and advocates in community-based pedestrian/bicycle advocacy, specifically the Safe Routes to School program.

  4. Special interest? Citizens? Interest group? Taxpayers? Advocates? Activists? Who are these people?

  5. ...In democratic countries knowledge of how to combine is the mother of all other forms of knowledge; on its progress depends that of all the others. …There is no end which the human will despairs of attaining through the combined power of individuals united into a society. -- Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

  6. Active citizens Elected (or appointed) Officials Staff

  7. TWO ISSUES: ? Elected (or appointed) Officials Staff WHAT IF ONE APEX OF THE TRIANGLE IS MISSING?

  8. Active citizens ? Elected (or appointed) Officials Staff HOW DO YOU BUILD EFFECTIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXISTING ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS?

  9. Safe Routes to School

  10. Program State - SR2S Federal - SRTS Current Legislative Authority Streets & Highways Code Section 2330-2334, AB 57 Section 1404 in SAFETEA-LU Expires January 1, 2013 September 30, 2009 Eligible Applicants Cities and counties State, local, regional agencies; cities and counties; non-profit organizations; school districts; and Tribes Eligible Projects Infrastructure projects (up to 10% of the project cost may cover education /encouragement component) Infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects Local Match 10% required None; 100% federally reimbursed Project Completion Deadline Within 4 state FYs after project is programmed Within 4 federal FYs after funds are obligated Location Restriction on Infrastructure Projects None Infrastructure projects must be w’in 2 miles of a grade school or middle school Targeted Beneficiaries Children in grades K-12 Children in grades K-8 Cycles Completed 6 cycles 1 cycle Next Call for Projects August, 2007 (Cycle 7) February, 2008 (Cycle 2) Available Funding $52M in Cycle 7 (06/07 & 07/08) $46M in Cycle 2 (08/09 & 09/10) SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL

  11. How to find and nurture advocates and why you would want to Why? • Community buy-in • Nonprofit organizations, with their volunteer resources, stretch dollars further, may accomplish things staff doesn’t have time and resources to do • Qualified nonprofit organizations expand the number of local entities that can receive grant funding for SRTS projects

  12. How? (and who?) • Public health organizations • The public health community has a long history of not only successful advocacy (think about the anti-smoking campaign) but also program delivery • Promotoras in Walk San Diego’s Chula Vista project.

  13. How? (and who?) • School-based organizationsParent teacher organizationNatural fit for SRTS programsPTA parents generally have some organizing experience and an interest in the welfare of the communityP.E. TeachersIn Carson City P.E. teachers have been the most effective program deliverers for safe routes to school projects, especially in the “education” and “encouragement” aspects. It’s already part of their job description…

  14. How? (and who?) Bicycling and Walking advocacy organizations America Walks www.americawalks.org League of American Bicyclists www.bikeleague.org Both these national organizations have local and state member groups

  15. America Walks www.americawalks.org America Walks has a coaching action network specifically for SRTS –

  16. How? (and who?) Committee or individual? SRTS encourages committees and task forces, but don’t think you’ve failed if you can’t gather together a committee. In our experience, it’s dedicated, committed individuals who get things done – look for natural leaders.

  17. Working with existing organizations: Functional and dysfunctional relationships between staff and advocates

  18. Working with existing organizations: • Challenges • If you work with the public either in formal public participation settings or in more informal working relationships with citizens, you have to • Learn to be a good listener • Let people know how their ideas will be used • Thank people for their time • Remember that advocates are for the most part volunteers, and are fitting their advocacy work into usually very busy lives. In smaller organizations, follow-through can be disappointing

  19. Working with existing organizations: Opportunities Alliances between staff and advocates can convince elected/appointed officials about the value of a project to their constituents Advocates can volunteer time (grant writing, professional services) and develop funding sources (grant funding, hands-on work, fundraisers) to stretch tight agency budgets.

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