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Last night the Alliance announced the winner of the 2012 Advocacy Awards at a packed reception at the National Bike Summit. Click the image below for more pictures from the event!

To shine the spotlight on the progress and victories of the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy movement, the Alliance for Biking & Walking is pleased to announce its 2012 Advocacy Award winners. Since 2009, the Alliance has solicited public nominations and recognized the individuals, organizations and business leaders who are propelling our People Powered Movement. This year, we honor the following winners from across North America.

Advocacy Organization of the Year- WalkBoston

Nearly all Americans walk on a daily basis, but very few consider themselves pedestrians. Organizing and advocating for this often-overlooked constituency — which is dramatically overrepresented in roadway fatalities — is challenging but critical work. Since its founding in 1990, WalkBoston has led the way, not just locally, but on the national level, as well. In Boston, the advocates’ long list of accomplishments includes a wealth of infrastructure victories, policy progress and successful public events. In 2011, WalkBoston launched its “Good Walking is Good Business” campaign, which highlighted the economic benefits of walkable communities, and distributed 40,000 copies of a federally funded research project to develop and test innovative tools to engage underrepresented populations in the planning process. Despite WalkBoston’s tireless work and nation-leading successes, the small staff is generous with its time and expertise, ever willing to share best practices with other organizations and engage with national advocacy groups in a way that benefits people who walk, not just in Boston, but in communities across the continent.

Advocate of the Year: Eric Rogers, BikeWalkKC

The campaigns may change, but in Kansas City, Missouri, one thing remains the same. “If you show up for an advocacy effort,” one nomination summed up, “there’s one guy you will always see — and that’s Eric Rogers.” Rogers’ long-standing involvement at the state and local level has earned him a reputation as both as a passionate advocate leader for the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation, and trusted, go-to expert on bike-ped issues for policymakers of all stripes. While he chairs the Kansas City Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and serves as the executive director of BikeWalkKC, Rogers spends countless hours attending hearings and meetings across the region; working behind the scenes to keep advocates updated; and improving critical education and encouragement programs like the KC Car-Free Challenge and KC Safer Routes. As one city council member attested in her nomination: “Eric has been a constant, persistent, passionate voice in the oversight of private developments and city infrastructure services, speaking out for sidewalks, bike lanes and routes, driver education, defined trails and safe crosswalks.” And, in the true spirit of genuine, selfless advocacy, Rogers never expects recognition beyond the legacy of his own good works.

Business Advocate of the Year: CLIF Bar

With its innovative 2 Mile Challenge, CLIF Bar continued to raise awareness about the power and possibility of biking for transportation in 2011, spurring thousands of people to log their trips on the website that tracked metrics like miles pedaled, car trips avoided and carbon dioxide saved. In line with its commitment to active transportation, CLIF Bar donated $100,000 to the three nonprofits leading the charge in the 2 Mile Challenge, including the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

Winning Campaign of the Year: Bike Delaware

Despite lean economic times, Bike Delaware did the nearly unthinkable in 2011—advocated for and won $5 million in new, dedicated state dollars for biking and walking projects and programs. With a tiny budget, the advocacy organization pioneered new ground in statewide bike-ped advocacy with its “Bikeable, Walkable Delaware” campaign, not only securing critical funding, but also cultivating key relationships at the state capitol and working with the Delaware Department of Transportation on the state’s first State Trails and Pathways Plan.

Best Practices Award: League of Illinois Bicyclists

The Best Practices Award goes to an organization that serves as a model for other bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. In 2011, the League of Illinois Bicyclists played a critical role in the effort to preserve dedicated funding for biking and walking in the next federal transportation bill. Executing a model campaign that utilized relevant data and engaged of local elected officials, the Illinois advocates expertly capitalized on years spent cultivating relationships with members of Congress to to win pivotal support from Republican Representative Tim Johnson. And the LIB didn’t just build bridges on Capitol Hill — the statewide organization also worked with local groups, like the Active Transportation Alliance, showcasing the importance and power of effective partnerships.

Susie Stephens Joyful Enthusiasm Award: Julia Field, Undriving

This award commemorates Alliance co-founder, Susie Stephens, honoring her passion for biking and walking as fun and economical means of transportation. The parallels between Susie and Julia are many. As one nomination pointed out: “Like Susie, Julia knows that people want to do good things—sometimes they just need ideas and cheerleading.” As the founder of Undriving, Julia established an artistic, energetic and effective program that empowers citizens to reimagine their travel habits in ways that protect the planet and improve community health. The positive power of the Undriving concept has earned Field recognition, not just in Seattle, but across the U.S. and beyond. If Susie were still with us, we know she’d be wielding her Undriving license with pride!

Innovation Award: BikeTexas

The Innovation Award goes to an organization that’s pioneering or inventing new ways to promote biking and walking — and BikeTexas continues to cultivate new and effective models in working effectively with the full spectrum political perspectives and full range of community stakeholders. Thanks in part to its traveling bicycle fleet, BikeTexas has organized rides with policymakers, agency staff and nonprofit organizations that have cultivated important political relationships and built bridges with new constituencies, including a 2011 President’s Award from the state NAACP for “going above and beyond the call of duty to develop interest in biking and green benefits from biking in the African American Community.”

