Rails-to-Trails PR & Communications Plan

PUBLIC RELATIONS PROPOSAL CLIENT: RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY

BACKGROUND Founded in 1986, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.

Recognizing the Opportunity The mission of RTC stems back to the mid-1960s when, for the first time in history, publics came up with the idea to convert abandoned or unused rail corridors into public trails. "Rails-toTrails" is what people started calling it, and the name was catchy and descriptive enough to draw attention to the concept and start an environmental movement.

Emergence of RTC It wasn’t until nearly 20 years later in 1983 that a group of walking and biking enthusiasts, railroad history buffs, conservation and parks groups, and active-transportation activists began to meet for monthly lunches in Washington, D.C., to mobilize efforts to preserve abandoned rail corridors for public use. The group realized the need for an organization that focused specifically on this work, and on Feb. 7, 1986, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy opened its doors.

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The Impact Today, more than three decades after RTC was established, communities across America are reaping the benefits of more than 22,000 miles of rail-trails serving tens of millions of people each year. As RTC works with communities across the country to find trail challenges and opportunities, the organization takes a cross-disciplinary approach to ensuring trails and trail networks serve to enhance the social, economic, environmental and public health of communities large and small.

Membership + Support Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has more than 160,000 members and active supporters. Seventyfour percent of annual membership fees and donations go straight to strengthening the nation’s trails, and the remaining 26 percent is used for fund-raising and programming. Donors can give online at their convenience, give monthly through the “Trail Keeper Club,” become a member of the Trailblazer Society by donating $1,000 or more, or make an estate or planned gift by naming RTC in a will.

Financial Snapshot The infographic on the following page provides a breakdown of RTC’s revenue and expenditures for the 2014 fiscal year. The majority of RTC’s funding came from membership payments (35 percent) and contributors (45 percent). Grants and contracts accounted for 10 percent of revenue,

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while royalties, investments, corporate sponsorships and other income comprised the remaining 10 percent.

Nearly one-fourth of the year’s revenue went toward public information education. Combined, RTC spent approximately 29 percent of its budget on trail project assistance and regional programming. Lobbying and petitioning for changes to national policy accounted

Infographic retrieved from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy 2014 Annual Report

for 14 percent of expenditures.

PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY Given that trail-building is a very technical, complex, and multi-faceted undertaking that involves the buy-in and expertise of many local and regional stakeholders, RTC works closely with communities throughout all phases of trail development with the aim to engage, empower, and excite the communities about their new trails systems. To start, the organization holds public meetings to educate groups of the community that may be interested in the project—such as land trusts, bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups, bird-watching groups and equestrians—about the

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trail-building process and how they and their local economy can both support and benefit from the proposed trail system.

Website The RTC website is exceptionally well designed and maintained. Along with being easy to navigate and containing a wealth of information about the organization, the website is very interactive. Visitors can make online gifts, register for or renew a membership, search for trails across America, post comments on the RTC blog page, read the organization’s rails to trails quarterly magazine, and purchase apparel, books, and more from the online store.

Social Media + Blog Rails-to-Trails Conservancy posts daily on its Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and tumblr pages. The content varies, but includes anything from trail spotlights, RTC member features, new project and partnership announcements, event highlights, and membership and donation solicitations.

The RTC blog, called TrailBlog, posts weekly spotlights events that take place on trails across the U.S. and also aims to keep trail enthusiasts informed about policies, bills and other federal legislative updates regarding commuter transportation.

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Magazine The rails to trails magazine is issued every season and is available in both print and digital format. The publication is chockful of articles the importance of trail preservation and restoration and the newest conservation tactics employed by engineers. Trail-walking, -running, and –cycling events are also prominent in the magazine.

Policy Work

Image retrieved from railstotrails.org

For more than 28 years, RTC has served as a leading voice and advocate for federal policy and funding to support walking, biking and trail networks. Some of the organization’s major national accomplishments include: •

Playing a critical role in the creation of the Transportation Enhancements program in 1991

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Ensuring dedicated funds for trail development since 1992

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Protecting trail funding from elimination in 1998, 2003 and 2012

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Securing the creation of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program in 2005

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy also works at the state and local levels to secure funding for trails and create programs for walking and bicycling.

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Partnership + Coalition Building Because trail development requires the support of a broad base of constituencies, RTC works with various communities and shareholders to create diverse trail coalition groups that are strong enough to overcome hurdles found along the path to trail development.

Through the Partnership for Active Transportation (PAT), RTC is collaborating with AARP, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, America Walks and LOCUS to promote greater federal investment in trails, and walking and bicycling networks and to facilitate greater physical activity in Americans through increased active-transportation options.

The organization has also established strong connections at the national, regional, corporate and community level. Major RTC donations have been provided by the following: •

The Corporate Family (a number of for-profit companies throughout the U.S.)

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Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI)

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Coca Cola Foundation

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Kaiser Permanente

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Doppelt Family Foundation

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Community programs + partners

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Trail development teams

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Small ticket grants (through state partnerships)

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Events

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o Annual Opening Day for Trails—RTC designates one day each year for people across the nation to hit their favorite trails. o Annual Sojourns— Premier RTC biking events in which participants explore incredible communities and attractions along the way.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy also holds leadership roles in various other nonprofit and advocacy groups that share a similar mission, including: •

American Trails

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America Walks

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Every Body Walk! Collaborative

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Coalition for Recreational Trails

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Transportation Equity Caucus

Campaigns Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a leader in the Partnership for Active Transportation, a unique collaboration bringing together organizations in the transportation, public health and community development sectors. According to the RTC website, the Partnership works to 1) build a diverse and influential movement for healthy places and healthy people using active transportation; and 2) secure greater funding investments in safe trail, walking and bicycling networks. Specifics on campaign tactics and strategies are not stated on the RTC website.

