Advocacy in Action: Climate Change

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On this episode, we turn to nonprofits that are tackling nothing less than an existential crisis—climate change. Learn more about how some organizations are tackling this, and how that fits within the laws governing their work.

Lawyers for this episode

Tim Mooney Quyen Tu Jen Powis

Show Notes

  • Administrative advocacy with the EPA or state based DEQs – Bayou City Waterkeeper
  • Electoral
    • Nonpartisan
      • Earthjustice
      • Conservation Lands Foundation
    • Partisan work
      • Sierra Club’s PACs
      • Sunrise PAC
    • Ballot Measures
  •  

Resources

The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1

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I’ve taken listeners on a bunch of rides on the C&O, but I’ve never really done the full guide to cycling it. In the first of two parts, it’s an audio guide to cycling the C&O Canal towpath whether you’re a first timer of a full on expert.


The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath - Part 1

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1

Basics

  • Route and length
  • Brief history
  • Surface
  • Weather

FAQs

  • Do I need big tires?
  • How many hills are there?
  • What’s the best direction?
  • What’s the best time of year?
  • Where do I camp?
  • I don’t want to camp – can I do this?
  • Where do I eat?
  • Where can I fill my water bottles?
  • What’s the wildlife situation?
  • Hey I thought this trail went to Pittsburgh?
  • What’s the best way to get to the trailheads?

Next episode

The C&O is 184.5 miles… let’s break each section down in ten mile chunks and chat about each section!

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer’s upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there’s one-shot and annual options if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson
Caleb Jenkinson
Cameron Lien
Andrew MacGregor
Michael Hart
Keith Nagel
Brock Dittus
Thomas Skadow
Marco Lo
Terrance Manson
Harry Telgadas
Chris Barron
Mark Van Raam
Brad Hipwell
Mr. T
Nathan Poulton
Stephen Dickerson
Vince LoGreco
Cody Floerchinger
Tom Benenati
Greg Braithwaite
Sandy Pizzio
Jeff Muster
Seth Pollack
Joseph Quinn
Drue Porter
Byron Paterson
Joachim Raber
Ray Jackson
Jeff Frey
Kenny Mikey
Lisa Hart
John Denkler
Steve Hankel
Miguel Quinones
Alejandro Avilés-Reyes
Keith Spangler
Greg Towner
Dan Gebhart, RIP
Jody Dzuranin
Lucas Barwick
Michael Baker
Brian Bechtol
Reinhart Bigl
Greg Middlemis
Connie Moore
William Gothmann
Brian Benton
Joan Churchill
Mike Bender
Rick Weinberg
Billy Crafton
Gary Matushak
Greg L’Etoile-Lopes
James Sloan
Jonathan Dillard
John Funk
Tom Bilcze
Ronald Piroli
Dave Roll
Brian Hafner
Misha LeBlanc
Ari Messinger
David Gratke
Todd Groesbeck
Wally Estrella
Sue Reinert
John Leko
Stephen Granata
Phillip Mueller
Robert Lackey
Dominic Carol
Jacqi McCulloch
John Hickman
Carl Presseault
David Neves
Patty Louise
Terry Fitzgerald
Peter Steinmetz
Timothy Fitzpatrick
Michael Liszewski
Hank O’Donnell
David Zanoni
David Weil
Matthew Sponseller
Chad Reno
Spartan Dale
Carolyn Ferguson
Peggy Littlefield
Lauren Allansmith
Eric Burns
Thomas Pearl
Darrin McKibben
Richard Stewart
Dave Fletcher

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 262: Guide to Cycling the C&O Towpath – Part 1 appeared first on Pedalshift.

Best of Pedalshift 120: Touring Alaska

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Ella Embree is a born and bred Alaskan with a big sense of adventure. Recently Ella was inspired by Lael Wilcox to tackle a new adventure – bicycle touring 1000 miles around her home state, some on a tandem. It’s all about touring Alaska on this best of, as we listen in on what she was thinking on the eve of the first leg!

