FAQ
How much does Bikes Belong membership cost?
Annual manufacturer and supplier dues are 3/40ths of 1% (.00075) of annual U.S. bicycle-related revenue.
Annual retailer dues start at $100 for $300,000 in annual sales and increase with more sales.
Click here for the dues structure.
I’m a mass-market merchant or specialty sporting goods retailer. What are my dues?
Please contact Tim Blumenthal, Executive Director, at tim@bikesbelong.org or 303/449-4893 x1.
How can my company join Bikes Belong?
You can join online. Or contact Tim Blumenthal, Executive Director, at tim@bikesbelong.org or 303/449-4893 x1.
What’s the difference between Bikes Belong and BikesPAC?
Bikes Belong is a 501c6 nonprofit industry group representing the bicycle industry. We work to put more people on bicycles more often.
BikesPAC is the bicycle industry’s political action group, administered by Bikes Belong Coalition. BikesPAC collects individual donations from employees of Bikes Belong member companies and contributes the money to the campaigns of members of Congress who support bicycling. Learn more about BikesPAC.
How can I learn what federal funds have done for bicycling in my area?
Most federal money for bicycle paths, trails, routes, and lanes comes from Transportation Enhancements funds. Visit the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse to search a database and learn what projects have been funded in your state.
I’m a bicycle supplier or retailer, and I want to help bicycling in my community. What can I do?
Check out our Action Steps to learn what you can do.
What can I do as an individual to help bicycling in my community.
Check out our Tips for Individuals to learn what you can do.
I want to speak to my local community and government leaders to help gain support for bicycling. How can I convince them to make bicycling a priority?
To start, request a copy of our bicycling booklet. It outlines bicycling’s benefits to the economy, communities, health, families, and quality of life. View it online.
I want to get involved in local advocacy. How can I locate a group in my area or start one of my own?
The Thunderhead Alliance is the leadership group for state and local advocacy organizations. Visit their website to look for a group in your area or learn how to start a new advocacy organization.
How can I join your mailing list?
You can join our mailing list by completing this simple form.
Where can I find a copy of your logo?
You can download our logo from our website.
How can I be removed from your mailing list?
E-mail your full name, e-mail address, and mailing address to avery@bikesbelong.org and she will be happy to remove you. Sorry for the inconvenience.
I’m a reporter working on a story about bicycling. Where can I get information such as bicycling participation and sales statistics? Who can I contact for an interview?
First, check out our press kit for story ideas and other resources.
Also look at our bicycling booklet, which outlines bicycling’s benefits to the economy, communities, health, families, and quality of life.
You’ll find more interesting fodder in our statistics section.
Finally, contact Tim Blumenthal, our Executive Director, for an interview. Call 303/449-4893 x1 or e-mail tim@bikesbelong.org.
How does Bikes Belong get federal funding for bicycle facilities?
We are active in Washington, D.C., on several levels. We:
- Meet regularly with members of Congress and the administration.
- Retain a lobbying firm.
- Sponsor the National Bike Summit.
- Administer BikesPAC, the bicycle industry’s political action committee.
- Support America Bikes, the coalition of national organizations working on bicycling’s national agenda.
Where does federal money for bicycling come from?
Most federal money for bicycle facilities and programs comes from federal transportation funds. Learn more.
How can I access federal funds for bicycle facilities?
The Federal Highway Administration distributes federal transportation funds—including those authorized for bicycle projects and programs—to state Departments of Transportation. Work with officials in your area to access these funds.
For a primer, visit the America Bikes website.
What money was authorized for bicycling in the last federal transportation law?
The 2005 federal transportation law, SAFETEA-LU, authorized $4.5 billion for bicycling and walking. Learn more.
What is Bikes Belong’s mission?
The Bikes Belong Coalition’s goal is to put more people on bicycles more often. We do this through federal policy, national partnerships, community grants, and promotion. Read more about what we do.
The Bikes Belong Foundation works to improve bicycle safety and get more kids riding bikes. Learn more about the foundation.
How does Bikes Belong put more people on bicycles more often?
Bikes Belong has four strategies:
1. We lobby the federal government for bicycle-friendly policies and funding.
2. We award cash grants for community bicycle projects.
3. We form partnerships with national groups that are performing leadership work that improves bicycling.
4. We promote bicycling as a safe, convenient, healthy activity for families and people of all ages.
Learn more about what we do.Who can join Bikes Belong?
Bikes Belong Coalition membership is open to the U.S. bicycle industry. Suppliers, distributors, dealers, and others who are involved in the bicycle business within the United States are eligible for membership. Join today.
I’m an individual and therefore can’t join Bikes Belong. But I want to support what you are doing. Can I make a donation?
You can contribute to the Bikes Belong Foundation, our 501c3 charity organization.
Why should I join Bikes Belong?
If you are a member of the U.S. bicycle industry, you should join Bikes Belong to help improve bicycling in America. There are many reasons to join Bikes Belong.
I’m on the fence about membership. I’m not sure I understand what Bikes Belong does for my state. How can I find out more?
Search our grants map for grants in your state.
Also, learn what we do for you nationally.
Who can contribute to BikesPAC?
