The Community Spokes Advocacy Toolkit Edition 1.3 – Revised May 2014 The Winning Campaigns Training is supported by: LEAD SPONSORS: The Community Spokes Advocacy Toolkit - Edition 1.3 – Revised May 2014 MAJOR SPONSORS: This Toolkit was originally drafted and Edited by James Tassé and Nancy Grant, 2011 This resource was developed with funding from the Alliance for Biking & Walking, Cumberland County Government, and the Morton-Kelly Foundation of York County. For more information about the Community Spokes program, please contact Abby King at [email protected] Find more information about The Bicycle Coalition of Maine at www.bikemaine.org CORE SPONSORS: NOTE: Most of the process and planning information in Section I of the Toolkit comes from the Alliance for Biking & Walking “Winning Campaigns Workbook,” which is also included in the appendices. We have customized it to better fit the realities of Maine and in some cases, expanded upon it to provide concrete examples. For more information, resources and inspiration, visit: www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org PO Box 65150 Washington DC 20035 [email protected] 202.449.9692 The Community Spokes Toolkit Edition 1.3 2 Table of Contents Part 1: The Community Spokes Program and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine ................................................. 4 Welcome! ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4 The Community Spokes Program ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5 The Toolkit..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 BCM Overview: Advocacy, Events, Encouragement .................................................................................................................................... 7 The Maine Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Program ............................................................................................................ 11 The Maine Safe Routes to School Program ................................................................................................................................................... 12 Part 2: The Winning Campaigns Approach .................................................................................................. 15 Communities Get What People Ask For ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 The Necessity of Committees ............................................................................................................................................................................. 17 Types of Committees .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 ACE Teams .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 A Quick List of Possible Bike/Ped Committee Goals and Timeframes ............................................................................................. 26 Hold Good Meetings................................................................................................................................................................................................ 30 Launching a Campaign .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Pre-Training Brainstorming Worksheet .................................................................................................................................................... 32 1. Define the Issue ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 33 2. Set Campaign Goals ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 3. Assess Resources .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 4. Strategize ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 5. Communicate ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Communicate: Problem, Solution, Ask ........................................................................................................................................................ 42 Working with the Press ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 6: Set Tactics and Timelines ............................................................................................................................................................................ 44 7: Manage Resources.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 47 Part 3: Additional Resources ..................................................................................................................... 48 Reasons to Support and Fund Biking and Walking .................................................................................................................................. 48 ACE Team Guidance from the Maine Centers for Disease Control ..................................................................................................... 52 What is an Active Community Environment? ........................................................................................................................................... 52 What is an Active Community Environment Team? .............................................................................................................................. 53 Fundraising for Your Project .............................................................................................................................................................................. 54 Fundraising Worksheet ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 54 Additional Tips from the Alliance For Biking And Walking................................................................................................................ 56 Snapshot of Maine Funding Sources Available for Bike/Ped Initiatives ........................................................................................ 58 Managing Media ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 1. Tips for Making News.................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 2. Working with the Press ................................................................................................................................................................................ 64 3. How To Write a Letter to the Editor ....................................................................................................................................................... 66 Part 4: Online Resources ............................................................................................................................ 67 The Community Spokes Toolkit Edition 1.3 3 Part 1: The Community Spokes Program and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine Welcome! Dear Community Spoke, We welcome you into the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Community Spokes Program. This program is an effort to create a statewide network of bicycle and pedestrian advocates at the local level. Simply put, Community Spokes are people who are interested in promoting bicycle and pedestrian access and safety in Maine. They are people who work to create “Active Community Environments,” which encourage physically active lifestyles and stimulate economic vitality. They multiply the power