Since 2019, Outride has proudly supported community nonprofits by committing more than $1.5 million in grant funding to more than 170 youth cycling projects across the country. Outride is excited to announce the opening of its 2023 Outride Fund grant application cycle, partnering with community nonprofits to promote bicycling as a tool to transform the lives of U.S.-based youth.

In order to create an immediate impact in communities across the country, the Outride Fund will now provide direct community grants. That means selected organizations are no longer required to contribute 1:1 matching funds, making it easier to apply and providing grant recipients more time to focus on the work they are doing.

“While matching grants were a good way to stoke community involvement in the fundraising process, we wanted to simplify the process for prospective grantees and lower the barrier to receiving funds,” says Chazz Robinson, program manager at the Outride Fund. “This change will allow awarded organizations to receive funds more quickly and start creating an impact on a more predictable timeline.”

Outride Fund grants will continue to support trails, pump tracks, rider education, workforce learning, after-school programs, and more, with a renewed focus on answering the question: “How can bicycling improve social, emotional, and cognitive health?” All nonprofit organizations that apply for a 2023 grant should consider this question in their proposal.

“One of the most incredible components of getting an Outride Fund grant is not only the impact that the funds provide, but also becoming a part of the Outride community,” says Tasha Tinagero, Outride’s strategic partnerships manager. “We have seen impressive impacts come out of cross-collaboration between our grantees and partners, which is something unique to our program within the cycling industry.”

The Outride Fund grant committee will carefully select grant recipients after evaluating applications on their alignment with Outride’s mission and research, an organization’s capacity to create impact, and their commitment to equity and access.  Outride Fund grant amounts vary depending on the project proposal but tend to fall between $5,000 and $15,000.  

What hasn’t changed in 2023 is the Outride Fund’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Not only does Outride hope to use its grant program to harness the power of cycling to improve lived experiences for youth, but it also wants to specifically target underrepresented demographic groups, ultimately helping to diversify the populations that participate in cycling. Vast disparities exist when it comes to accessing bicycling and its benefits for mental health — competitive proposals will demonstrate an intentional commitment to building equity and inclusion.

The 2023 application cycle is open through February 6, 2023, with Q&A webinars scheduled with Robinson on January 19 and 26. Please review Outride’s application guidelines and frequently asked questions before submitting. Grant award notifications and disbursements will be announced between March and April 2023.