California Walks

What California Walks does

California Walks is a California statewide nonprofit organization that works to create safe, just, and inclusive streets and public spaces. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Lakewood, California, the organization operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees under a Co-Executive Director model and delivers a portfolio of community-based pedestrian safety and active transportation programs. Its core service lines include policy and legislative advocacy, community planning and engagement, and consulting/technical assistance — notably Active Transportation Program (ATP) application support for public agencies and community organizations. The organization was instrumental in creating California's ATP and maintains ongoing involvement through the ATP Technical Advisory Committee.

Its programmatic portfolio includes the Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training (CPBST), the culturally and linguistically appropriate Comunidades Activas y Seguras (CAyS) program delivered with UC Berkeley SafeTREC, regional initiatives such as Walk San Jose and Safe Routes for Cyclists in Kern County, leadership development programs (Stanislaus County Community Champions, Santa Ana and Stockton Youth Leadership Programs), and coalition work through the Walk Bike Roll CA network of 50+ organizations. California Walks generates revenue primarily through government grants (California Department of Transportation, California Office of Traffic Safety, NHTSA, Kern COG, USDA SNAP) and to a lesser extent individual donations, merchandise sales, and project-based technical assistance contracts. Distribution is statewide, delivered through direct community engagement, workshops, consulting engagements, and legislative advocacy channels.

Name

California Walks

Legal name

California Walks

Website

https://calwalks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

California Walks is a statewide California nonprofit that delivers pedestrian safety and active transportation advocacy, community planning, and technical assistance to public agencies, schools, and communities, funded primarily through government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pedestrian Safety and Active Transportation Advocacy

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure (Crosswalks, Refuge Islands, Ped Signals, Sidewalk Safety Treatments) (TLAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Pedestrian safety advocacy
• Active transportation consulting
• Community planning services
• Transportation policy advocacy
• Safe streets education

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Government Funding: California Walks receives grant funding from government sources including the California Department of Transportation, California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), and federal funding through NHTSA for programs like the Comunidades Activas y Seguras initiative and Active Transportation Program support.
2. Donations and Contributions: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support statewide pedestrian safety and education work.
3. Merchandise Sales: California Walks operates a merchandise store selling branded items including stickers, t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and water bottles to generate revenue supporting their statewide safety and education work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

California Walks is a statewide nonprofit organization that provides community planning, consulting, technical assistance, and policy advocacy services focused on pedestrian safety and active transportation. The organization delivers training programs, ATP grant application support, legislative advocacy, and coalition-building to make streets safer and more walkable across California.

