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By Tom Evans, DRAFT
Rev E,
Several Tennessee bicycle advocates have expressed a desire to establish a formal advocacy organization similar to that in other states with active programs. The critical considerations for a such organization are - What should its scope be - Would it provide enough “value-added” to justify its existence above and beyond established national organizations and city-based organizations, and -
What successful models can This report provides an analysis of advisory and advocacy organizations starting with the broadest scope at the national level and narrower scope of the state level. At this revision level the goal is to recommend scope and organization structure for a Tennessee Advocacy Organization (TAO). Subsequent revisions may analysis “best practices” of state organizations. This report has electronic format meant to be read on a computer with internet access. It has active hyper-links and Internet URL’s allowing the reader to exam references to garner additional detail.
SCOPE/MISSION: Initial suggestions for scope of a TAO are that it should be multi-modal including all forms of surface transportation alternatives to the automobile, such as pedestrian travel, bicycle travel, and regional mass-transit both on-road and off-road. The best guidance addressing this proposal is how federal, state, and municipal transportation authorities and advocacy organizations approach these options. Transportation organizations at the national level and to some extent at the state level can be divided into two groups: those that provide funds and those that distribute or apply those funds. Government and public sector programs are more frequently directed at changing and influencing social behavior. Private sector programs are almost always directed at selling or promoting infrastructure, facilities, or equipment. Government entities are staffed to administer funds. Another important consideration is whether organization membership is derived solely from sponsor entities or is open to general public, i.e. membership-based. Private entities are staffed either by representative from industry specific coalitions providing funds or by membership association from the general public seeking funds. The scope of national organizations is limited to the nature of the funds that they manage and for the most part are not multi-modal beyond consideration for bicycling and walking. Unfortunately, the past may not be a good predictor of the future. Government funding is provided in five-year blocks. In 2009 most expire and must be reauthorized. With the major collapse of the financial systems, the worst recession since the great depression, and the changing of government priorities, past programs will change and good reason exists to expect significant revisions. Without the disruptive funding cycles the private sector for bicycling exhibits more consistent behavior and certainty. In this period of uncertainty, industry interests are likely to dominate and startup organizations that cater to those interests should have an easier time, but could create potential conflict for true advocacy based on cyclist membership. (see later discussion in this report relative to the Leagues of American Cyclists) Starting at the national level, Appendix A provides a hyper-linked list of the major organizations dealing with cycling and is grouped by funding sources and funding distributors. The Federal Transit Administration provides funding through The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005 [1] (expires in 2009) to an extra-ordinarily broad range of activities both within and beyond the competence of a bicycle focused group. Sub-sections of this act that relate to cycling are Transportation Enhancement, Safe Routes to Schools, Highway Safety, and Recreational Trail Projects. For scoping a TAO the program organization/structure and not the details are important. Transportation Enhancement (TE) offers funding opportunities to help expand choices and enhance the surface transportation experience through 12 eligible activities (those most closely related to cycling are highlighted/underlined): -
Provision
of pedestrian and bicycle facilities -
Provision
of pedestrian and bicycle safety and education activities -
Acquisition
of scenic or historic easements and sites -
Scenic or
historic highway programs including tourist and welcome centers - Landscaping and scenic beautification - Historic Preservation - Rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities -
Conversion
of abandoned railway corridors to trails - Control and removal of outdoor advertising - Archaeological planning and research - Environmental mitigation of highway runoff pollution, reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality, maintain habitat connectivity - Establishment of transportation museums The Safe Routes to Schools Program provides funds to the States to substantially improve the ability of primary and middle school students to walk and bicycle to school safely, specifically: - to enable and encourage children, including those with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school - to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age; and - to facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of projects and activities that will improve safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution in the vicinity (approximately 2 miles) of primary and middle schools (Grades K-8). The Highway Safety Program does not have any direct implications for bicycles except under application of the High Risk Rural Roads Program, which appears to be motivating rumbling of State roads to the detriment of cycling. The Recreational Trail Program provides for development, construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of trails and trail facilities used for hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles. FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program operates under Title 23 of the United States Code Section 217 to provide the funding mechanisms, planning requirements, and policy tools necessary to create more walkable and bicycle-friendly communities. Bikes Belong is sponsored by the The next on national list in Appendix A in the distributors of funds, the Alliance for Biking & Walking is a membership organization with a mission to create, strengthen, and unite state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. It’s funding goals are to develop financial resources, donors, and members so that by 2010 the Alliance plans growth to a $400K annual budget with a supporter list of at least 200 member organizations, 100 individuals, and 20 corporate supporters. In addition, the Alliance plans $500K for the State and Local Advocacy Investment Program, largely from Bikes Belong, the bike industry, and key supporters. If interested in Alliance help, one should review their strategic plan at http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/images/uploads/Alliance_Strategic_Plan_2008.doc The National Center for Bicycling &
Walking mission is to create bicycle-friendly and walkable
communities by changing the way communities are planned, designed and
managed. It is not a membership organization.
Its revenues come from grants, contracts, and consulting fees.
Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, it operates from offices located
in America Bikes is an organization of bicycle community leaders that advocates for bike and pedestrian initiatives under the federal transportation bill and is not based on membership. Its platform, a definite read, provides guidance for scoping TAO. See http://www.americabikes.org/docs/Platform.pdf Membership-based the League of American Bicyclists’ mission is to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and to work through advocacy and education with the Bicycle Friendly State, Bicycle Friendly Community and Bicycle Friendly Business Programs focusing on better facilities, encouragement activities, infrastructure and education. Its policy focus and consequently scope is ambiguous and may not provide a certain guidance model for a state level advocacy organization. (Further discussion on this issue follows). America Walks is a national coalition of local autonomous advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities by fostering the development of community-based pedestrian advocacy groups, providing public education about walking benefits, and advising on working effectively with public officials and engineering and design professionals. Walkable Communities has the mission to promote walkability as the cornerstone of a successful, vibrant community. It goal is to emphasize urban environments for sustainability of resources (both natural and economic) and for more social interaction, physical fitness, and diminished social problems. The American Hiking Society mission is to protect the nation’s foot trails and the hiking experience through outdoor recreation, advocacy, volunteering and experiencing nature. With 100,000 members and $6 Million in annual revenues half from membership fees and half from grants, gifts, and contributions, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy works to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors thereby enhancing environment, transportation, economy, neighborhoods and people. Its provides political action to maintain Transportation Enhancement Projects its primary source for funds. Although some of the initial TAO discussion considered a multi-modal mission, nothing at the national level supports a scope beyond bicycle and pedestrian activities. It doesn’t mean a broader mission wouldn’t be viable; it means models suitable for guidance are not evident. Furthermore, when national transportation organizations refer to multi-modal they appear to considering the inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian modes and not rail, air, or water. Bus may be included but only in municipal planning. Evident in a review of advocacy at the national level is the additional dynamic for formulating scope is whether the state organization prioritization is on cyclist issues or on bicycle industry issues. With the availability of funding being critical to the viability of any activity, the decision is not immediately obvious. If an advocacy organization does not have or can maintain “fire breathing” issues to arose an audience, it may have to compromise pragmatically on traditional commercialism.
ORGANIZATION/STRUCTURE: National organizations emphasize a strong alliance between
bicycling and pedestrian advocacy.
Using that alliance as a focus for examination at the state level,
Exhibit B provides hyper-linked list of advisory and advocacy
activities. It is prioritized based on
the ten most bicycle-friendly states per the assessment by the League
of American Bicyclists ( The highest ranked states Washington, Wisconsin, and Maine have long time and extensive advocacy activities with thousands of members. However, that is not the rule. Minnesota, Iowa, and New Jersey hardly have any significant formal effort and are just forming statewide advocacy organizations. According to some of Forester argues that - [C] Increasing the enjoyment of cycling through sponsoring and coordinating cycling events - [N,C] Providing information by which members can better enjoy cycling - [C] Providing organizational support for members to better organize their cycling activities - Providing the organizational framework by which national, regional and local cycling clubs can cooperate -
[ - [C] Instructing cyclists in safe and effective cycling practices - Protecting our right to the roads by improving traffic law and by training police so they enforce the law properly. - Because most cycling takes place on public roads, improve the relationship between cyclists and government highway activities. - Because bicycle transportation has become a matter of social interest, improve the relationship between cyclists and those who are concerned about bicycle transportation. In the above list the row tags [N], [C], or [M] indicate
where this goal can most efficiently be executed, [N] for national such as - Providing the organizational framework by which regional and local cycling clubs can cooperate - Promoting the attractiveness and enjoyment of lawful, competent cycling to attract new members to regional and local clubs -
Protecting our right to the roads by improving
traffic law and by training police so they enforce the law properly (i.e. - Improving the relationship between cyclists and government highway activities (i.e. TDOT). - Improve the relationship between cyclists and those who are concerned about bicycle transportation (i.e. MPO). This dichotomy between bicycle industry and bicycle user
interests is not merely academic and point for argument between purists, but
it is likely to be an irresolvable matter for formation committees without a
clear and certain funding model. Nevertheless, having no better criteria,
this report utilizes Government Bias (i.e Advisory) - Transportation Enhancement [4] lists the state's alternative transportation activity. - BPAC identifies government directed Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committees Citizen Bias (i.e. Advocacy) - State level advocacy groups: Combined and separate bicycle and pedestrian missions. The Transportation Enhancement program is a funding activity established through federal legislation to encourage development of a more balanced, multi-modal approach to mobility and accessibility through for non-traditional, transportation related projects. It is administered by State Departments of Transpor-tation. Exhibit B provides hyper-linkage to implementation for the states being studied in this report. Examination of the how these states utilize these funds
certifies that multi-modal equates to bicycle and pedestrian transport and
virtually nothing else. Examples of projects include: installing
sidewalks, preserving scenic and historic areas, rehabilitating historic
buildings, creating bicycle and multi-use pathways, renovating streetscapes,