Trainings The RTC designs and delivers customized trainings and workshops on a variety of trail

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development topics at all phases of development. Through innovative facilitation and learning approaches, the organization helps clients advance their trail development goals and initiatives.

Friends-of-the-Trail Groups “Friends-of-the-Trail” groups have been the driving force behind countless successful RTC railtrails. Friend groups are the strongest local supporters of a trail-building proposal and are formed by the RTC compiling a master list of potentially organizations and individuals who may be interested in being a part of the group. Once established, Friends-of-the-Trail groups: •

Choose a name for their organization that relates to the trail

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Draft a mission statement, a set of objectives and a timeline

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Create a website, brochure and other materials that identify the project and purpose of the organization, a map of the proposed trail and a membership form for other prospective “friends”

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Maintain a newsletter to keep members informed about the progress of the trail

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Find out what their members’ skills are, such as writing, graphic design, business connections or meeting organization, and match their strengths with the group's needs

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Some friends groups eventually incorporate as 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations to obtain a tax-exempt status and to open a bank account and raise and receive donations.

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THE OBJECTIVE

Endorse a corporate bicycling company to be a Rails-to-Trails official sponsor.

This public relations objective stems from the lack of revenue RTC acquires from sponsorships (four percent in 2014). Donations, membership dues, and partnerships have all be instrumental in the organization’s success, but several corporations exist whose mission and values align with those of RTC.

Additionally, while it’s an accomplishment to see abandoned railroad corridors become hightraffic recreational trails for communities to enjoy, acknowledging how the trails have positively impacted those communities in the last year and how that impact can continue to grow is vital to the sustaining the value and support of the RTC Mission. With the support of a corporate sponsor, RTC can host a series of special events and one-year anniversary celebrations in communities across the U/S with newly-built rails-to-trails systems.

TARGET PUBLICS To achieve the proposed objective, RTC must target cycling companies that could potentially become a corporate sponsor for the organization and/or a series of RTC special events.

KEY MESSAGE

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The key message should acknowledge the recent addition of new trail systems and celebrate how they are benefitting local economies, the environment, and the well-being of community members and how the prospective cycling company could be a part of the success.

THE STRATEGY The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy must persuade a bicycling company that a sponsorship will in some way positively impact the awareness, image, and reputation of the corporation.

TACTIC 1 First, RTC should identify the value proposition that will attract a cycling company to become a sponsor, and create a master list of any companies that have the means and shared values to support the nonprofit organization. Possible options to consider include Trek, Cannondale, Giant, or Bianchi. Next, the organization should conduct a SWOT analysis of each company to help determine which one would be the best option to inquire with about the sponsorship.

TACTIC 2 Once RTC has decided which cycling company they would like to offer a sponsorship proposal to, the organization should then come up with an outline of what the one-year rails-to-trails anniversary celebrations will entail and what hand the cycling company will play in them. “Events make news and attract crowds, offering another way to increase public awareness,�

(Wilcox, Cameron, Reber, 2014, p. 555).

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Along with including the logo of the sponsor on all marketing and public relations materials used to promote the celebrations, RTC will also propose that representatives from the cycling company attend each of the events to offer quick bicycle tune-ups and repairs before, during, and after the event at no cost. In or alongside the cycling company’s repair tent or station would also be a section with the brand’s bicycling accessories, apparel, parts and more for sale. Bikes would also be on hand for participants to demo throughout the day.

Another attraction to encourage participation would be a free, live concert alongside or at the end of the trail. A variety of food and beverage stands could be available, and the corporate sponsor could have a set up here that offers similar provisions and services as the tent or stations they set up at the beginning and along the trail.

A spokesperson from RTC could take the stage at some point to thank everyone for their participation and reiterate how rails-to-trails contribute to the growth of the local economy, the health and well-being of the community, and the potential impact they can have on the environment is used as a mode of transportation. To conclude, the spokesperson should thank RTC’s corporate sponsor and encourage participants to continue to utilize the trails as part of their daily and recreational lives.

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TACTIC 3 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy members and local volunteers could hand out “goodie bags” at the end of the trail that contain the latest issue of the RTC magazine and coupons or exclusive discounts that can be applied at the cycling sponsor’s online or offline stores. Wilcox et al.

(2014) state that handing your target audience materials that spur a call-to-action, such as visiting a company website, making a purchase, or signing up for a membership, is a quick way to educate people about your organization (p. 556).

TACTIC 4 The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy should aim to obtain publicity before, during, and after the events take place. To achieve this, RTC members should seek out bloggers and journalists in or around the communities the events are taking place that have an interest or specialize in an area that relates to the RTC mission. Personal e-mails containing information about the event and RTC will be sent to such constituents one month before the events take place to encourage participation.

One week and one day prior to the events, RTC members should follow-up with the area journalists and bloggers with the aim of attracting them to attend and report on the events. An RTC spokesperson will be available to speak to the media, and RTC will also seek out a participant who can attest to the benefits of the trail and the enjoyment of the event. The RTC

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will request the media set up their live remote in front of the cycling sponsor’s tent or station and capture footage of one of the participants demoing one of the sponsor’s bicycles.

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REFERENCE Wilcox, D., Cameron, G., & Reber, B. (2014). Conflict management: Dealing with issues, risks, and crises. In Public relations: Strategies and tactics (11th ed., pp.

555–556). Pearson.

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