Your Community - Achieving Buy-In

Achieving Buy-In | Create An Advisory Board | Community Master Planning
Getting Projects Implemented | Model Ordinances | Community Assessment

Getting Local Buy-In For Your Project
In general, you can attract more support with positive, inclusive approaches than with negative, divisive ones. While some project opponents will never be swayed to your side, many people will come along more easily.

One important element in securing "buy-in" by local officials is to praise efforts already underway. Even minor improvements are steps in the right direction. Consider giving out awards for bicycle- or pedestrian-friendly efforts. Remember that public officials get plenty of heat in the course of doing their jobs, so an occasional pat on the back will be welcome relief!

Years ago, a national survey found that most Americans have positive feelings toward bicycling. The survey authors pointed out that bicycling was in a good position for widespread success. This, no doubt, has been a factor in the successes of bicycle-related efforts in many places – including places where one would not expect support. So, start with the expectation of success and a belief that others will want to help once they understand what you're after.

Cast Projects as Mainstream
Another ingredient for success is to show that you aren't asking for things that are "way out there" in the forefront. While many public officials like to see their communities as progressive, in terms of solving problems and adopting new approaches, they seldom want to be at the very front of a movement. It's more comforting to be a few tiers back. In that position, officials can see themselves as moving ahead but not going so fast that they will spend a lot of constituents' money on novel and radical changes that may fail.

It always helps to show mayors, councilpeople, city engineers, and others that what you're asking is reasonable and popular in many other communities. Check our Networking area and the links to the Active Living Stories, a collection of success stories from around the nation. Here you'll find many examples of success stories that you can use to convince leaders in your community that your project deserves consideration.

Friends In Many Places
A value of "having friends in MANY places" (not just "high places") is that you will never know who can offer the one word in a key public official's ear that will lead to success. For example, in one statewide effort to improve bicycling laws, there was one last legislative opponent who kept the bill from passing. By checking around among those who supported the change, proponents came upon the lawmaker's personal lawyer, who happened to be an ardent bicyclist. This person made the key phone call that led to the bill's passage.