installing lighting and crosswalks, etc. In Some states have established Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees (BPAC) to provide guidance to their planning, but that appears to be the exception rather than the rule. States with a strong advocacy presence, such as Washington, have no need for that additional administration and relegate it to the regional/county or municipal level. . The State of - Bike/Ped coordinators are not funded positions. Each of these designated staff people have other primary job duties. Most can not spend more than one-fourth of their time on bicycle and pedestrian safety and mobility. - Bike/Ped coordinators functions are not well known to the public or others in the WSDOT Region Offices; - Bike/Ped coordinators are located in different offices or divisions, at different levels, and have a range of different types of responsibilities identified in their job descriptions. Bud Laumer (Bicycle-Pedestrian Coordinator, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department), in his June 05, 2009 email to members of Tennessee Bike Advocates listserv suggested in his experience, a Bike/Ped Advocacy Council CAN serve at least three functions: - Interagency Coordination of effort, including organizational, programmatic and facilities planning; - Information exchange to improve the quality and quantity of dialog and ultimately of public discussion of bicycle and pedestrian issues; and - Development of individual relationships across agencies by task to facilitate professional development of staff engaged in tasks related to bicycle and pedestrian issues. This is critical to ongoing efforts that will survive any individual membership of a taskforce. He said CAN, because this only works where the State Advocacy Organization (SAO) has buy-in from the very top of the agencies and the committee is valuable only so long as that support remains in place. Beyond the real benefit on avoiding programs that duplicate or work at cross purposes, the SAO can leverage information across agencies and gain benefits of scale that are not available to individual efforts. Bud’s comments are important because they suggest how a State Advisory and Advocacy might operate in unison, thereby providing a fledgling TAO with initial credibility and providing State Agencies with access to volunteer or inexpensive resources. Potentially, if managed effectively, a win-win opportunity for everyone. At this revision level this report has not found guidance for chartering this kind of endeavor. A Google search for specifics of an advisory council for Wisconsin found no Internet documentation. Bud Laumer, who previously resided in Wisconsin, wrote about a Governor Council. It may have been an “ad hoc” council formed to review and accredit the State’s Long Range Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan to which Appendix B links. The Maine Bicycle Council advises the Maine DOT and its Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator on bicycle-related issues and projects. Members are expected to be familiar about issues and problems relating to bicycle planning, policy, and programming and represent all classes and ages of cyclist as well as people with disabilities. Representatives from State and Federal agencies, which have responsibilities/interests in bicycle issues advise the Council where pertinent to their expertise. DOT provides staff support. Council members receive no salary or expenses [7]. - An employee of a unit of local government employed in land-use planning; - A representative of a recognized environmental group; - A person engaged in the business of selling or repairing bicycles; - A member designated by the Oregon Recreation Trails Advisory Council; - At least one member under the age of 21 at the time of appointment; and - Three members at large. The Delaware Bicycle Council established in 1990 considers, reviews, and works on matters pertaining to bicycling, bicycle safety and bicycle safety education and makes recommendations to various state agencies. Its 15 members meets at least five times a year and are appointed by the Governor and include representatives from DOT, Council on Transportation, Department of Education, State Police, Office of Highway Safety, Division of Parks and Recreation, Council on Greenways and Trails, Division of Public Health, and seven regional and at-large citizen members. Staff support is provided by DelDOT's Bicycle/ Pedestrian Coordinator. Its goals/objectives are: - Increase facilities and opportunities for bicycling by working with public sector to develop policies and provide facilities and increasing road shoulders and trails, by maintain existing facilities, and by develop planning mechanisms for providing facilities; - Be an identifiable resource for bicyclists by represent bicycling community in policy-making and legislative process, by serving as a forum for public input The New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Council is coordinated by the Maryland’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee formed in 1991 advises State government agencies on issues directly related to bicycling and pedestrian activity including funding, public awareness, safety and education. The twenty-one member committee is appointed by the Governor with citizens representing geographical regions and State officials representing following agencies: Department of Business and Economic Development, Department of Disabilities, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Planning, Department of Transportation, Department of Education, and State Police. Virginia provides the best documentation of organization guidelines for a State Bicycle and Pedestrian Program. It provides position guides for the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, the District Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinators, the Internal Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force, the Bicycle Accommodations Review Team, and the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The statewide advocacy organizations provide better models
for a TAO. In most case the financial information for an organization is not
found on their Web Site. Nevertheless,
most of that can be found by registering with GuideStar http://www2.guidestar.org/ -- the
source of information about In terms of a subsequent “Best Practices” analysis the Washington
Bicycle Alliance, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, and
the Bicycle Coalition of Maine ( Also, not all state advocacy organizations have paid staff or Executive Director. Formed in the early 1990’s the Virginia Bicycling Federation is a statewide non-profit all-volunteer advocacy organization Washington Bicycle Alliance combines the talents and memberships of Northwest Bicycle Federation a regional non-profit advocacy group and Bicycle Federation of Washington a state-wide lobbying organization to provide a 3000 member organization with over 25 years of experience. They list as accomplishment: - Formation and support of bicycle advisory boards and citizens groups in towns and counties around the state. -
Participation in statewide and - Led the charge to veto a portion of the transportation budget which would have eliminated $5 million in transportation enhancements funding for bicycle projects. - Passage of the Cooper Jones Act in the State legislature: A bike/ped safety education bill. - Prevention of bad bicycle bills by monitoring of state legislation. - Co-organization of three annual statewide conferences, Foot Prints & Bike Tracks, on bicycle & pedestrian funding, education, design, and advocacy. - Oil Smart Bicycle rally and work place bicycle commuting campaign. - Production and distribution of the monthly newsletter, the annual Bicycle Ride Calendar and many other information sheets. They operate with a six-person executive staff, sixteen-person Board of Directors, and a four-person paid staff and an annual budget of approximately $750K Their professionally prepared annual report is at http://www.bicyclealliance.org/data/BAW%20Annual%20Report%202008-Final.pdf , describes their activities, and is worth reading. Their big issue for 2008 is rumble strips. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin is
a statewide, nonprofit, bicycle advocacy organization with nearly 3,000
members that acts through Advocacy, Coordination and Education, to make - Improved facilities such as bicycle lanes, bicycle paths, off-road trails, paved shoulders, and secure bike parking. - Acceptance of responsible cyclists as legitimate road users. - Education of cyclists and motorists. - Representation of cycling issues within all levels of government. - Legislation that is effective and properly enforced. They operate with a twelve-person Board of Directors and a seven-person paid staff and an annual budget of approximately UNKNOWN. No published annual report has been found, but their Web Site is extensive. Formed in 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine with
