Title
Approval of a Resolution to partner with Bike Roswell! and apply for the Bikes Belong: Advocacy Grant.
Transportation
Body
Item Summary
Bike Roswell! approached the City of Roswell to partner and apply for the Bikes Belong: Advocacy Grant. The Bikes Belong Coalition is a national bike advocacy organization that encourages grant applications from organizations and agencies within the United States that are committed to putting more people on bicycles more often. Bikes Belong will only fund organizations whose primary mission is bicycle advocacy.
Bike Roswell! is a 501(c)4 organization. The Bike Roswell! Mission is: From recreation to sport to alternative modes of transportation, Bike Roswell! strives to actively promote safe cycling, provide an advocacy platform for Roswell citizens and implement programs to encourage participation with improved parks, roadways and private facilities.
The proposed advocacy grant project will provide motorist and cyclist education and awareness classes in Roswell. The League of American Bicyclists "League Cycling Instructors" (LCI) from the region will incorporate the "train-the-trainer" methodology to expand the educational training options available to participants. The grant funds will also expand beyond traditional community outreach/awareness by targeting marketing efforts toward the growing bicycle riding Hispanic population. The program will be administered by Bike Roswell!, and will be self-sustaining through a nominal cost-share option, marketing sponsorships and donations.
The key goal of the Bikes Belong advocacy grants program is to support large scale, innovative, replicable initiatives that significantly increase ridership and improve conditions for bicycling in big U.S. cities. The maximum amount of the grant is $10,000. Grant requests will not be awarded if 50% or more of the project budget would be Bikes Belong funds.
The Board of Directors of Bike Roswell! is supportive of this action. Bike Roswell! has been actively developing a community wide education program for nearly a year.
The deadline for the grant application was November 30, 2010 and has been submitted by the secretary of Bike Roswell!.
Committee or Staff Recommendation:
On November 22, 2010 the Community Development & Transportation Committee recommended placing this item on the December 13, 2010 Mayor and Council Agenda.
Financial Impact:
Required matching funds in the amount of $10,000 are available in Cost Center #4212 (Transportation Administration), account #572010.
Presented by:
Steve D. Acenbrak, PE LEED AP, Director of Transportation