Originally podcast May 31, 2018.

Best of Pedalshift 120: Touring Alaska

The post Best of Pedalshift 120: Touring Alaska appeared first on Pedalshift.

Advocacy by 501(c)(4)s – Part 2

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On this episode, so you have a 501(c)(4) to advocate on your issues. How do you fund it when you can’t offer tax deductibility to your donors? And what’s so great about them around election season? Listen up and we’ll talk fundraising strategies and give an overview on the power of independent expenditures. This is the second of a two-part series. Lawyers for this episode Tim Mooney Quyen Tu Jen Powis Shownotes

  • Funding strategies for 501(c)(4)s
    • Non-deductibility disclaimers in solicitations
    • Joint fundraisers
    • Foundation grants
    • Lobbying grants from 501(c)(3)s
  • Independent expenditures  

Resources

Why create a 501(c)(4)?

501(c)(4) Strategy and Discussion Guide

Considering Starting a 501(c)4? Case Studies

Primer on Social Welfare Organizations: Using 501(c)(4) Organizations for Good

Power of Collaboration

Starting a 501(c)(4) organization 

How to operate a 501(c)(4)

The Connection

Comparison of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) permissible activities

Accountability Advocacy: How 501(c)(4)s Can Hold Elected Officials Accountable for Their Actions

Why (c)(3)s and (c)(4)s need to work collaboratively

Sample Timesheets

Sample Cost Allocation Agreement

Life Cycle of a Social Welfare Organization | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)

The Pedalshift Project 261: A Game of Chance Tour – Part 2

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As I said last time… sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there’s the latest bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the final installment, we learn preparation can sometimes be the key to a good tour, or it can mean you carry a lot in your panniers more for show.


The Pedalshift Project 261: A Game of Chance Tour - Part 2

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 261: A Game of Chance Tour – Part 2 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Fall 2021 Tour: A Game of Chance – Part 2

Choice for this part include:

Stay on the WMRT
Westbound on the C&O
Eastbound on the C&O back to the WMRT
Stay on the C&O, keep going eastbound
Read some signs
Sundown coming – C&O bicycles, two campgrounds, or… <sigh>
 
I was all set to get up the next morning and do another leg of the tour but ended up having that nagging injury return, so I’m postponing the rest of the tour for later next month and OF COURSE you’re invited. We’re dropping the chance on this one because that made my head explode for what essentially was an out and back ¯_(ツ)_/¯

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer’s upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there’s one-shot and annual options if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson
Caleb Jenkinson
Cameron Lien
Andrew MacGregor
Michael Hart
Keith Nagel
Brock Dittus
Thomas Skadow
Marco Lo
Terrance Manson
Harry Telgadas
Chris Barron
Mark Van Raam
Brad Hipwell
Mr. T
Nathan Poulton
Stephen Dickerson
Vince LoGreco
Cody Floerchinger
Tom Benenati
Greg Braithwaite
Sandy Pizzio
Jeff Muster
Seth Pollack
Joseph Quinn
Drue Porter
Byron Paterson
Joachim Raber
Ray Jackson
Jeff Frey
Kenny Mikey
Lisa Hart
John Denkler
Steve Hankel
Miguel Quinones
Alejandro Avilés-Reyes
Keith Spangler
Greg Towner
Dan Gebhart, RIP
Jody Dzuranin
Lucas Barwick
Michael Baker
Brian Bechtol
Reinhart Bigl
Greg Middlemis
Connie Moore
William Gothmann
Brian Benton
Joan Churchill
Mike Bender
Rick Weinberg
Billy Crafton
Gary Matushak
Greg L’Etoile-Lopes
James Sloan
Jonathan Dillard
John Funk
Tom Bilcze
Ronald Piroli
Dave Roll
Brian Hafner
Misha LeBlanc
Ari Messinger
David Gratke
Todd Groesbeck
Wally Estrella
Sue Reinert
John Leko
Stephen Granata
Phillip Mueller
Robert Lackey
Dominic Carol
Jacqi McCulloch
John Hickman
Carl Presseault
David Neves
Patty Louise
Terry Fitzgerald
Peter Steinmetz
Timothy Fitzpatrick
Michael Liszewski
Hank O’Donnell
David Zanoni
David Weil
Matthew Sponseller
Chad Reno
Spartan Dale
Carolyn Ferguson
Peggy Littlefield
Lauren Allansmith
Eric Burns
Thomas Pearl
Darrin McKibben
Richard Stewart
Dave Fletcher