6,000 members advocates for bicycling safety, education, and access in - Promote bicycle safety by educating bicyclists about helmet use, bike driving skills, and road and trail etiquette - Create a bicycle-friendly environment by advocating for bicyclists' rights, informing decision makers about bicyclists' needs, and educating motorists about how to share the road - Improve access for bicyclists of all ages and abilities by promoting a statewide network of safe roads, bike paths, and trails - Advocate for a bicycle-friendly infrastructure including a roadway network, bicycle parking, and changing and shower facilities at the workplace - Perform a role as the source for information and expertise on nearly all matters bicycle related, especially regarding bicycle safety, education, and access - Serve as a coalition by supporting and coordinating with local, regional, state, and national organizations and agencies and citizens working to promote bicycle safety, education, and access - Promote bicycling for reasons of transportation, environmental preservation, recreation, tourism, and economic development. They operate with a sixteen-person Board of Directors, a fifteen-person Advisory Board, and a four-person paid staff and an annual budget of approximately UNKNOWN. No published annual report has been found, but their Web Site is extensive. Formed in 1990, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance of Oregon
is a non-profit organization with 5000 members working to promote bicycling
and improve bicycling conditions in Their advocacy work is at the local, state and national levels: - Portland Metro Area: network of safe and innovative bicycle facilities connecting bike boulevards, shared roadways, cycletracks and trails by working with public and private agencies and encouraging businesses to improve bike accessibility by offering resources for bike parking and commuter benefits. -
- Local Communities in Oregon and SW Washington: network of members as a principle organizing tool in local communities by supporting active members by: Connecting them to other local BTA member-advocates; Providing technical advice about bike facility design; Sharing our successful advocacy experiences; Connecting advocates to local decision makers and allies; and Helping advocates learn who’s making transportation decisions and how they’re being made. -
Federal Government: works with several national
bicycling organizations by organizing a delegation to national Bike Summit
each year, and playing a leadership role in shaping national Safe Routes to
School policies and programs. The education programs are -
Safe Routes to School: develop, coordinate, and
promote SRTS by providing technical advice and assistance for - Bike Safety Education Classes: teach courses in 4th-7th grade classrooms by bringing resources into schools, including a trained instructor, a fleet of 30 bikes, helmets, brochures and pamphlets, safety vests, videos, and other equipment and training instructors, coordinating program logistics, and assisting with fundraising and volunteer coordination. - Oregon Walk + Bike To School Day and Encouragement Programs: encouragement by offering program activities and events for kids and parents to inspire them to walk and bike to school. -
Pedestrian Safety Education Classes: teach traffic
rules and regulations to children through classroom activities and community walkabouts,
and we reach community adults through neighborhood association, - Pedal Power Squads: an after-school bike program providing students with the tools and the hands-on practice to become safe cyclists, to ride safely on urban streets, and to empower them to ride to and from school and to other destinations, through extensive on-bike practice, map reading skills, and education on the rights and responsibilities of being a cyclist. Sponsored events are - Bike Commute Challenge: offer challenges – and rewards – to bikers and businesses when they bike to work. -
-
-
The Night Ride: once known as the "Midsummer
Night City Bike Tour," this - Tour de Fat: sponsored by New Belgium Brewing, the Tour de Fat raises funds to support the BTA’s work. They operate with a twelve-person Board of Directors and a eighteen-person paid staff and an annual budget of approximately UNKNOWN. http://www.bta4bikes.org/docs/BTA_Annual_Report_2007.pdf Is location of their 2007 published annual report and has an extensive list of contributions, but no totals. The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota is a
tax-exempt non-profit organization whose mission is to provide leadership and
a unified voice for bicycle education, advocacy and efforts to make Their organization appears to be a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, an Executive Director, and three-person Executive Committee. Their annual budget is UNKNOWN and little information is available. Formed in 2004 the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is
non-profit organization working to promote bicycling in -
Bike - Bike Safety Classes taught by certified League Cycling Instructors: Road I, Road II, Commuting, Kids I, Kids II - Share The Road specialty license plate - Support for Safe Routes to School - Support for Bike to Work and other commuter activities Governed by a 12-person board of directors that meets every other month either by phone or in-person with an annual meeting in April, it has a paid staff of three people. It’s first-year fundraising goal was $100,000 offering special Founding Memberships. Although a fairly limited endeavor, it has an excellent set of By-Laws that are found at http://www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/bylaws . The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists promotes efforts to improve bicycling usage and bicycling safety by addressing law enforcement and transportation engineering issues through education, outreach and advocacy programs thereby enhancing the role of bicycling in local, county and statewide transportation plans. Not much useful is available on their Web Site accept their organization chart: Officers of the Corporation: President & Treasurer, Secretary, Three Vice Presidents Board of Directors (9): Chairman of the Board, Three Unassigned, Assistant Director of Education, Director of Education, Outreach, Rail Safety & Access, Director at Large Committee Chair Posts: Women's Education Chair, Northern Arizona Representative, Southern Arizona Representative, Rail Safety & Access Chair, Webmaster, Maricopa County Maps Chair, Membership Chair, Fundraising, Safe Routes to School, Newsletter The Bike-Walk Alliance of NH is a non-profit organization for statewide focal point for bicycling and pedestrian related issues including safety and education programs, for a clearinghouse and resource for literature, and for promotion of viable programs initiated by other organizations. It goals are - To be the voice for bicyclists and pedestrians. - To ensure streets are bicycle and pedestrian friendly. - Provide resources and support bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages. -
Endorse the - To be the statewide liaison for all bicycling clubs. - Promote bicycle and pedestrian safety, education, and trail access. - Advocate for cyclists and pedestrian rights. - Publicize that bicycles are legal vehicles on our roadways. - Enhance state and local laws to incorporate the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians. They have the following organization: Executive
Director, Director, Treasurer, Secretary, Attorney and Grant Writer, Programs
& Technical Advisor, Bike Delaware is a coalition of
like minded citizens and organizations that promote bicycling as a healthy
alternative to driving and advocate safe provisions within our transportation
system by identifying, prioritizing, and addressing local bicycle issues; by
protecting the rights and legal status of bicyclists; and by greatly
enhancing As a small non-profit organization they have the following organization: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary. They list seventeen liaisons with local cycling clubs. Their annual budget is UNKNOWN.
