Current Grants

Green Mountain Trail Access

Organization Vermont Mountain Bike Association
State VT
Year 2008
Type Mountain Bike Project

The Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) received $9,200 for their Green Mountain National Forest Access Program. This grant is helping VMBA reconstruct and extend three sections of singletrack in the Green Mountain National Forest's Moosalamoo National Recreation Area—previously off-limits to mountain bikes. Bikes Belong's funding is leveraging a National Forest Foundation grant as well as state funding for this important mountain bike initiative. VMBA, the state's stellar mountain bike advocacy group, works to increase ridership in Vermont while minimizing impact on public lands through sustainable trailbuilding and stewardship. They also foster active, healthy lifestyles through Trailheads, their youth mountain biking program, and are working to promote mountain biking at eastern ski areas in the summer months.

See map: Google Maps

Freedom Skate/BMX Park

Organization Village of Mexico
State NY
Year 2008
Type BMX/Bike Park

The Village of Mexico, New York, is using a $5,000 award to complete the Freedom Skate/BMX Park. Bikes Belong's funding is going toward bike-specific elements in the park and helping leverage city funding as well as money raised by the BMX and skate communities. The Tony Hawk Foundation also contributed to this great project.

The shared-use facility, which has strong support from the city's mayor and parks & recreation commissioner, will provide a place for freestyle BMX riders and skaters to coexist happily—and free of charge. It will also be a venue for events, clinics, and after-school programs.

See map: Google Maps

Hop River/Airline Extension Bike Path

Organization Willimantic Whitewater Partnership
State CT
Year 2008
Type Bike Path

The Willimantic Whitewater Partnership received $10,000 to help build the Hop River/Airline Trail Extension bike path as part of their riverfront recreation park. Bikes Belong's grant matched SAFETEA-LU and Recreational Trails Program funding for the dynamic project, which also includes a whitewater park for kayakers.

Willimantic Whitewater Partnership is an innovative community coalition of corporations, families, and nonprofits working together to revitalize the historic riverfront and create a recreation hub in the town of Willimantic. The multi-use path will link to the East Coast Greenway, a national trail extending from Key West, Florida, to Calais, Maine.

See map: Google Maps

Track and Trail Enhancements

Organization Yukon BMX Parents and Riders Association
State OK
Year 2008
Type BMX/Bike Park

A $5,000 grant is supporting the Yukon BMX Parents and Riders Association, in Yukon, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City, as they work to resurface their track and build a mountain bike trail surrounding the BMX facility. These two improvements will help Yukon BMX support a growing number of young riders during peak times, and the singletrack trail will give kids who are interested in bicycling, but not necessarily in BMX, the chance to ride with their friends in a safe, off-road setting. This timely grant comes on the heels of Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett's challenge to his constituents to collectively lose one million pounds through healthy eating and active living.

See map: Google Maps

Coast Millennium Trail Link

Organization Whatcom Council of Governments
State WA
Year 2008
Type Bike Path

The Whatcom Council of Governments, in Bellingham, Washington, received a $10,000 grant to help build a key link in the Coast Millennium Trail. The trail link will bypass a busy, narrow bridge that is currently a barrier between the popular Bellingham Greenways system and the northern continuation of the Coast Millennium Trail. This trail bypass will provide a safe route for commuters and school children. The group has already secured Safe Routes to School funding for the project, and they will use Bikes Belong's funding to help match a state Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Grant. Local bike shops, the Mt. Baker Bicycle Club, and many others are very supportive of this important project.

See map: Google Maps