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 261: A Game of Chance Tour – Part 2 appeared first on Pedalshift.

The Pedalshift Project 260: A Game of Chance Tour – Part 1

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Sometimes bad ideas go good, and good ideas go bad. And then there’s the latest bonkers idea of a tour I had… a game of chance. In the first of two parts, let’s see how random selection of route, direction and more makes for a tour. Where are we going – chance decides!


The Pedalshift Project 260: A Game of Chance Tour - Part 1

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 260: A Game of Chance Tour – Part 1 (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Fall 2021 Tour: A Game of Chance – Part 1

Choice for this part include:

Where (C&O, GAP, PA)

Starting point

Direction

Whether you have to listen to me reading signs

And more!

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer’s upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there’s one-shot and annual options if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson
Caleb Jenkinson
Cameron Lien
Andrew MacGregor
Michael Hart
Keith Nagel
Brock Dittus
Thomas Skadow
Marco Lo
Terrance Manson
Harry Telgadas
Chris Barron
Mark Van Raam
Brad Hipwell
Mr. T
Nathan Poulton
Stephen Dickerson
Vince LoGreco
Cody Floerchinger
Tom Benenati
Greg Braithwaite
Sandy Pizzio
Jeff Muster
Seth Pollack
Joseph Quinn
Drue Porter
Byron Paterson
Joachim Raber
Ray Jackson
Jeff Frey
Kenny Mikey
Lisa Hart
John Denkler
Steve Hankel
Miguel Quinones
Alejandro Avilés-Reyes
Keith Spangler
Greg Towner
Dan Gebhart, RIP
Jody Dzuranin
Lucas Barwick
Michael Baker
Brian Bechtol
Reinhart Bigl
Greg Middlemis
Connie Moore
William Gothmann
Brian Benton
Joan Churchill
Mike Bender
Rick Weinberg
Billy Crafton
Gary Matushak
Greg L’Etoile-Lopes
James Sloan
Jonathan Dillard
John Funk
Tom Bilcze
Ronald Piroli
Dave Roll
Brian Hafner
Misha LeBlanc
Ari Messinger
David Gratke
Todd Groesbeck
Wally Estrella
Sue Reinert
John Leko
Stephen Granata
Phillip Mueller
Robert Lackey
Dominic Carol
Jacqi McCulloch
John Hickman
Carl Presseault
David Neves
Patty Louise
Terry Fitzgerald
Peter Steinmetz
Timothy Fitzpatrick
Michael Liszewski
Hank O’Donnell
David Zanoni
David Weil
Matthew Sponseller
Chad Reno
Spartan Dale
Carolyn Ferguson
Peggy Littlefield
Lauren Allansmith
Eric Burns
Thomas Pearl
Darrin McKibben
Richard Stewart
Dave Fletcher

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 260: A Game of Chance Tour – Part 1 appeared first on Pedalshift.

Advocacy by 501(c)(4)s – Part 1

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On this episode, we walk through the ins and outs on why you’d want to form a 501(c)(4) to get things done as a nonprofit advocate. Because (c)(4)s are effectively the multi-tool of nonprofits, they can do a lot more than you might even think. But is it the right choice for your needs? This is part one of a two-part series.