The New Jersey Bicycle Coalition was
formed in early 2009 due to a perceived lack of a central, unifying force for
cycling advocacy in Their Goals and Objectives are to: - Advocate on behalf of cyclists before public bodies, including elected officials and government agencies - Focus attention on cycling-related issues which may transcend the interests and abilities of local bicycling clubs - Sponsor public events, both independently and in partnership with other organizations - Promote cycling as a healthy, enjoyable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable means of transportation and recreation -
Work together with other advocacy and cycling groups
such as WalkBikeJersey, Bike Montclair, JORBA, Transportation Alternatives to
ensure safer cycling in They are staffed entirely by volunteers. They are in the final stages of incorporating and processing their application as a non-profit corporation. They plan to post their bylaws of their Web Site after review. Their plans for action are listed at http://www.njbike.org/actions.html . Founded in 1972 the Washington Area Bicyclist Association mission is to create a healthy, more livable region by promoting bicycling for fun, fitness, and affordable transportation; advocating for better bicycling conditions and transportation choices for a healthier environment, and educating children, adults, and motorists about safe bicycling with the following priorities: -
Complete Streets policies in DC and in - Construction of the Metropolitan Branch Trail and Anacostia Trail - Increase miles of bike lanes striped across region - Promote bike sharing service in DC -
Identify funding for a Bike Plan for - Reconstruction of the Rock Creek Trail -
A Bike Coordinator for - Protect the Custis Trail from the widening of I-66 -
Ensure a bike-friendly transportation center in - Improve training of police officers and bus drivers -
Expand Bike Safety programs in It operates with an eight-person paid and three-person volunteer staff. It has a thirteen-person Board of Directors. Its By-Laws are at http://www.waba.org/about/bylaws.pdf . It has a large list of donors at http://www.waba.org/documents/WABASpring09web.pdf but no budget totals. Formed in the early 1990’s the Virginia Bicycling Federation is a statewide non-profit all-volunteer advocacy organization that works to change public policy and community attitudes, to improve the safety, convenience, and acceptance of bicycling. They promote: - Bicyclist safety through education for bicyclists and motorists, and - Bicycling as a safe, low cost, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and healthy means of transportation, recreation, and exercise. It operates with a ten-person Board of Directors. No budget data are available. The Ohio Bicycle Federation is the
only statewide advocacy organization representing It is an alliance of individuals and groups interested in promoting the use of bicycles for recreation, transportation and other appropriate purposes. It serves by providing opportunities for the betterment of bicycle education, engineering, legislation, the encouragement of activities involving the use of bicycles and by serving as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas. Its Constitution can be found at http://www.ohiobike.org/misc/constitution.pdf Its advocacy efforts consist of: - Reforming Bicycle Traffic Laws by promoting best practices, based on education for safe and effective bicycle transportation planning. This is suitable background information for those involved in local advocacy to present to planning boards and government agencies. - "Cyclist Friendly" Communities Award as opposed to "Bicycle Friendly." Many of the most important measures to help cyclists cost little or nothing! It provides resources for Cycling Safely and Efficiently (contributed by Fred Oswald) and operates with a nineteen-person Board of Directors. No budget is available. Bicycle Colorado is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to building a bicycle-friendly - Overturning the State Patrol’s surprising cap on bike events - Protecting bicyclists with the Bicycle Safety Bill - Getting the Road Rage Hotline approved to report motorists who put bicyclists at risk - Protecting and improving important mountain bike trails - Educating thousands of school children on how to safely bike to school It operates with a nine- to eighteen-person Board of Directors. No budget is available. Its By-laws can be found at http://bicyclecolo.org/dir/117/files/BYLAWS_2006-12-20.pdf A common theme tends to run through these state level
organizations and is reflected in - METRICS: Bicycle Friendly Community Program (its metrics benefit commercial interest rather than cycling. See Bike Lanes, Bureaucrats and Bicycle Friendly Communities by Limeport Consulting) - EDUCATION: BikeEd program offers the only nationwide instructor certification program (LCI). It is use by states in implemented their Safe Routes to School Programs. - SELF PROMOTION: National Bike Month [commercial with no benefit to cycling] - COMMUNICATION: American Bicyclist magazine (mostly a catalog, not a cycling magazine.) -
POLITICAL ACTION: -
COORDINATION: Annual Bike - TECHNICAL EXPERTISE: Advise to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on rumble strip design [We know how much this has helped] - PREMIUMS: Member discounts on travel arrangements and at bike shops. As a general consideration an SAO shouldn’t include in its scope activities that are best administered through individual municipalities or compete with comparable organizations serving the municipality -- unless efficiencies are achieved through consolidation of efforts, cross-state coordination, or resource clearinghouses. Topical candidates for exclusion are inner city bike paths and lanes, bike parks, mountain bike trails, BMX facilities, walking and pedestrian trails, paths, and sidewalks, greenways. They are very localized. Advisory participation is highly dependent of municipal government priorities in which they wholly reside. Advocacy participation is probably best administered through local walking and cycling clubs and businesses. Competitive candidates for
exclusion are the metropolitan areas of Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville
for reasons described below. In its initial formation a Tennessee
Advocacy Operation should focus on how it can serve areas outside these three
regions where strong organizations already function or could serve. The Chattanooga Urban Area Bicycle Task Force (BTF) is a group of citizens, government agency and business representatives interested in transportation planning pertaining to bicycling and serves as an advisory committee to the Chattanooga-Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization TPO. They devise plans and programs to facilitate and promote the safe use of bicycles as a viable mode of transportation and recreation for all ages and skill levels. Their key objectives are: to promote connections via bike facilities, for example connecting neighborhoods to schools, employment centers, recreation and shopping areas; to promote education for cyclists, skaters, pedestrians and motorists about their proper relationship in traffic; to encourage the maintenance and design of roadways to eliminate cycling hazards; and to identify and seek support for bicycle initiatives. [8] Chattanooga is represented by strong advocacy in Bike Chattanooga and Outdoor Chattanooga. In Knoxville in 2001, the Transportation Planning
Operation (TPO) created the Bicycle Advisory Committee ( The Nashville BPAC is an advisory committee for the Metropolitan Government established by Mayor Karl Dean to promote and encourage safe bicycling and walking to further Nashville’s goal of becoming a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly city and to increase the safe usage of bicycle and pedestrian facilities as a significant and beneficial mode of transportation and recreation.[10] Nashville is also represented by strong advocacy organizations of Walk/Bike Nashville and Music City Moves.
