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The Advocacy Advance team took a trip down to Atlanta for an Action 2020 Workshop this month and met with more than 50 advocates, agency staff, and elected officials from across the region.

The free, one-day training empowered attendees with a wealth of information about federal, state, and local funding sources and practices, and how to make bicycles and pedestrians a local priority. It also provided a unique and productive chance for professionals from different sectors to network and share ideas.

The workshop was hosted by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and the Atlanta Regional Commission. To provide some insight on the impact and take-aways from the workshop, Advocacy Advance staffer Matt Wempe spoke with Brent Buice, Executive Director of Georgia Bikes! and Fred Boykin, Decatur City Commission, District 1.

Advocacy Advance:  What did you know about federal funding coming into the workshop?

Brent Buice: I knew a lot about Transportation Enhancements (TE) and Safe Routes to School (SRTS), and an emerging awareness of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). I had heard a little bit about Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), but didn’t know anything else about the other programs.

Fred Boykin: I had some knowledge about TE and the local Livable Cities and Centers initiatives from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). Outside of that, I wasn’t too familiar with the other sources that were presented. It was really beneficial for me to see the statistics and comparisons between Georgia and other states.

Read the full story on the Advocacy Advance blog.

Applications to host Action 2020 Workshops are due next Friday, February 24 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern). Advocates, agency staff, and/or elected officials are required to work on and submit a workshop application together.

These workshops bring together advocates, agency staff, and elected officials and are designed to ensure that participants have the knowledge, skills and resources to access un- or under-utilized federal funding sources at the state, regional and local level to build bicycling and walking infrastructure and programs.

During the workshops, participants will:

• Learn about under-utilized funding sources that exist for biking and walking projects and programs, which the region has not yet tapped into;
• Learn the key characteristics, requirements, and opportunities of those sources and best practices from around the country;
• Discuss favorable factors for bicycling and walking investments;
• Understand the important role of advocates, agency staff, and elected officials in securing this funding
• Share knowledge and experiences in the local context, working together to develop a list of local priorities and strategies for funding bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs.

Download the application form on the Advocacy Advance website and contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) as soon as possible if you have any questions. These one-day workshops are offered for free, thanks to the generous support of SRAM.

PHOTO: Tucson Action 2020 Workshop

Advocacy Advance – a partnership of the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking and Walking – is now accepting applications for its Action 2020 Workshops.

The goal of Advocacy Advance is to double federal funding for biking and walking through increased spending at the state, MPO and local level where many funding decisions are ultimately made. The partnership plans to meet this goal by producing best practice reports, providing technical assistance, awarding grants and facilitating Action 2020 Workshops.

These workshops bring together advocates, agency staff, and elected officials and are designed to ensure that participants have the knowledge, skills and resources to access untapped or under-utilized federal funding sources at the state, regional and local level to build bicycling and walking infrastructure and programs. Applications to host a workshop are due Friday, February 24.

Read more about Action 2020 Workshops and how to apply on the Advocacy Advance blog.

Photo: Action 2020 Workshop in Tucson, Arizona

Undaunted by the massive storm that forced a last-minute rescheduling in November, more than 50 Connecticut advocates and officials from every single county in the state turned out for a successful Action 2020 Workshop in Hartford, Conn., last week.

Hosted by Bike Walk Connecticut and the Capitol Region Council of Governments, the workshop gave both advocates and agency staff the tools and strategies to harness underutilized federal funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian programs and projects.

“The workshop provided excellent resources, and most importantly, empowered the attendees to take action to improve the funding picture,” Sandy Fry, CRCOG Principal Transportation Planner, said. “There will be new efforts and initiatives as a result of this workshop and with the broad cross section of attendees, the efforts have a very good chance for success.”

Action 2020 Workshops are facilitated by Advocacy Advance – a partnership of the League of American Bicyclists and Alliance for Biking & Walking.

Read the full recap on the Advocacy Advance blog.

When I was 16 years old, my family moved from Bern, Switzerland to Houston, Texas. Talk about culture shock. While there’s a lot to celebrate about the Lone Star State, active transportation ain’t exactly on the short list.

But that’s changing fast — thanks to the efforts of a growing number of bike-ped advocates and supportive policymakers.

Last week, an Action 2020 Workshop in my previous hometown of Houston captured and built on that progressive energy. Presented by Advocacy Advance, a partnership of the Alliance and the League of American Bicyclists, the workshop attracted nearly 60 stakeholders from 41 different organizations to discuss how to increase funding for biking and walking across the Houston region.

Read a recap from Darren Flusche, policy analyst at the League of American Bicyclists, on the Advocacy Advance blog. Or check out the review from BikeHouston, one of the event hosts.

With more Action 2020 Workshops planned in the New Year, click here to see if Advocacy Advance is coming to your region.