 

Lawyers for this episode 

Tim Mooney 

Ronnie Pawelko 

Leslie Barnes 

 

Shownotes 

  • What is a 501(c)(4)? 
  • How to figure out if a nonprofit is a (c)(4)  
  • Why would you want a (c)(4)? 
  • Benefits of a (c)(4) 
  • Downsides/Costs of a (c)(4) 
  • Should We Form One?  

 

 

Resources 

Why create a 501(c)(4)? 

501(c)(4) Strategy and Discussion Guide 

Considering Starting a 501(c)4? Case Studies 

Primer on Social Welfare Organizations: Using 501(c)(4) Organizations for Good 

Power of Collaboration 

Starting a 501(c)(4) organization  

How to operate a 501(c)(4) 

The Connection 

Comparison of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) permissible activities 

Accountability Advocacy: How 501(c)(4)s Can Hold Elected Officials Accountable for Their Actions 

Why (c)(3)s and (c)(4)s need to work collaboratively 

Sample Timesheets 

Sample Cost Allocation Agreement 

Life Cycle of a Social Welfare Organization | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov) 

The Pedalshift Project 259: Fall 2021 Tour – A Game of Chance

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We just got done with a tour, but it’s fall in my neck of the woods… so why not announce my Fall 2021 tour? On this episode I walk you up the mountain with Mookie and lay out how my next tour is really a big game of chance…


The Pedalshift Project 259: Fall 2021 Tour - A Game of Chance

Hey it’s the direct download link for  The Pedalshift Project 259: Fall 2021 Tour – A Game of Chance (mp3).

Subscribe/Follow The Pedalshift Project:
RSS – iTunes – Overcast – Android – Google Podcasts – Stitcher – TuneIn – IHeartRadio – Spotify

Reach out to the show via email, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to join the newsletter too.

Have some bike touring or overnight stories to share? Send your pics, audio or a quick tweet – all welcome. Email the show at pedalshift@pedalshift.net or call the lightly-used Pedalshift voicemail line at (202) 930-1109

Fall 2021 Tour: A Game of Chance

 
A 3 day ride that’s a true roll of the dice
 
C&O?
GAP?
PA road trip?
 
Like a Choose your own adventure but I get no choice
Random number generator in my phone to choose my path
 
Route
Start Point
Direction
Direction Changes
Stop or Continue?
And other forks in the road… all by chance.
 
Starts (hopefully) next episode!

As always we like to close out the show with a special shoutout to the Pedalshift Society! Because of support from listeners like you, Pedalshift is a weekly bicycle touring podcast with a global community, expanding into live shows and covering new tours like this summer’s upcoming bike tour! If you like what you hear, you can support the show for 5 bucks, 2 bucks or even a buck a month. And there’s one-shot and annual options if you’re not into the small monthly thing. Check it all out at pedalshift.net/society.

Kimberly Wilson
Caleb Jenkinson
Cameron Lien
Andrew MacGregor
Michael Hart
Keith Nagel
Brock Dittus
Thomas Skadow
Marco Lo
Terrance Manson
Harry Telgadas
Chris Barron
Mark Van Raam
Brad Hipwell
Mr. T
Nathan Poulton
Stephen Dickerson
Vince LoGreco
Cody Floerchinger
Tom Benenati
Greg Braithwaite
Sandy Pizzio
Jeff Muster
Seth Pollack
Joseph Quinn
Drue Porter
Byron Paterson
Joachim Raber
Ray Jackson
Jeff Frey
Kenny Mikey
Lisa Hart
John Denkler
Steve Hankel
Miguel Quinones
Alejandro Avilés-Reyes
Keith Spangler
Greg Towner
Dan Gebhart, RIP
Jody Dzuranin
Lucas Barwick
Michael Baker
Brian Bechtol
Reinhart Bigl
Greg Middlemis
Connie Moore
William Gothmann
Brian Benton
Joan Churchill
Mike Bender
Rick Weinberg
Billy Crafton
Gary Matushak
Greg L’Etoile-Lopes
James Sloan
Jonathan Dillard
John Funk
Tom Bilcze
Ronald Piroli
Dave Roll
Brian Hafner
Misha LeBlanc
Ari Messinger
David Gratke
Todd Groesbeck
Wally Estrella
Sue Reinert
John Leko
Stephen Granata
Phillip Mueller
Robert Lackey
Dominic Carol
Jacqi McCulloch
John Hickman
Carl Presseault
David Neves
Patty Louise
Terry Fitzgerald
Peter Steinmetz
Timothy Fitzpatrick
Michael Liszewski
Hank O’Donnell
David Zanoni
David Weil
Matthew Sponseller
Chad Reno
Spartan Dale
Carolyn Ferguson
Peggy Littlefield
Lauren Allansmith
Eric Burns
Thomas Pearl
Darrin McKibben
Richard Stewart
Dave Fletcher

