To prepare the intrepid bloggists and blog followers unfamiliar with the happenings of our class, I’ll clue you in. As the conclusion of 3PM 280 draws neigh, so too, must we conjure the triumphant display of our procured knowledge from the nonprofit world. In non-bloggenese dialect, I’m referring to, of course, our research paper. So, with that being said, I give you my abstract, my inspiration, and a few resources that I plan on using. Enjoy!
What is the role of nonprofits in the cycling community? Specifically, what progression has the role of nonprofits had in cycling, how do they currently function, and what path can we expect from this movement in the future? The relationship between cycling and nonprofits is a unique one. The growth of cycling’s role in active transportation is multifaceted. Distinct to biking is the merging of cultural, societal, and infrastructural needs. Most notable about this marriage of opportunities is the ability to quantify progress in an otherwise abstract area. With funding options often hindered by requisite progress or goal reports, nonprofits unable to valuate their impact are left with little support. By exploring the roles nonprofits assume within cycling we can achieve a more coherent map of how to approach this bridge between the quantifiable and progress otherwise undefined by the empirical.
In any instance of deficit, charitable giving and altruism have sought to tackle the challenges we face as a society. The nonprofit sector tends to mirror our approach to meeting these needs. At one point in history we gave simply for the sake of helping others in need. Arguably, in the name of efficiency this transitioned to the explicit need to assign a value to the achievements made by such giving. While the benefits of this approach may have finally been realized with the recent increase in government support, giving based on measure alone creates hurdles within the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits struggle to receive support when their mission ties directly to strengthening the community or building social capitol. Rather than focusing on the organization’s goal, nonprofits are often compelled to divert energy and resources into creating methods to measure their impact. An analysis of the nonprofit sector’s relationship with the cycling community may provide insight into how organizations can activate the cultural element of a given cause. There is a common goal for organizations in their approach to cycling- increase ridership. The knowledge gained come from how we foster that ridership can provide insight into what works and what doesn’t in a field otherwise dominated by quantifiable data. When a city builds bike and pedestrian pathways, we expect increased use. Yet a more dynamic approach may be to spur usage by utilizing societal and cultural elements within the community at large. When nonprofits add bike parks, teach bike education in schools, hold group rides, bike scavenger hunts, and fund bike related art projects, they are building our cycling community through cultural relevance. Documented increase in bike usage comes from applying that cultural connection. Quantifying the unquantifiable, something bike nonprofits do well.
Here’s a sampling of resources that I plan on using for the paper.
Heseman, Loek. Cycling in the Pacific Northwest. 1997. Dutch Ministry of Transportation, Public Works, and Water Management
Peters, Deike. Por El Futuro, Usemos Bicicletas: Feasibility Study for a Cycling Network in Managua. 1997. Institute for transportation and Development Policy
http://africabike.konaworld.com/
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