Bikes Belong Annual Report
Bikes Belong produced another successful year in 2012. We increased support from the bicycle industry as well as foundations and non-endemic corporate partners. Bikes Belong is comprised of the industry-supported Bikes Belong Coalition in addition to Bikes Belong Foundation, our related 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Together, the net combined budgets totaled more than $6.8 million. This unprecedented backing enabled us to boost our investment in important bicycling projects and do more to improve riding opportunities throughout the United States.
Here’s how we worked to get more Americans bicycling in 2012:
Building the Federal Investment in Bicycling
We work to maximize federal support for bicycling, which leads to more bicycle programs and facilities. In 2012, we:
1. Continued as lead funder of America Bikes’ work to advance a pro-bike agenda in the next federal transportation bill that continues dedicated support for bike infrastructure projects and Safe Routes to School.
2. Increased our government relations efforts with the U.S. House, Senate, Administration, and federal agencies.
3. Continued to support IMBA’s government affairs program.
4. Raised $75,000 for BikesPAC, our political action committee, to contribute to the re-election campaigns of members of Congress who best support bicycling.
Strengthening our National Partnerships
We fund the national groups and initiatives with the greatest potential to get more people riding bikes. In 2012, we:
1. Continued our major funding of the Bicycle Friendly America program run by the League of American Bicyclists.
2. Served as a key funder of the Alliance for Biking and Walking and its nationwide efforts to develop and improve state and city bike advocacy groups.
3. Continued to serve as a top financial supporter of the National Complete Streets Coalition.
4. Partnered with IMBA to support key projects.
5. Acted as title sponsor of the National Bike Summit, celebrating 12 years of growth in participation and effectiveness.
6. Backed the Bicycle Leadership Conference at a gold level.
Expanding PeopleForBikes.org
We expanded PeopleForBikes.org, our ambitious, multi-faceted campaign to get one million Americans newly engaged in supporting bicycling. We began 2012 with 425,000 supporters and reached 650,000 by the end of the year.
Launching the Green Lane Project
In 2012, we launched the Green Lane Project – a campaign to catalyze the creation of world-class protected bicycling networks on streets nationwide. Green lanes are dedicated, inviting spaces for people on bikes, protected from cars and separated from sidewalks. From 2012 to 2013, the Green Lane Project is focusing on six U.S. cities: Austin, Texas, Chicago, Memphis, Portland, Ore., San Francisco, and Washington, DC. New York City is also a senior adviser to the program. Together, these cities built 80% of the new green lanes in the U.S. in 2012. Green lanes allow more of the 60% of people who are interested in riding a bike, but concerned about their safety, to comfortably choose bicycling as a transportation option. Creating safe bicycling infrastructure is the number one way to grow ridership in the U.S.
Awarding Community Grants
In 2012, we awarded $160,000 in cash grants to bolster local bike efforts, help build facilities, and support research efforts that quantify bicycling’s benefits. In 2012, we:
1. Awarded $40,000 in cash grants to exceptional community bike projects through the Bikes Belong Community Grant Program.
2. Awarded $100,000 to Green Lane Project focus cities to support their efforts.
3. Awarded $20,000 in cash grants to support research that analyzes the many contributions of bicycling to our nation.
Gathering Essential Research & Statistics
We continued to track, summarize, and publicize studies that analyze bicycling and highlight its benefits to the economy, health, environment, community, and quality of life.
Expanding the Bikes Belong Foundation
1. Administered and enhanced the dynamic Safe Routes to School National Partnership—a coalition of 600 organizations with a staff of 27 that is dedicated to increasing the number of U.S. children who walk and bike safely to school.
2. Supported blog and syndicated column submissions on key bicycling topics by respected, expert writers.
Bikes Belong membership dollars made this important work possible. If you are a supporter, we thank you very much, and we are counting on you again this year. If not, please consider joining us as a member or supporting us with a donation in 2013 to help us put more people on bicycles more often.
Bikes Belong Coalition Financials
This information is specific to the Bikes Belong Coalition. For details on Bikes Belong Foundation's 2012 financials, click here.
2012 Total Income - $3,316,630
2012 Total Expenses - $3,305,219
Income Growth
2005: $1,183,403
2006: $1,355,882
2007: $1,652,592
2008: $2,327,328
2009: $2,425,373
2010: $2,484,832
2011: $3,095,507
2012: $3,316,630
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