Music

You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for many fine episodes. Sunfields has a new album available NOW, AND Jason has a new solo album coming this year, AND his first solo album is now streaming on Spotify, including America, the Pedalshift theme. Go listen! And Jason is doing live events in and around Montreal, so go listen LIVE too!

The post The Pedalshift Project 259: Fall 2021 Tour – A Game of Chance appeared first on Pedalshift.

Best of Pedalshift 152: The Great American Rail-Trail

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The Great American Rail-Trail, launched by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy nearly three years ago is a proposed network of nearly 4000 miles of off-road trails linking Washington, DC to the outskirts of Seattle, WA. Back in 2019, we chatted with Kevin Mills of RTC to get the scoop on this exciting project and what to expect in the years to come.

Originally podcast February 7, 2019.

Best of Pedalshift 152: The Great American Rail-Trail

The post Best of Pedalshift 152: The Great American Rail-Trail appeared first on Pedalshift.

Redistricting and Discrimination

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On this episode, we’re picking up a topic we talked about months ago: Redistricting. Last time, we talked about the general process for redistricting, and we encouraged our nonprofit community to learn how the new maps would be drawn in their state or their local district.   

This time, we’re going to look at how the nonprofit community can advocate for their mission and their own community no matter the process in your home state, and regardless of where your state is in the redistricting process. We also wanted to lift up that historically, how we encourage voting or limit voting in America is also through the lens of discrimination.   

  

Our Attorneys for this Episode:  

Jen Powis  

Leslie Barnes 

  

Show Notes 

  • How the census, which is required to proportionally represent an entire state’s population, encountered a growing problem that politicians couldn’t fix for decades. 
  • How the Supreme Court in conjunction with citizen action in the 1960’s addressed this issue, which resulted in the “One Person One Vote” doctrine. 
  • How redistricting election maps works and how it differs by state. 
  • Regardless of your state’s system to draw maps, your nonprofit can play a vital role in protecting your community’s right to vote and to participate in policy-making. 
  • Current day challenges in redistricting include high population densities, whether to count undocumented residents or only US citizens, and questions on equity and race. 
  • How some nonprofits are engaging in the redistricting process and how your organization can get involved as well. 
  • What does gerrymandering and “packing” mean? 
  • What are “communities of interest” and what is “contiguity”? 
  • The importance of knowing the computer model your state uses to create maps  

 

Bolder Advocacy Resources  

https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/2018/Minority_Voting_Access_2018.pdf 

https://americanhistory.si.edu/democracy-exhibition/vote-voice/getting-vote/demanding-vote/one-manone-vote 

https://bolderadvocacy.org/resource/standing-up-for-your-community-influencing-the-redistricting-process/ 

https://bolderadvocacy.org/resource/mapping-the-future-the-redistricting-process-and-private-foundations/ 

 

Other resources: 

https://www.ncsl.org/research/redistricting/redistricting-systems-a-50-state-overview.aspx 

https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45951.html 

https://funderscommittee.org/files/Collaborative_RedistrictingGuide_2.pdf 

https://www.fairdistrictspa.com/updates/pa-prison-gerrymandering 

https://redistricting.lls.edu/wp-content/uploads/Basics-English10.pdf