National Partners
IMBA is the voice of mountain biking in Washington, DC, ensuring mountain bikers are well represented on Capitol Hill, in federal land agency headquarters and across multi-organization coalitions. IMBA's work in DC helps our affiliated clubs secure better funding, more trails and improved policies for mountain biking nationwide.
Bikes Belong Coalition
The Bikes Belong Coalition was formed in 1999 as the national coalition of bicycle retailers and suppliers working to put more people on bikes more often. U.S. bicycle companies recognized that they could accomplish more for bicycling by working together than by working independently. Bikes Belong is a leading IMBA partner supporting numerous initiatives and working collaboratively to make bicycling safer and more acessible for all Americans.
Outdoor Alliance Coalition
The Outdoor Alliance, a coalition of six organizations, lobbies for legislation to improve recreational experiences for its individual members and the larger human-powered recreation community. Member organizations represent 100 million mountain bikers, hikers, kayakers, canoeists, backcountry skiers and climbers and include IMBA, the Access Fund, American Hiking Society, American Canoe Association, American Whitewater and Winter Wildlands Alliance.
Federal Land Management Agencies
In the U.S., IMBA has national memoranda of understanding with the National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and the Army Corps of Engineers. These formal agreements have enhanced mountain biking at the national and local levels and given our affiliate clubs the ability to create new partnerships and trails. IMBA also works closely with the Federal Highway Administration and its Recreational Trails Program to build trails and educate trailbuilders.
America Bikes Coalition
America Bikes is dedicated to increasing the current level of $4.5 billion in bicycle-related funding for the 2009 federal transportation bill. Members of the America Bikes Coalition include IMBA, the Adventure Cycling Association, Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, Bikes Belong Coalition, League of American Bicyclists, National Center for Bicycling and Walking, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and Thunderhead Alliance.
Coalition for Recreational Trails
The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) is a federation of national and regional trail-related organizations that secured $350 million for dirt trails around the country in 2005. Its members work together to build awareness and understanding of the Recreational Trails Program, which returns federal gasoline taxes paid by off-highway recreationists to the states for trail development and maintenance.
Conservation System Alliance
Comprising 26 million acres of the BLM's most important scenic, historic and cultural landscapes, the Conservation System has yet to be congressionally recognized. Included in these lands are important areas for mountain biking in Fruita, Colorado and California's King Range. IMBA supports efforts of the Conservation System Alliance to raise the profile of these lands and their importance to the recreation and conservation communities.
Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE)
AORE provides opportunities for professionals and students in the field of outdoor recreation and education to exchange information, promote the preservation and conservation of the natural environment, and address issues common to college, university, community, military, and other not-for-profit outdoor recreation and education programs. IMBA and AORE formed an alliance in 2011 to promote each others educational offerings and to support outdoor programs in devloping mountain bike resources and a connection to bike and trails advocacy.
National Ski Areas Association (NSAA)
The National Ski Areas Association is the trade association for ski area owners and operators. It represents 321 alpine resorts that account for more than 90 percent of the skier/snowboarder visits nationwide. Additionally, it has over 400 supplier members who provide equipment, goods and services to the mountain resort industry. NSAA and IMBA signed an MOU in 2011 aimed at increasing visitation and improving mountain bike experiences during the summer season at ski areas. IMBA provides ski areas with mountain biking expertise and resources including trail consulting, signage, and guides on risk management for mountain bike operations.
