The Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition is growing into a broader regional organization working across trails, bicycling, walking, active transportation, public lands, local governments, and community partnerships.

As that work grows, our board has been asking an important question:

How do we ensure the Coalition has the right people, skills, perspectives, and community input to guide the organization effectively? Not just this year, but for the next decade and beyond?

At its June 2026 meeting, the Coalition’s board voted to begin the process of moving toward a fully board-appointed governance model. Nothing will change before October 31, 2026, at the earliest. That gap is designed to provide us with an invaluable opportunity to communicate clearly, actively seek your feedback, finalize the necessary updates to the bylaws and Articles, and ensure we have the right approval process in place. We truly value your input, and we want to make sure your voices are heard every step of the way. Your feedback is essential to this process, and we’re committed to listening.

As we navigate these changes, we are committed to updating our Board Selection process and strengthening Community Input to ensure we are aligned with our community’s needs.

This page explains what is changing, what is not changing, why the board made this decision, and how you can share feedback.

 

Talk about it in person: join board members this Thursday, July 9, 5–8 pm, at the Summer Patio Social at Shenandoah Bicycle Company (135 S Main St, Harrisonburg). Free food and drinks, no agenda — just a chance to ask questions and share your thoughts directly. RSVP Today

What are the proposed changes?

Updating Board Selection and Strengthening Community Input

The Coalition is moving toward a model in which board members are appointed by the board rather than elected in an annual member election.

This change is intended to help the Coalition:

• • Recruit board members with the skills, relationships, lived experience, and perspectives the organization needs.
  • Bring new board members on throughout the year, rather than waiting for a single election cycle.
  • Build a board that better reflects the communities, places, and types of work the Coalition now serves.
  • Move away from an election process that has generally been uncontested and has involved very few voters.
  • Create more meaningful ways for supporters to shape the Coalition’s direction beyond a once-a-year vote.

This change will require updates to the Coalition’s bylaws and our articles of incorporation. Nothing will take effect before October 31, 2026, at the earliest, so there is time for clear communication, public input, and thoughtful next steps.

 

Will members get to vote on this?

Short answer is: it’s very likely that we will hold a membership vote on this change. While our original bylaws and the articles of incorporation allow the board to adopt changes on its own, we want to ensure we engage and involve our membership throughout this process. As the board moves forward with this process, we’ll share the timeline and how you can participate well ahead of any scheduled vote. We value your input and want to ensure everyone has a say in this important decision. Rest assured, no changes will take effect before October 31, 2026, at the earliest.

What is not changing?

The Coalition’s mission is not changing.

We will continue working to build a region where trails, bicycling, walking, and active transportation are central to inclusive, vibrant, and healthy communities.

This governance change does not change:

• • Our commitment to trails, public lands, greenways, bicycling, walking, and active transportation.
  • Our work with local governments, land managers, volunteers, community partners, and supporters.
  • Our commitment to listening to the people who care about this work.
  • Our work to connect with volunteers, donors, members, committee participants, and community advocates.
  • Our openness to board interest, board nominations, and self-nominations.
  • Our commitment to transparency and public accountability.

People will still be able to express interest in serving on the board. In fact, one reason for this change is to make it easier to consider board interest throughout the year rather than only during a narrow election window.

 

Why make this change?

The Coalition has changed significantly over time.

What began as a more volunteer-led bicycling-specific organization is now a regional nonprofit working across multiple counties, public agencies, trail systems, transportation projects, community programs, and advocacy efforts.

That growth creates new responsibilities for the board.

The board needs to be able to recruit people who bring specific skills and perspectives. For example, finance, fundraising, governance, law, planning, public lands, transportation, community engagement, nonprofit management, equity, communications, and regional relationships.

The current election process has not been a strong tool for participation. In all the years we’ve held them, not one board election has been contested, and fewer than 3% of members regularly vote in any given year. In practice, the board has already been doing much of the work of identifying and inviting prospective board members.

The board believes that a fully appointed model, paired with stronger community input and clearer engagement pathways, will better serve the Coalition and the communities we work with.

Ultimately, as a board, we believe this change will result in a more impactful and effective organization to continue building a regional movement for trails, biking, and walking.

 

Does this mean members and supporters will have less of a voice?

Not at all.

The goal is to move from a narrow form of input, a low-turnout, uncontested board election, toward broader and more meaningful ways for people to help shape the Coalition’s future.

We want to create clearer ways for people to:

• • Share priorities and concerns.
  • Suggest board candidates.
  • Express interest in board service.
  • Join committees or working groups.
  • Give feedback on major organizational questions.
  • Participate in surveys, listening sessions, and community conversations.
  • Help shape the future of membership, volunteering, advocacy, events, and programs.

The board is still working through the details of these engagement pathways. We want your input as we build them.

 

Can I still suggest someone for the board?

Yes.

You can still suggest someone for the board and express your own interest.

