1 / 10

Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists

Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists Gary Sjoquist Who is Sjoquist? Director of Advocacy, Quality Bicycle Products Director of Government Relations, Bikes Belong Treasurer, BikesPAC Co-Founder of Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists Mountain bike racer and trails advocate past 15 years MORC ’ s Evolution

victoria
Télécharger la présentation

Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists Gary Sjoquist

  2. Who is Sjoquist? • Director of Advocacy, Quality Bicycle Products • Director of Government Relations, Bikes Belong • Treasurer, BikesPAC • Co-Founder of Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists • Mountain bike racer and trails advocate past 15 years

  3. MORC’s Evolution • Started in early 90s with mtb “problems” • Focus in mid-90s working with city, county, and state agencies • Turning points for MORC’s growth: • 1999 – MORC re-established • 2001 – MORC partnership with 24 Hours of Afton • 2002 – MORC partnership with Erik’s Spring Cup • 2003/4 – MORC’s work at Lebanon Hills begins to pay benefits • 2005 – MORC leverages federal funding for high profile project in Northern Minnesota

  4. Highlights of 2005 • New president Scott Thayer provides spark • Philip Keyes provided inspiration and guidance • MORC able to land a seat on MRTUA (Rec. Trails Program committee) • MORC broke through with Three Rivers Park District project for new single track trail • Congressman Oberstar provides funding for Cayuna Range project in SAFETEA-LU • MORC partnership with IMBA to secure part-time Director position

  5. Things MORC Has Learned 1. A signature trail can be heavily leveraged 2. Agency contacts are invaluable 3. Recreation Trails Program opportunity 4. Events have anchored growth 5. Like trails, non-profit organizations require maintenance

  6. 1. The Value of a Signature Trail • Lebanon Hills the gift that keeps giving: • Trail Building Schools provided education • Master planning process gave opportunity • What do mtb’ers want at Lebanon? • Lebanon became a model: • Partnership with MORC’s voluntary workers • Proper design and maintenance techniques • Heavily used, yet maintenance costs decreased • Always busy, not crowded, technically challenging but also really fun to ride • “Best practices” for other land managers

  7. 2. Contacts With Agency Folks Invaluable • Early pattern of working with city, county, and state organizations • Success with trail building and conflict resolution meant establishing trust • MORC the answer to keeping mtb trails open during decreasing budgets • Agency folks good PR tools • Nearly lost this trust, but rebuilt and enhanced it

  8. 3. Benefit of Rec. Trails Program • MRTUA is MN Rec. Trail Program • Minnesota Recreational Trail Users Assn. • 4 motorized/5 non-motorized user groups • MORC gained seat at decision table • Process took 5 years • MORC’s reputation pivotal to gaining MRTUA seat • MORC in position to “steer” mtb development in Minnesota

  9. 4. Events Have Anchored Growth • 24 Hours of Afton/Erik’s Spring Cup perfect revenue generators • Weekend timeframe limits commitment • Annual take substantial and consistent • MORC visibility to large captive user group • Great partners provide different audiences • Use of events for revenue require caution • Burnout often a result • Limited liability a key • Balance investment with return

  10. 5. Beyond MTB, MORC is a Non-Profit • Non-profit management a key component for sustainability and growth: • Strategic planning • Financial management • Board development • Diversity of funding • You need people as interested in helping build non-profit as interested in building trails • Attend a Non Profit Management course if possible

More Related