Only full-time, salaried employees of Bikes Belong member companies can contribute to BikesPAC. In addition, BikesPAC must have a signed participation form from the member company before soliciting any employees for contributions to BikesPAC. Click here for the participation form.
I am an executive at a Bikes Belong member company? How can I contribute to BikesPAC?
Please complete a participation form and then contact BikesPAC Treasurer Gary Sjoquist at gary@bikesbelong.org or 952/941-9391 x1288. You can make a contribution yourself and/or allow BikesPAC to solicit your employees for contributions.
What’s the difference between Bikes Belong Coalition and the Bikes Belong Foundation?
The Bikes Belong Coalition is a 501c6 industry group that represents the bike industry. Members are companies in the U.S. bicycle industry. Join Bikes Belong.
The Bikes Belong Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (a charity). The foundation accepts donations from other foundations and individuals. Donations are tax-deductible. Donate to the foundation.
Where does Bikes Belong get its funding?
The Bikes Belong Coalition is sponsored by members of the U.S. bicycle industry. Suppliers, distributors, dealers, and others who are engaged in the U.S. bicycle business are eligible for membership. Bikes Belong members pay dues in proportion to their overall bicycle-related revenue. Join today.
The Bikes Belong Foundation is supported by individual donations and other foundations. Make a donation.
How Does Bikes Belong fund its Grants Program?
Each year, Bikes Belong awards $180,000 in cash grants to community bicycle projects. Bikes Belong Coalition does not have an endowment; the grants budget comes from the Employee Pro Purchase Program.
How can I find out if Bikes Belong has funded any grants in my area?
Search our grants map for grants in your state.
My grants proposal was rejected. Can I reapply?
If a proposal is rejected, it is unlikely that Bikes Belong will fund the same idea in the future. However, on a limited basis, Bikes Belong may ask an organization to revise a rejected proposal for the next grant cycle.
Additionally, Bikes Belong will accept applications for other projects or programs from organizations that have had previous requests denied.
Advocacy grants are only available to bicycle advocacy organizations. What is a bicycle advocacy organization?
Bicycle advocacy organizations must have a mission and activities directly relating to bicycling. They typically work to improve bicycling conditions and affect positive change on a local, regional, state, or national level. Most are incorporated 501c3 nonprofits, and are affiliated with the Thunderhead Alliance.
Can I apply for a grant if I’m not a bicycle advocacy organization?
Yes. Nonprofit trails groups and public agencies or departments at the local, regional, and national levels may apply for facility grants. We encourage municipalities to partner with bicycle advocacy groups when applying for our funding in order to insure that bicyclists are involved in and supportive of the project. Bikes Belong does not fund individuals.
For my grant application, what qualifies as a support letter from the local bike industry?
The letter can come from a business that is involved in bicycling in your area. Examples include bicycle retailers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as big-box and specialty sporting goods stores. Letters should mention the proposed project or program and describe how it will improve revenue for the local bicycle business. A letter from a nonprofit organization does not qualify as a support letter from the local bike industry.
Where should I focus my efforts in the grant application?
The most important part of the grant application is Section B – Purpose of the Grant. Applicants should describe in detail how they will reach the goals outlined in their proposal. The Grants Committee analyzes proposals for impacts on bicycle ridership and other measurable results.
What is my grant proposal’s likelihood of success?
It depends on the number of applications Bikes Belong receives. Currently, about 15–20% of completed applications are awarded funding.
What size grant can I apply for?
Applicants can request up to $10,000. Requests for more than $10,000 will generally be viewed unfavorably unless the applicant has an extremely compelling case that the proposal is of unique and/or national importance.
How many grants are awarded a year?
It depends on the level of funding for each successful grant. Bikes Belong averages 20 grant awards per year.
If my grant proposal is approved, when will I receive the funding?
Generally, grantees can expect to receive funding within three weeks of the grant award.
For my grant application, how do I measure the projected number of new cyclists created by my project/program?
Use your best judgment, relying on existing census data for population and travel mode, current and future bicycling conditions, and documented examples from similar programs or projects. Whatever logic you use to determine the number, provide us with a description of how you arrived at the projection.
What is the market area for my grant proposal?
The market area is the geographic region where your proposal will have a measurable and significant impact. For example, if a proposed path is likely to draw a large number of visitors from surrounding towns, then those towns should be included in the market area.
Bikes Belong awarded a grant to my organization. Can I apply for additional funding?
While priority is given to groups that have not received Bikes Belong funding before, past grantees are welcome to reapply. However, because of our limited funds, we rarely award grants to organizations and communities that have received Bikes Belong funding within the past three years. Search our grants database to see what we have funded.
For grants, what’s the difference between an “initial” funder and a “sole” funder?
Bikes Belong as a “sole funder” means that there will be no other funding from any other source for the project or program. “Initial funder” means Bikes Belong will the first funder for a project, and that additional revenue for the project or program will be secured by the applicant in the future.
I don’t see my grant question answered here. Where can I go for more information?
First, make sure you’ve thoroughly read our Grant Seeker’s Guide. If you still have a question, contact: Elizabeth Train, Grants & Research Director, elizabeth@bikesbelong.org or 303/449-4893 x3.
I have a question about Bikes Belong that’s not answered here, and I can’t find the information on your website. Where can I go for more information?
Contact us for more information.
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