CARDS FACE UP ON
THE TABLE The best place to start is with Kelley’s email which appears below: -----Original Message----- From: To: Subject: [TNBikeAdvocates] Re: Advocacy in TN I think Phil has talked about this before, but a few years ago, there
was an attempt to start a
statewide group. I started a listserv, kind of like this one. And nothing happened. The people in I and others in town would be happy to participate in a group, but I
think there would need to be a paid staff person to run an effective
organization. It leads to the following issues for a State Advocacy Organization (SAO): - Is a SAO a “solution” looking for a problem to solve? -
Is -
Why are - What happened with the initiative noted in Kelley’s above e-mail? -
Is primary motivation behind national and state advocacy
organizations the selling of bicycles, facilities, and influence and to a far
lesser extent the betterment of cycling.
For example, Bicycle Magazine, At the current stage of the preliminary discussion in the
Tennessee Bike Advocates listserv, the progress documented for New
Jersey Bicycle Coalition best reflects what should be expected for 1) First six months: Establish a volunteer steering committee to formulate a charter, by-laws, and preliminary strategic plan for a proposed organization. Three issues are important: who is going to lead it, who should be on it, and what kind and source of funding is realistic. 2) Next three months: Submit a preliminary strategic plan to every Bike Club and Shop. 3) Next three month: File for legal status, select and install a Board of Directors, and elect Officers. The general consensus is that Pat Clement should be Chairman of the Steering Committee although he has not formally volunteered to serve in that capacity. If he is unable to devote the time required by a Chair-man, the committee needs to find someone who has good connections in the state cycling community (s/he is going to have to solicit donation commitments), is firmly committed to making the SAO happen, and has the time to devote to the job. Very likely, this person would continue as President and unpaid Executive Director, at least for the first year) after the organization is formalized. Regarding personal biographies for advocates the steering committee needs to know upon whom it can call as resource. Not all the skills listed below are required for the formation of the Tennessee Advocacy, but are likely to be required in varying degrees during the first five years of operation. - Attorneys, for pro bono review of articles of incorporation and by-laws - Fund Raisers, obtain preliminary finances - Politicians / Club Officers / Members of State & Municipal BPAC’s, sell organization across the state and into State Legislature, TDOT and MPO. - Accountants or Financial Officers, prepare budgets, file financial statements - Planning and Project Management. - Media Expertise, get the word out to solicit broad support. - Experienced Advocates, relate tradition and history of what been tried. - Grant / Newsletter Writers - Web Masters, primary communications for fledgling organization - League Certified Instructors - Public Sector Employees working in Bike/Ped related assignments, MPO, TDOT, TDEC, etc. - Managers, Directors, Administrators of major volunteer organizations. - Volunteers committed to work to make Advocacy Organization a reality. - “Fire in the Belly” to make an advocacy organization happen through personal commitment The Steering Committee needs expertise to develop a Charter, By-Laws, Strategic and Long Range Operational and Program Plans for a corporation to give it sufficient credibility to establish and maintain funding. It must respond convincingly to the aforementioned SAO issues; sell the value of an TAO to potential sponsors, organizations, and individual members; and produce meaningful results, detailing the specifics of what TAO is going to do and the values derived from doing it. An alternative that makes more sense than starting a TAO is to expand Walk/Bike Nashville (WBN) into a statewide advocacy organization: -
WBN is an established non-profit corporation already
doing for the metropolitan area of - WBN is centrally located at the capital of the state and seat of government - It would eliminate likely overlap and competition between WBN and a TAO. - The core motivation for a statewide organization is coming primarily from resident in the area served by WBN. STEPS TO If the advocates choose to form an independent
organization, APPENDIX C: Nonprofit Start-up Checklist and
APPENDIX D: Initial Filings for Tennessee Nonprofit Organizations provide
good outlines of what is required in documentation and filing fees. They can add legal fees, if they choose
engage an attorney, but is definitely not necessary. The Tennessee Non-Profit Corporation Act
[11], Appendix C and D, and numerous examples quoted in this report and found
on the Internet provide clear guidance to a do-it-yourself approach. The Web Site Interactive Knowledge for
Nonprofit Organiza-tions Worldwide http://www.iknow.org/Main.cfm?Main=26
provides valuable information in getting started. The first step is to draft the Charter or Articles of Incorporation. APPENDIX E provides a fill-in-the blanks sample that meets the requirements of Tennessee Code Annotated 48-52-102 (Charter). The following decisions plus $100 is all that is necessary
to formally establish the organization in - Name of the Organization - Its purpose or mission - Address and name of the Registered Agent (same as organization). - Identify the incorporators To qualify for exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization’s articles of organization must contain certain provisions. See following link for example of charter that contains required info http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=123028,00.html as to purposes and powers of an organization and disposition of its assets upon dissolution, in order to qualify for exemption under section 501(c)(3). There is no reason to provide anything more than the bare
essentials. The operational details
are included in the By-Laws. Although
Federal and State Laws do not require any specific verbiage in the By-Laws,
