I am writing to learn about any experience with incorporating "coalition" or "advocacy" activities within your mechanically-oriented co-ops.
As you all know, in many cities/counties/regions/states, there are coalitions (such as the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition, Transportation Alternatives, etc.) that are engaged in a variety of bicycle advocacy activities, including but not limited to:
- engaging with officials, property owners, and the public to push for cycling infrastructure implementation
- maintaining contact information for lots of relevant people
- collecting, processing, opinionating, and sharing news, information, and data.
- advocating for specific infrastructure improvements, setting priorities
- maintaining a newsletter, blog, website, and/or other media highlighting local cycling issues
- organizing public bicycle fun rides/fundraising rides
- teaching cycling skills (whether LAB-certified classes or not)
- bicycle valets
- "Share the Road"
- Safe Routes to School
- Complete Streets
- Ride of Silence
Incorporating some of these activities (specifically cycling skills classes and local infrastructure advocacy) into our organization came up at a recent volunteer meeting.
A little background information particular to our situation:
Orange County has the Orange County Bicycle Coalition, which received its first major funding about a year ago, but is still rather small (with one regular staff person, who was previously the primary volunteer). This person lives in the southern part of the county (about 30 miles from our primary area of activity) and his and the organization's advocacy focus is on that area for the most part.
The North Orange County Bicycle Coalition is not particularly active or organized (their website was last updated in 2009, for example), although people involved with it have pushed through a few good improvements. A, or perhaps the primary person behind NOCBAC is on the board of the OCBC.
There are other small groups/individuals with a more local city focus doing impressive advocacy work. Also, some civic officials are pushing for cycling as well; one example is new bikeshares being implemented in a few cities here. The local transportation authority, OCTA, has devoted 3x the staff time to cycling compared to a couple years ago.
Anyway, more cycling (infrastructure) advocacy is needed here.
My impression is that most of the stuff listed above is not generally or typically the domain of bike repair co-ops (in an official capacity, at least).
So, what of these activities does your group engage in? Do you do these things officially as part of your organization, or is it more a situation where your volunteers do "advocacy" stuff separately, either as individuals or under the banner of the local advocacy organization?
Have you encountered any pluses or problems with bringing these activities into the mix? I can imagine work overload and a dilution of focus possibly being issues, and maybe sticky issues of controversy. There are also, of course, the prohibitions regarding nonprofit involvement in advocating for specific legislation or politicians, about which I don't know much other than to stay clear and be careful. Insurance for some activities, such as bike rides, is a consideration.
Any input or elucidation is welcome.
Thank you,
Paul Nagel
The Bicycle Tree P.O. Box 11293 Santa Ana, CA 92711 http://www.thebicycletree.org info@thebicycletree.org