Bicycle Facilities and Advocacy Projects

Posted by on December 19, 2011

Bikes Belong Coalition Offers Funding for Bicycle Facilities and Advocacy Projects
Deadline: February 29, 2012

The Bikes Belong Coalition, a national coalition of bicycle retailers and suppliers working to “put more people on bikes more often,” offers grants to organizations that strive to improve bicycling in the United States through the building of trails and paths, or through promoting general bicycling advocacy and awareness. Eligible projects include paved bike paths, lanes, and rail-trails as well as mountain bike trails, bike parks, BMX facilities, and large-scale bicycle advocacy initiatives.

The organization’s grants program accepts applications in two categories — facilities and advocacy.

For the facilities category, Bikes Belong will accept applications from nonprofit organizations whose missions are bicycle and/or trail specific. Applications also will be accepted from public agencies and departments at the national, state, regional, and local levels; however, Bikes Belong encourages these municipalities to align with a local bicycle advocacy group that can help develop and advance the project or program.

For the advocacy category, Bikes Belong will only fund organizations whose primary mission is bicycle advocacy.

Due to limited funding, grants are rarely awarded to organizations and communities that have received Bikes Belong funding within the past three years.

The program does not fund bicycle recycling, repair, or earn-a-bike programs; bicycle rodeos, classes, or clinics; purchases of bicycles, helmets, or equipment of any kind; or safe routes to school advocacy initiatives (Bikes Belong invests significantly in the Safe Routes to School National Partnership).

Applicant organizations must have nonprofit status or an eligible fiscal sponsor. Bikes Belong does not fund individuals.

Requests for funding of up to $10,000 for facilities and advocacy projects will be considered. Bikes Belong funding should not constitute 50 percent or more of a project’s budget.

Bikes Belong reviews applications two to three times per year.

Visit the Bikes Belong Coalition Web site for complete program guidelines, application materials, and information on funded projects.

http://www.bikesbelong.org/grants/