Program Overview
Plan your own campaign
Program Funding
There are a variety of ways to obtain funding for the Stop Red Light Running Program. Following are some suggestions:
- Federal Funds under a memo [PDF, 12KB] dated September 2, 1997 and a briefing [PDF, 8KB] document explain Federal Funding eligibility for Stop Red Light Running activities.
- Contact your State Department of Transportation for more information on funding options.
- General description of two Federal fund categories follow:
Surface Transportation Program (STP)
Under the current Federal transportation funding bill - the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) - the Surface Transportation Program (STP) is a category of funds that is apportioned to each state. TEA-21 requires that 10 percent of these STP funds be set aside for infrastructure safety. Traffic signal compliance falls within the eligibility requirements of the STP safety set-aside. State highway or transportation agencies are charged with administering the Federal-aid program and are the contact points for discussing STP funding requests.
Section 402 Highway Safety Funds
The Section 402 Highway Safety Program was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1966 and is codified within 23 U.S. Code 402. This Act directs that every state has an approved highway safety program designed to reduce traffic crashes, deaths, injuries and property damage. State 402 programs are administered by the Governor's Highway Safety Representative (GR) in coordination with FHWA and NHTSA field staff.
Section 402 funds can be used to develop countermeasures that address a wide array of highway safety problems related to human factors and the roadway environment. Roadway safety projects must be non-construction. Safety projects designed to increase compliance with traffic signals (e.g., red light running) are eligible for Section 402 funding. Any 402 funding requests must be directed to your State GR.
If an SRLR-related project request is approved by the GR, the following are examples of activities 402 funds can be expended on:
- Salary for a program site coordinator
- Clerical support
- Selective law enforcement
- Observational surveys
- Statistical tabulation and analysis
- Subcontracts with public relations firms
- Production of bumper stickers, buttons and other promotional items
- Travel expenses for meetings and presentation
- Postage, printing and photocopying
- Program-related telephone and fax expenses
Grassroots Fundraising
Fundraising for your program takes effort and enthusiasm from you and your volunteers, but there are also many benefits of raising your budget through your own work. Aside from the financial bonus, you also gain self-sufficiency and independence (in other words, you aren't tied to using money for purposes dictated by government entities, but can spend it as you see fit). It is also a way for you to enhance the strength of your organization and rally around a cause for which the community has already voiced support. Finally, good fundraising creates its own publicity and allows you to highlight your SRLR Program with key audiences and local media.
You may raise funds by putting on special events or by simply approaching local corporations and the general public. Many publications can help you develop a fundraising plan. Following are some useful hints:
- Make sure you have volunteers with fundraising experience or professional fundraisers as part of your community SRLR coalition (see Organizing a Coalition for assistance).
- Create a fundraising committee or add these individuals to your special events committee and ask them to brainstorm ways to raise funds.
- Make it a topic of a committee meeting and review suggestions.
- When you do begin to solicit companies, target business organizations that are involved in or highly concerned with highway safety, such as insurance companies, or businesses with a high number of employees that commute by car.
- Review the economic statistics with these groups to stress that the public's compliance with traffic controls will ultimately benefit them (insurance companies save money in reduced claims, large companies eliminate the productivity losses caused by absent employees, etc.).
- Some companies will benefit simply because their sponsorship of a program that's good for the community will earn them goodwill and exposure they wouldn't otherwise get.
- In regarding the red light running problem, this video can help in your pitch.
- Practice talking about the program and asking for money. Most people find asking for money difficult, and usually a potential donor won't offer money on their own.
- Be prepared to meet with potential contributors at their convenience and make the most of every opportunity. Be ready for short-notice meetings by doing your homework prior to your first contact.
- Some foundations or organizations make what they call a matching grant, which will provide a set amount of money if you raise a specific amount in a given time period.
- If you decide on fundraising events, plan activities and events that are fun.
- It is important that you and your volunteers are having a good time and look forward to the event. Negative attitudes on the part of fundraisers may affect the effort put forth.
- Make sure you invite the media to your fundraising event. This is an ideal time to promote the cause of the fundraiser.
Many companies and organizations may be more willing to donate items and time rather than money, and sometimes this may be even more valuable. Whenever you can, approach companies for donations of this type. Printers and publishers are the most obvious sources to explore, but also look for creative communications methods that can be donated. In the Charleston pilot program, for example, a major local milk company printed one of the PSAs on the side of its milk cartons and thus, the SRLR message reached more than 500,000 consumers across South Carolina. Marketing, advertising, and research companies may help develop your phone survey list and actually do the calling for you. Public relations agencies often seek pro bono clients and may offer to assist you in creating media lists, or writing and editing your press materials. Colleges and universities are potential resources to assist in pre- and post-program analysis. Research or marketing departments are often interested in "real life" projects for students as part of the class curriculum. Even grocery chains or snack food companies will sometimes donate food and drinks for a special event that benefits the community. Local sports celebrities often donate their time at events in their community.
If you have doubts about which companies in your community to target, you may try sending letters requesting support to the "Top 100 Businesses," a listing which is published in many cities' newspapers or magazines. Your letters do not need to specify what type of support you are requesting, but you should follow up in a timely manner with a phone call to discuss options. Whenever appropriate, recognize donations of this type in your media materials and inform the organizations' community affairs representatives that they may receive media coverage if they work with you.
You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the PDFs on this page.
You will also need to have Quicktime installed on your computer to view the video.