the Section 48-52-105 of Tennessee Code Annotated describes the processes after incorporation. After incorporation the incorporator or incorporators shall hold an organizational meeting at the call of a majority of the incorporators and upon two (2) days' notice of the date, time, and place of the meeting to: (A) Elect directors and complete the organization of the corporation; or (B) Elect a board of directors who shall complete the organization of the corporation. Action required or permitted by chapters 51 through 68 of this title [See 11] to be taken by incorporators at an organizational meeting may be taken without a meeting. If all incorporators consent to taking such action without a meeting, the affirmative vote of the number of incorporators that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting is the act of the incorporators. The action must be evidenced by one (1) or more written consents describing the action taken, signed by each incorporator in one (1) or more counterparts, indicating each signing incorporator's vote or abstention on the action, and shall be included in the minutes or filed with the corporate records reflecting the action taken. The most important activity is the drafting of the
By-Laws. A sample draft for the With previous e-mail exchanges on the TNBikeAdvocates listserv wanting to keep the scope inter-modal this topic could be contentious. However, the By-Laws is not a “womb to tomb” document. It can and should be amended in future as needs dictate. Initially, it is best to restrict the scope to something manageable within the start-up resources. Whereas, the Charter should be broad, the By-Laws should commerce as a sub-set. Specifically, it should address - Bicycle Only (Transportation and Recreation Vehicle) or Bicycle and Walking. - Advocacy Only or Advocacy and Government Agency Cooperative - State Level Only or State and Municipal, when the later has no established resource. - Non-Commercial Interests of Cyclists or include commercial interests. - Method of Funding – Dues only, donations, fund raising, grants, etc. A good mission statement will provide guidance on the organization of the Board of Directors. The minimum participation is the officers. Next are the regional representatives. Identify the regions and how the representative is selected. Next would be the topical representatives, such as Training, Communi-cations, Fund Raising, Political Action, etc. Same questions as the regional reps – identify topics and method for selection. And lastly the agency representatives from TDOT, MPO/TPO, TDEC, Health and Health and Human Services, Municipal BPAC liaisons, Law Enforcement, etc. Again same questions – what agencies and method for selection. The following link provides a list of references for selecting a board http://www.managementhelp.org/boards/boards.htm#anchor821533 Lastly, the leading topic for divorces – money. Initially, with personal and “pro bono” contributions the volunteers we can do much of the work with minimal out-of-pocket expenses. However, APPENDIX D suggests a start-up organization can have up to $500 in filing fees. How do the incorporators plan to obtain that money -- sponsor a walk/ride event, sell advertising, solicit donations, apply for grants, etc. No “pie-in-the-sky,” the organization meeting needs and plans to provide solid leads for cold cash in the bank. REFERENCES (contains Active Hyperlinks to
Internet)
1) See http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/ 2) See http://fogbees.homestead.com/files/Advocacy/bfs_master_ranking_table_2009.pdf 3) See http://www.labreform.org/LABReformPolicies.html 4) See http://www.enhancements.org/Links.asp 5) See http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/local/grants.htm 6) See http://wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/E95CD65B-439D-4E32-95CA-024FE97CA21A/0/ReportD.pdf 7) See http://www.maine.gov/mdot/opt/get-invlolved.php 8) See http://www.bikechattanooga.org/BicycleTaskForce.html 9) See http://www.knoxtrans.org/about/bikecomm.htm 10) See http://www.nashville.org/mayor/bpac/index.asp 11) See http://fogbees.homestead.com/files/advocacy/TNCA.pdf
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APPENDIX A
NATIONAL ADVISORY
(contains
Active Hyperlinks to Internet)
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FUNDING
SOURCES |
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Public
Sector |
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Private Sector |
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FUNDING DISTRIBUTORS |
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Joint
Advocacy: Walk/Bike |
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Bicycle
Advocacy |
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Pedestrian
Advocacy |
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Trails |
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CLEARINGHOUSES |
APPENDIX B
STATE ADVISORY
(contains Active
Hyperlinks to Internet)
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The
following is a listing of Advisory and Advisory activities for the top ten
most bicycle friendly states as noted |
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in the
League of American Bicyclists 2009 assessment, plus five other notable
states. Hyperlinks provide |
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direction
to Web Sites containing details. |
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Transportation |
DOT |
ADVOCACY |
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Enhancement |
BPAC |
Joint Bike/Ped |
Bike Only |
Ped Only |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
NA |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 |
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9 |
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10 |
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- |
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- |
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None |
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NA |
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- |
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None |
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- The Transportation
Enhancement column directs to a listing of the state's activity
supporting alternative transportation |
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- The DOT BPAC
column directs to details of Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committees
for the state's Department of Transportation. |
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If the state does not have an advisory
committee, but has a Long Range Bike/Ped Plan that shows as Plan. |
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Some states defer to regional or
municipal authorities for such advisory. |
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- Statewide citizen advocacy groups are
listed in the Advocacy section.