The board will continue to consider people who bring needed skills, perspectives, relationships, and commitment to the Coalition’s mission. The difference is that the board would be able to consider potential board members throughout the year rather than waiting for an annual election process.

Board interest/nomination form

 

How do other organizations handle this?

We are not the first organization to face this question, and we looked closely at how our peers handle it before bringing this to you.

We reviewed governance structures across more than 40 peer organizations: national bike, trail, and active-mobility advocacy groups, as well as regional nonprofits in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic. The pattern is clear. Roughly 85% of the organizations we studied use a self-perpetuating board, where the board appoints its own members. Member-elected boards are the exception, not the rule, and they are concentrated almost entirely among a handful of large, urban coalitions with the staff and budget to run contested annual elections at scale.

Organizations closer to our size and mission, regional trail and active-transportation nonprofits with budgets in a similar range, overwhelmingly use board-appointed models. This is simply the standard structure for organizations doing the kind of work we do.

We also looked at what happens when organizations get this transition wrong. A few peer organizations that tried to change their governance model ran into real trouble, and in every case we found, the failure was about process, not structure. Boards that changed how they were chosen without bringing members along for the conversation faced backlash, lost trust, and in some cases had to reverse course. Organizations that made similar changes transparently, with real opportunities for member input, did not.

That is the lesson we are trying to apply here. The model we are considering is the one most of our peers already use. How we get there, with honesty, with your input, and with a real seat at the table for your feedback, is what will determine whether it works.

Is the Coalition getting rid of membership?

No. The current decision does not eliminate membership.

The board is also discussing how membership and supporter engagement should work going forward. We know that “membership” has meant different things to different people over the Coalition’s history, from Western Slope access to the trail community to donor support to organizational identity.

We want to be thoughtful about what membership means in this next chapter.

Some of the questions we are asking include:

• • What should it mean to be a member or supporter of the Coalition?
  • How can members and supporters have more meaningful input?
  • How can we make participation feel more open, welcoming, and useful?
  • How can we better connect people to volunteer opportunities, committees, advocacy, events, and local projects?
  • What language best reflects the kind of movement we are trying to build?

We welcome your thoughts on these questions.

 

Will this affect Western Slope passes or trail access?

No immediate change is being made to Western Slope pass mechanics as part of this governance decision.

Western Slope access, passes, volunteer expectations, and related details are separate operational questions. If any future changes are considered, the Coalition will communicate those separately.

 

How will the board stay accountable?

A board-appointed model only works if it is paired with trust, transparency, and real opportunities for community input.

The Coalition is exploring several ways to strengthen accountability, including:

• • Clearer board recruitment criteria.
  • Public information about how people can express interest in board service.
  • Regular supporter surveys.
  • Listening sessions or open conversation opportunities.
  • Better committee pathways for people who want to contribute.
  • More transparency around board decisions and organizational priorities.
  • Stronger communication about where the Coalition is headed and how people can help.

We are not assuming that board appointment alone solves anything. The governance change is one piece of a larger effort to build a stronger, more participatory organization.

 

How can I provide input?

We want to hear from you.

You can share feedback in several ways:

1. 1. Complete the short feedback survey
      Let us know what you think –> Take the Survey Today
   2. Suggest someone for the board or express interest yourself
      Board Letter of Interest
   3. Talk with a board member
   4. Email us directly
      

We are especially interested in hearing:

• • What parts of the Coalition’s work matter most to you?
  • How would you like to participate?
  • What would make board service, committee service, or volunteering more accessible?
  • What should membership or supporter engagement look like in the future?
  • What concerns do you have about this governance change?
  • What would help you feel informed and included?

 

Timeline

June 2026
The board voted to move toward a fully board-appointed governance model, with delayed implementation.

Summer 2026
The Coalition will share information, gather feedback, and develop clearer engagement pathways.

Fall 2026
The board will draft the necessary bylaws and articles of incorporation updates, as well as communication materials.

Fall 2026: Potential vote to be held for members to approve the change.

October 31, 2026 (earliest possible date)
No change takes effect before this date. Actual timing depends on finishing the bylaw/Articles updates and, if required, a member vote.

 

 

The bigger picture

This change is not about closing doors or going back on tradition. In fact, the original bylaws for the Coalition’s precursor organization, the Shenandoah Mountain Bike Club, did not provide for members to elect the board of directors.

For our board, this is about building a board and an organization that can better serve a growing regional movement.

The Coalition’s work now touches trails, transportation, public lands, community health, volunteerism, local economies, access, belonging, and quality of life across the Shenandoah Valley. To meet that moment, we need strong governance, broad participation, and clear ways for people to help shape what comes next.

We are grateful to everyone who has helped build the Coalition to this point: longtime members, volunteers, donors, trail builders, ride leaders, advocates, partners, and community supporters.

We hope you will help us shape this next chapter.