In 2014, the Alliance offered twenty calls and webinars specifically for biking and walking advocates and proponents. But don't feel left out – we've compiled notes and recordings from all 2014 sessions so that you can review the content at your leisure.
But first, let's take peek at what's in store webinar-wise for the Alliance in 2015.
On a nomenclature note, we're doing away with "Mutual Aid." In the past, Mutual Aid Calls referred to conference calls where Alliance members could get together to discuss pertinent issues and share knowledge. Now that we're using a webinar platform for most of these sessions, a distinction has emerged between more formal, presentational sessions and more informal, conversational peer learning sessions.
(Plus, the acronymn for Mutual Aid Call is kind of cool, but doesn't work as well for Mutual Aid Webinar.)
So, starting in January, there will be two types of virtual convenings offered for free to Alliance member organizations.
1. Distance Learning Webinars
Each month, the Alliance will host one Distance Learning Webinar. These premium webinars will feature outside experts on topics key to organizational success and advancing bicycle and pedestrian advocacy at the state and local levels. These webinars, $15 for the general public, will be offered for free to Alliance member organizations.
Webinars will be planned each quarter, not for the entire year, so that we can take advantage of new trends as they emerge.
The first Distance Learning Webinar will be “Clicktivist → Member: Building a Strong Ladder of Engagement" on January 21, 2015 at 2:00 PM EST / 11:00 AM PST. Register here!
2. Network Exchange Calls ("NetX")
At the Leadership Retreat in September, participants divided into tracks to discuss shared challenges and new ideas with peers across the country. We heard loud and clear that you would like a continued opportunity to connect throughout the year in a facilitated space.
In 2015, Alliance staff will each host a series of “Network Exchange Calls” with staff at member organizations. Each group will meet every 6-8 weeks and discuss topics identified in advance by call participants.
Want to join in? Get in touch with the relevant staffer for your interest a call in early 2015 to help direct the conversation!
- Advocacy Staff: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Communications Staff: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Education Staff: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Are you the lone staff person at your organization? Do you wear many hats? Are you a board member? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and she can steer you in the right direction!
And without further ado, here's a comprehensive log of all the Alliance's webinars and calls in 2014.
All 2014 webinars and calls
Did you miss Mutual Aid Calls in 2014? Here are links to the past year’s calls:
- Organizing State Summits (Hosted by Brighid, January 2014)
More and more advocates across the United States are organizing statewide bike and/or walk summits to push active transportation forward at the state level. On this call, advocates and experts in the field swapped best practices and tips on how to organize an effective summit. - Finding the Right Database or CRM for Your Organization (Hosted by Megan, February 2014)
What tools are available to organizations looking to get their first CRM or update their current system? On this webinar, Alliance staff and leaders from the biking & walking movement offered some advice for organizations looking to get their first CRM or replace their current system. - Facebook 101; Twitter 101; Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, & Vine 101; Twitter for Media Relations (Hosted by Mary Lauran and Liz, August 2013 - March 2014)
Given that 74% of online adults use social networking sites, it's important for advocacy organizations to join and lead conversations about their issue areas on social media platforms. Early this year and late last year, the Alliance teamed up with the League of American Bicyclists to offer a series of webinars on usuing social media for biking and walking advocacy. - Collaborating with Health Stakeholders (Hosted by Christy, March 2014)
Stakeholders from the public health community shared how advocates and agency staff can communicate, collaborate, and partner with health stakeholders to increase physical activity and wellness. - Youth Engagement & Family Biking (Hosted by Megan, May 2014)
When it comes to teaching kids how to ride bikes, nearly every advocacy organization offers programming like bike rodeos, skills classes or helmet fittings. On this webinar, advocates shared innovative ways to engage children – and their parents – in cycling safely and confidently even before kids reach school age. - First Look at the 2014 Benchmarking Report (Hosted by Mary Lauran and Andrea, April 2014)
This year, the Alliance released the 2014 Benchmarking Report, a catalogue of federal, state, and local data on bicycling and walking trends, policies, and statistics. On this webinar, we went over the most compelling new data from the Report. Download the report here. - Integrating Walking into Bike Advocacy (Hosted by Christy, April 2014)