Most state action is directed separately to bicycle and pedestrian |
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advocacy.
The column listings provide direction to the appropriate
organization. In this version of the
analysis primary focus is on bicycle |
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advocacy.
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In 2003 Virginia
Department of Transportation provided a listing of advocacy
activities in all states. Some of the
information is inaccurate |
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and does
not provide access to actual organizations.
It is useful as a general overview. |
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The
report can be found at http://www.virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_reports/pdf/02-tar1.pdf |
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APPENDIX C Nonprofit
Start-up Checklist (contains
Active Hyperlinks to Internet) The following checklist is provided by Center for Non-profit Management * · Has a unique name been selected? · Have state articles of incorporation [see Appendix E] been filed? Forms are available from the Tennessee Secretary of State at (615) 741-2286. ·
Have Publication 557
(Tax Exempt Status for Your Organization), Form 1023
and instructions, Form 872-C,
and Form 8718 (instructions)
been obtained from the ·
Has a federal employer identification number (EIN)
been obtained from the · Have you applied for your State Charitable Solicitations Permit? (http://www.state.tn.us/sos/charity/index.htm ) · Has a mission statement been developed which clearly defines the purpose of your organization in terms of why you exist and who you serve? · Has a narrative of your services been developed that describes what services you provide, how they are delivered, to whom, by whom, and where? · Have by-laws been developed? · Do you intend to engage in political activities or lobbying as part of your services? · Has a board of directors been established? · Have the sources of funds and volunteers been identified? Will you engage in unrelated activities which will generate revenue? · Has a plan for fundraising been developed? · Has paid staff, if any, been hired? · Have all those with special interests and relationships been identified? · Has a financial history (3 years) and projection been developed, and has a balance sheet been prepared? ·
Has an application been made to the Tennessee
Department of Revenue for a tax exempt certificate? (A copy of the * See http://www.cnm.org/content.aspx?page=NPStartup Also check the following link for a list of Non-profit resources: http://www.cnm.org/content.aspx?page=OnlineResources |
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APPENDIX D Initial
Filings for (contains
Active Hyperlinks to Internet) To Incorporate in Tennessee Department of State, Corporate Filings 312 Information: (615) 741-2286, Web Site: http://state.tn.us/sos Filing Fee: $100 To obtain 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Status submit Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption to: Internal Revenue Service Information: (800) 829-1040, Forms: (800) 829-3676, Web Site: http://www.irs.gov/charities Filing Fee: $750 ($300
if revenues less than $10,000/year) To Obtain Tennessee Franchise and Excise Tax Exemption: Nonprofit corporations are automatically exempt from Franchise and Excise taxes and need not apply for exemption. To Obtain Sales Tax Exemption: Submit the Application for Registration for exempt entities along with the proper attachments as described in the application's instructions to: Tennessee Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services Division Information: (615) 253-0600, Web Site: http://state.tn.us/revenue Filing Fee: $0 To Register with the Charitable Solicitations Division:
Nonprofit organizations must register with the Charitable Solicitations
division of the Tennessee Department of State before soliciting for
contributions by submitting the Application for Registration (Form SS-6001) along with a
copy of the organization's bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, most recently
filed Tennessee Department of State, Charitable Solicitations Information: (615) 741-2555, Web Site: http://state.tn.us/sos/charity Filing Fee: $50 Notes: Certain organizations such as religious institutions, educational institutions, organizations that receive less than $30,000 annually, and other organizations are exempt from filing. However, they must file an Exemption Request form (SS-6042). Refer to the Department of State's website for details. Those organizations receiving more than $300,000 in gross revenues during its fiscal year must submit an audited financial statement. New organizations that have not had any fiscal activity at the time of filing will be required to file an unaudited financial report (Form SS-6039) within 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter. These reports are filed at the same address listed above. |
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APPENDIX E Sample
Charter C H A R T
E R OF ______________________________________ The undersigned natural
person, having capacity to contract and acting as the incorporator of a
corporation under the Tennessee
General Corporation Act, adopts the following charter for such
corporation: 1.
The name of the
corporation is ___________________________________. 2.
The duration of the corporation is perpetual. 3.
The address of the principal office of the
corporation in the State of 4.
The corporation is not for profit. 5.
The purpose(s)
for which the corporation is organized are ________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ as set
forth in the Mission Statement stated in the By-Laws of the Corporation. 6.
The corporation
shall have members. 7.
No part of the
net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable
to its members, directors, officers, or other private persons, except that
the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable
compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in
furtherance of the goals and objectives set forth in the Mission
Statement. No substantial part of the
activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda or
supporting any political campaign. This statement does not imply that the
membership of the organization shall not be able to attempt to encourage
legislation aimed at promoting the goals of the organization. However, this
is not the primary purpose of this corporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of
these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not
permitted to be carried on by an 8.
The corporation
shall be a public benefit corporation. Upon the dissolution of the
corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision
for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, donate all
remaining assets to another 501(c)(3) organization
as the Board of Directors shall determine. 9.
The Board of
Directors is expressly authorized to (a) take, on written consent without a
meeting, any action which it could take by means of a regularly called and
held meeting, provided that such written consent sets forth the action so
taken and is signed by all the directors; (b) Adopt, amend, restate, or
repeal any of the corporation’s by-laws; (c) by a vote of a majority of the
entire Board of Directors, remove a member of the Board for “cause” as
defined by Section 48-2-807(a) of the Tennessee General Corporation Act. 10. The address of the registered office and the registered agent for the corporation shall be __________________________________________________________________________ . ____________ _______________________________ __________________________________ Date Incorporator – Name
Printed
Incorporator - Signature |