In line with a goal to double federal funding for biking and walking, Advocacy Advance is awarding more than $100,000 in direct grants to four organizations.

Using the grants to tap into federal funding streams and build their political influence, recipients will work to triple bicycle mode share in Atlanta, Ga., dramatically improve infrastructure in Pittsburgh, Pa., empower Latino cyclists in Los Angeles, Calif., and create a new model to win state dollars in Delaware.

Since 2009, Advocacy Advance—a partnership of the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the League of American Bicyclists—has awarded more than $500,000 in direct grants to 25 state and local advocacy organizations. This year, more than 60 applications with proposals totaling more than $1.3 million were received in the two grant categories: Model Grants and Capacity Building Grants.

Model Grants provide multi-year support for efforts that significantly increase federal investment for biking and walking. Capacity Building Grants catalyze the growth of advocacy organizations. Based on the organizations’ successful track records and innovative strategies, 2011 grants will be awarded to Bike Delaware, Bike Pittsburgh, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

“We are excited to support these grantees, as they help lead the way towards a more equitable and rational use of limited federal transportation funds, especially as the lessons we learn will be applicable to accessing state and local funds,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists.

“Receiving this Model Grant is a testament to the decade of work we’ve poured into building strong relationships with key city, county, regional, and state transportation officials - and winning the cultural battle that bikes belong in the transportation mix,” Scott Bricker, Executive Director of Bike Pittsburgh, said. “Now it’s time to identify and fund specific projects that will keep bike riders safer and result in more people bicycling.”

Advocacy Advance Grants are made possible thanks to generous funding from SRAM and Planet Bike.

2011 Model Grants

Bike Pittsburgh
Receiving the largest grant ever awarded through the Advocacy Advance program, Bike Pittsburgh will use $40,000 per year, for three years, to leverage partnerships, identify key bicycle and pedestrian projects and get them funded. Advocates will work closely with the City of Pittsburgh on MOVEPGH - Pittsburgh’s first comprehensive transportation plan - to ensure the plan includes recommendations for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects that are eligible for federal funding. Advocates will also work with county officials to get projects in surrounding municipalities in the queue for federal funding.

Atlanta Bicycle Coalition
The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC) will receive $35,000 per year, for three years, to double federal spending on bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs in the Atlanta region, and triple the bicycle mode share from 1 to 3 percent. To meet these ambitious goals, ABC will hire additional staff and work with the local metropolitan planning organizations, and the Georgia Department of Transportation, to tap into two federal funding streams currently underutilized for bicycle and pedestrian projects - the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program and the Highway Safety Improvement Program.

2011 Capacity Building Grants

Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) will receive a $15,000 matching grant to hire a dedicated bilingual education/outreach staff member to empower Spanish-speaking residents who lack access to bike safety and advocacy tools, and build political power for improved bicycling in L.A. by better including populations of color.

Bike Delaware
Bike Delaware advocates recently won $5 million in new dedicated funding for bicycling in Delaware in 2012 - more money than the state has ever allocated in the past. A $10,000 matching grant will help Bike Delaware create a national model to increase state bicycle and pedestrian funding by creating an action plan for state bicyclists, advocating legislation, monitoring and communicating with DelDOT, and tracking progress.

In addition, Advocacy Advance will grant $25,000 in Rapid Response Grants throughout the year to help state and local organizations take advantage of unexpected opportunities to win, increase, or preserve funding for biking and walking.

Learn more about Advocacy Advance at AdvocacyAdvance.org.

If you’re searching for more positive vibes during this year’s National Bike Month, the good news just keeps on comin’. Advocates in Delaware cheered last week as SCR13, the “Walkable, Bikeable Delaware” resolution received a unanimous vote first in the state Senate, and then just a few days later in the state House.

SCR13 aims to create networks of sidewalks and bikeways throughout the state, making it easier and safer for people to choose biking and walking for their daily trips. While the state’s Department of Transportation has previously accommodated pedestrians and cyclists through Transportation Enhancements and Complete Streets programs, a comprehensive network has not been built, often creating dangerous gaps and making it difficult for residents to choose biking and walking as a mode of transportation.

This will soon change. “What Delaware has lacked, and what SCR13 provides, is a clear strategic commitment to building safe and convenient bikeway networks that connect where people live to where they want to go,” notes James Wilson, Executive Director of Bike Delaware, in a recent email to Alliance members.

The resolution will provide legislative direction for direct network investments so existing gaps can be sealed. It specifically instructs the State DOT to plan and construct interconnected pathways within and between cities, and to identify funding for such investments required by the Complete Streets policy or through Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.

In the past, Delaware held several initiatives to build networks of bicycling and walking-friendly communities, however projects for these network projects have constantly been shelved due to lack in funding. “Bike Delaware will use SCR13 to start dislodging funds for those projects and to begin closing the worst and most dangerous gaps in our transportation system here in Delaware,” says Wilson.

Read more “Walkable, Bikeable Delaware” resolution developments on Bike Delaware’s blog.