Walking – and rolling, for some – is an integral part of our everyday lives. On this call, biking and walking advocates identified the needs, opportunities, and barriers on how to best include walking and rolling into an world more attuned to bicycling advocacy. - Walk Audits to Boost Safety and Promote Health (Hosted by Christy, May 2014)
Walk audits are a great way to engage a community – everyone from local residents, agency staff, local elected officials, and businesses – to better identify barriers and opportunities to improve our built environment. Advocates shared how they have used walk audits to create safe walking environments to better connect to other modes of transportation and to improve a community’s health. - Ciclovía in Your Community (Hosted by Mary Lauran, June 2014)
In 2007, there were less than 10 Open Streets initiatives around the United States. Now, there are over 100. On this webinar, organizers from three different cities shared what it took to make Open Streets happen in their communities. - 10 Things (Not) To Do When Redesigning Your Website (Hosted by Mary Lauran, July 2014)
This year, several Alliance member organizations completed website redesigns and rebuilds – as did the Alliance. This webinar drew on expertise from Alliance members and our own experiences to discuss what nonprofit organizations should – and should not – do when approaching a web project. - Crosstown Bikeways for Everyone (Hosted by Mary Lauran, July 2014)
San Francisco’s Connecting the City campaign has been a big success for both the city and for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. This multi-year initiative to envision and build neighborhoods greenways and protected bikeways all across the city has resulted in huge, visionary projects. On this webinar, SF Bicycle Coalition Policy Director Tyler Frisbee gave advocates a peek at how the Connecting the City initiative ticks. - Engaging Athletes in Advocacy (Hosted by Megan, July 2014)
Running, walking and cycling groups can be a powerful voice for safer streets. On a this call, advocates shared what their organizations are doing to engage tight-knit communities of athletes in advocacy for safer facilities for all road users. - Electric Bikes and the Law (Hosted by Megan, August 2014)
Adding an electric motor to a bicycle can vastly expand its range and utility, but can also open up loopholes for a whole new type of vehicles that resemble bicycles while powering their users faster than any human can go, reaching beyond what bicycle infrastructure has been built to accommodate. On this call, advocates and stakeholders provided diverse perspectives and some in-the-trenches anecdotes of the current battle to win fair legislation for electric bikes. - Apps for Advocacy (Hosted by Mary Lauran, August 2014)
58% of American adults own smartphones, according to Pew Research, and this number is increasing. A few Alliance member organizations have already taken advantage of this trend. On this webinar, advocates from three different organizations discussed their approaches to utilizing apps and app data in their work to improve biking. - End-of-Year Appeals (Hosted by Megan, September 2014)
The end-of-year appeal is the most significant single effort most organizations make to raise money from individuals. It's also an unmatched opportunity for you to connect with your stakeholders and let them know about your achievements from the past year and goals for the coming year. Two prominent fundraisers from the biking and walking advocacy movement shared their advice. - Communicating after Tragedies and Unexpected Moments (Hosted by Mary Lauran, October 2014)
How your organization handles communications in an unexpected situation can have major implications for your coalition's reputation, brand, and advocacy. Two leading advocates and a public relations expert joined the Alliance to share their advice for crisis communications and rapid response. - Multilingual Resources (Hosted by Brighid, November 2014)
As bicycle and pedestrian organizations work to expand the reach and diversity of their impact, it is important to understand the communities you work with and use accessible communication with non-native English speakers. Advocates shared advice for producing programming and materials that are accessible for community members who don't speak English. - Boosting Capacity with Temporary Staff (Hosted by Brighid, November 2014)
Organizations at all levels of biking and walking advocacy increase their staff capacity with interns, fellows, volunteers, and contractors. On this webinar, professional advocates and expert nonprofit advisors shared advice for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the challenges associated with working with temporary contractors, interns, and volunteers. - UPCOMING: To Print or Not to Print? Email vs. Paper Newsletters (Hosted by Mary Lauran, December 2014)
This one hasn't even happened yet! In this thoroughly digital age, should we be using print newsletters to keep members and supporters in the loop, or is email enough? Join this webinar to hear from your peers about what works in newsletter communications. Register here.
Let us know if you have feedback or ideas as we plan calls and webinars in 2015. We look forward to these changes in the new year!
