CPPW Technical Assistance

For a .pdf copy of these best practices, click here.

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership has a contract from ICF/Macro to provide technical assistance (TA) to Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) communities that are working on Safe Routes to School (SRTS) plans and related policies. Upon request, we can help communities to:

  1. Build local leadership and capacity to implement SRTS
  2. Establish SRTS programs and policies jurisdiction wide
  3. Institutionalize ongoing funding and policy change for SRTS

Communities can request the services of the SRTS National Partnership by simply filling out the ICF Macro TA Request form and submitting it to their Project Officer at CDC. The funding for the TA does not come out of the local community’s project budget.

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a fast-growing network of more than 500 organizations, government agencies, schools and professional groups. Our mission is to advocate for safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities.

What does TA from the SRTS National Partnership look like?

The SRTS National Partnership provides TA based upon the unique needs of each community seeking assistance. Support can be provided on an as-needed basis and could include:

  1. Strategy support to local SRTS program and/or policy leaders via telephone calls and email correspondence on an as needed basis
  2. Assistance with developing and managing a local SRTS Work Plan during the CPPW time frame, and creating a Sustainability Plan for maintaining SRTS post-CPPW
  3. Help with developing agendas for select meetings, and attendance at meetings if desired
  4. Site visits, including giving presentations, attending and/or leading meetings and/or conducting walkabouts at schools
  5. Assistance with developing a work plan for SRTS grant applications, application review, and leveraging additional funding
  6. Providing best practices and case studies from the national SRTS field
  7. Webinars or conference presentations geared toward your needs
  8. Developing systems for local evaluation of SRTS programs
  9. Creation/Implementation/Utilization of standards based bicycle and pedestrian safety curricula at the district level.

How does Technical Assistance support your community’s CPPW initiatives? We can help your SRTS program to:

1. Build local leadership and capacity

  • Creating, educating and strengthening a SRTS Community Task Force or Coalition to work on local programs and policy change related to SRTS and bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility
  • Developing and organizing a diverse team of officials and representatives to run the Safe Routes to School program, motivate volunteers, and institutionalize it within the schools and city/county/school district(s)
  • Cracking open the silo effect - getting transportation, land use, education, health and other stakeholder agencies to work together, and to participate in SRTS-related coalition efforts

2. Establish Safe Routes to School programs and related policies jurisdiction-wide

  • Developing school district, city/county, or regional plans and programs that support SRTS, bicycling and walking
  • Removing policy barriers and establishing policies based on best practices that create improvements to the built environment that benefit SRTS such as comprehensive plans, bicycle and pedestrian master plans, complete streets, school siting, etc.
  • Identifying sources and applying for federal, state and/or local grant funding or service contracts.
  • Building school district support for SRTS and removing policy barriers such as “no biking” policies, reducing hazard busing costs, and promoting community-centered schools.

3. Institutionalize Ongoing Funding Streams and Policy Change

  • Establishing long-term funding streams, such as fine based mechanisms, sales taxes, and other sustainable sources
  • Working with Metropolitan Planning Organizations to refine Regional Transportation Plans to include funding to implement Safe Routes to School, calm traffic and build bicycling/walking infrastructure
  • Collaborating with statewide advocates to establish funding streams that will help local efforts through state policy changes

Contact Information
Dave Cowan, Program Manager
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
dave@saferoutespartnership.org | (303) 955-1626