Product overview

California Walks is a statewide nonprofit organization (not a technology product company) focused on pedestrian safety and active transportation advocacy. The organization operates a portfolio of programs and services including policy advocacy, community planning, consulting/technical assistance, and various community-based programs. The main offerings include: Walking Stories Podcast (monthly podcast launched 2025), Newsletters (monthly statewide and regional newsletters), Merchandise Store (branded merchandise), and Technical Assistance Services. Community programs include the Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training (CPBST), Comunidades Activas y Seguras (CAyS) for Spanish-speaking communities, Walk San Jose regional program, Walk Bike Roll CA coalition, Kern County Safe Routes for Cyclists program, Stanislaus County Community Champions Program, Community Safety Ambassador Training Program, ATRC Kit of Parts Pilot Program, and Walk Safe San Jose Pedestrian Safety Plan. The organization also provides Active Transportation Program (ATP) application support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technical Assistance Services Training, technical assistance, and consultation services drawing from 15+ years of hands-on experience for public agencies, organizations, and community members. Services include workshops, trainings, forums, presentations, active transportation policy development, project planning, implementation strategies, and grant application support.
• Active Transportation Program (ATP) Application Support Technical support services for communities applying to the California Active Transportation Program, including narrative review, data analysis, budget review, letter of support recommendations, and image/graphic review.
• Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training (CPBST) Program partnering with residents, schools, agencies, organizations, local officials, and transportation advocates across California to identify walking and biking safety concerns and help improve pedestrian and bicycle safety.
• Comunidades Activas y Seguras (CAyS) Joint project with UC Berkeley SafeTREC offering culturally and linguistically appropriate walking and biking safety curriculum for Spanish-speaking communities, funded by California Office of Traffic Safety.
• Walk San Jose Local project launched in 2017 to uphold California Walks' vision in San Jose, building relationships with City and County staff, partner organizations, and community members to bolster local pedestrian safety efforts.
• Safe Routes for Cyclists in Kern County 18-month program working to increase active bicycle transportation in Kern County's disadvantaged communities, including bicycle counts, community bike rides, cycling skills events, bike maintenance workshops, and bike challenges.
• Stanislaus County Community Champions Program Paid leadership development opportunity for up to 20-25 Stanislaus County residents to learn about walking and biking safety, active transportation, and healthy living, including virtual and in-person trainings and community activation projects.
• Community Safety Ambassador Training Program Joint pilot project with Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) Go Human Program, training community ambassadors to improve walking and biking safety.
• ATRC Kit of Parts Pilot Program Pilot program expanding SCAG's Go Human Kit of Parts lending library statewide, providing pop-up materials for temporary demonstration of street design treatments and safety infrastructure.
• Walk Safe San Jose Pedestrian Safety Plan Pedestrian safety plan supporting the City of San Jose's Department of Transportation, focusing on encouraging mode shift to walking, transit, and emerging mobility in Districts 3, 5, 6, and 7.
• Walk Bike Roll CA Coalition Statewide coalition of 50+ organizations working to bring pedestrian and bicycle safety education into California schools through the Physical Education curriculum, developing sample curriculum and advocating for policy changes.
• Merchandise Store Online store selling branded merchandise including stickers, t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and stainless steel water bottles. Proceeds support statewide pedestrian and active transportation safety work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped communities secure millions in active transportation program and infrastructure funds
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UC Berkeley Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project partner for Comunidades Activas y Seguras (CAyS) program and Community Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Training. Cal Walks and SafeTREC collaborate on culturally appropriate curriculum development, community workshops, and share resources including the interactive CPBSP communities map.
• Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo Human program partner for the Community Safety Ambassador Training Program. SCAG provides funding and partnership for active transportation safety encouragement campaigns and Kit of Parts lending library.
• Active Transportation Resource Center (ATRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to expand SCAG's Go Human Kit of Parts program statewide. Cal Walks worked with ATRC to pilot the temporary demonstration program with agencies in Northern and Central California.
• Bike BakersfieldmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary implementation partner for Safe Routes for Cyclists in Kern County's Disadvantaged Communities. Bike Bakersfield led program implementation with Cal Walks providing administrative support.
• Stanislaus County Health Services AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Stanislaus County Community Champions Program for active transportation leadership development and community engagement. Funded through USDA SNAP.
• Public Health AdvocatesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Stockton Youth Leadership Program to increase youth capacity for policy advocacy in transportation and active transportation safety.
• KidWorks (Santa Ana)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Santa Ana Youth Leadership Program to build youth advocacy capacity for pedestrian safety and transportation issues.
• Walk Bike Roll CA CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia Walks is a founding member of the Walk Bike Roll CA coalition, a network of 50+ organizations dedicated to bringing pedestrian and bicycle safety education into California schools through the Physical Education curriculum.
• WALKSacramentocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner organization that helped give rise to California Walks alongside Walk San Francisco and Circulate San Diego, with support from California Department of Public Health.
• CalBikemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsor of AB 413 Daylighting to Save Lives Bill. Joint advocacy partnership for pedestrian safety legislation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• America Walks: National pedestrian advocacy nonprofit serving as a broader umbrella and thought leader in walking and walkable communities. Comparable in mission but operates nationally rather than within a single state; functions as an industry convener.
• League of American Bicyclists: National bicycling and walking advocacy organization with 130+ year history; comparable in advocacy focus but operates federally and across all states with established national brand and lobbying presence.
• PeopleForBikes: National bicycle advocacy and industry coalition that works on federal policy, infrastructure funding, and bike-friendly community programs. Comparable in active transportation advocacy focus but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• Safe Routes Partnership: National nonprofit advancing safe walking and bicycling to and from schools and in everyday life. Comparable mission to California Walks' Safe Routes and CPBST work, but operates at a national scale across multiple states.

Direct peers

• Circulate San Diego: San Diego-based pedestrian and bike advocacy nonprofit; a peer organization mentioned in California Walks' founding history (formerly Walk San Diego). Operates very similar advocacy, technical assistance, and policy work in a different California region, with overlapping board leadership.
• CalBike: Statewide bicycle advocacy organization; co-sponsor with California Walks of AB 413 (Daylighting to Save Lives Bill). Operates legislative advocacy, coalition building, and policy work across California — closely comparable in advocacy focus and statewide scope.
• Bike Bakersfield: Kern County-based bicycle and pedestrian advocacy nonprofit; an implementation partner on California Walks' Kern County Safe Routes for Cyclists program. Comparable in mission (active transportation equity) and operates community-based education programs.
• WALKSacramento: Sacramento-based walkability and pedestrian advocacy nonprofit identified as a founding partner that helped give rise to California Walks. Engages in community planning, advocacy, and technical assistance at the local/regional level.
• Walk San Francisco: Bay Area pedestrian advocacy nonprofit also named as a founding peer alongside California Walks. Focuses on safe streets advocacy, community engagement, and Vision Zero policy work — directly parallel in mission, programs, and revenue model.

Emerging players

• National Complete Streets Coalition: Coalition housed within Smart Growth America that advocates for Complete Streets policies. Comparable in active transportation policy focus but concentrates on federal-level advocacy and technical assistance to states/municipalities adopting Complete Streets frameworks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/californiawalks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@calwalksofficial/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaliforniaWalks
• Instagraminstagram.com/californiawalks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Walks