Advocacy:

How to Create a Friends of the Trail Group
First, you will need to find a core group of strong supporters who are willing to participate in a trail group with you. Meet with the core supporters to discuss creating the organization. Things you will need to discuss:

• A name for your organization that relates to the trail, such as Friends of the Coventry Greenway, Friends of Stevens Creek or Friends of the Rock Island Trail.
• The mission statement, a set of objectives and a timeline.
• Creating a brochure that identifies the project, purpose of the organization, a map of the proposed trail and includes a membership form.
• Creating a newsletter to keep members informed about the progress of the trail.
• Every member of the organization brings a strength to the table. Find out what your members' skills are, such as writing, graphic design, business connections or meeting organization.

Incorporation
Incorporating your organization will allow you to open a bank account and raise money. Learn about your state's regulations and process for incorporating as a nonprofit organization. Your local chamber of commerce should be able to provide you with this information.

The federal designation, 501(c)3, refers to a nonprofit organization's federal tax-exempt status. This means that an organization is exempt from paying federal income taxes. Churches, the American Red Cross, and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy are examples of the types of organizations that are exempt from paying federal income taxes. If you are interested in becoming a federally designated nonprofit organization, you will need to fill out the appropriate forms. The Internal Revenue Service's Web site contains these forms.

Bylaws
In order to obtain tax-exempt status, your organization will need to create bylaws. Bylaws define the organization, its board, meetings, membership, etc. Bylaws should be simple, clear and easy to understand. Bylaws should include, but are not limited to:

• Name of organization
• Purpose of the organization
• Membership qualifications
• Officers titles, terms, powers, duties, elections
• Voting procedures
• Information about the organizations funds, collection, banking and which officers handle the funds
• Methods and rules to amend bylaws

For more information about how to write bylaws, review the list of helpful resources at the Foundation Center. (You will find information about bylaws toward the bottom of the FAQ list.) Download a Sample Set of Bylaws.