I think it depends on whether or not your organization can get traction with the city/other groups as just a bike organization (in terms of whether or not this type of activity is "the role" of a CBS). In some communities where there is more hype/presence of biking as a day-to-day activity, I don't think you have to grind as hard as a shop to have your work seen as "legitimate". In Detroit at least, many organizations/folks introduced to BAB for the first time were like, "Oh, you do bikes? That's cute."-- on top of there being broader, unaddressed community needs-- so (at least when I was there) it would've really paid off to multitask if the organization was able (we really rarely were able).
I think whether it's an appropriate role for your organization would come down to two questions
- is this a need in your community that another organization or network of
organizations is unable to address without your support 2) does your organization have the resources to do that kind of work sustainably and practically?
The main thing that I think any community organization/non-profit can run into is the pressure to be *everything* the constituents or community wants/needs. It's better to focus on what your org has (and can get) the resources to do well, rather than trying to fill every niche/meet every need-- even when there's money on the table.
On Tue, Jan 17, 2017 at 4:13 PM, < thethinktank-request@lists.bikecollectives.org> wrote:
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Today's Topics:
- Re: Community/Neighborhood clean up programs (wormsign@gmail.com)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: wormsign@gmail.com To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Cc: Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2017 05:53:20 -0800 Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Community/Neighborhood clean up programs Being as large as it is we are seldom approached by the city as a whole. We have provided services to the local council district and the neighborhood council as well as neighboring Santa Monica for community events, park(ing) day, and for political outreach but not for clean ups specifically.
Loconte
On Jan 16, 2017, at 11:10, momoko saunders analyst@bikefarm.org wrote:
Hi,
Do any of your cities engage you as community leaders to help coordinate neighborhood clean up days?
Bike collectives have the opportunity to be community and neighborhood centers. Should cities engage us to be more civically involved? Or is that for other non-profits or organization?
The first question is what I'd really like to know about. The second is more a philosophical, what is our mission?
Thanks for any responses -Momoko
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Heather Nugen